VISTA Issue #66

Y O U R C A N A D I A N H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S C O N N E C T I O N vistamagonline.com

ISSUE 66 Sept / Oct 2009

ENTER TO

PAGE 60

Searching for a Younger Body What Does Winning Really Mean?

Interview with

WTV's

SMART COOKIES

To Change Your Life, First Change Your Mind Nobel Peace Prize Winner Discusses Our Climate

Organic Planet feature: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

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contents Issue 66 | Sept / Oct 2009

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46 9

32 Immune Support during Chemotherapy

Editor’s Healthlines

By Carol Crenna How long will you live?

10 To Change Your Life, Change Your Mind

By Dr. Christian Guenette making life changes

Keys to

12 Fat Follies: Part 3

By Dr Michael Colgan

Diets that work

14 Overfed Yet Undernourished

By Brendan Brazier modern paradox

Avoiding the

16 Grow a Younger Body

By Alain Prud’homme Increase your youth-enhancing collagen

34 A Cure for the Coming Cold

By John Austen

The best flu fighters

18 Glutamine – The Anti-Aging Amino Acid

36 Hair Colour: Go Natural?

20 Win the Flu Battle with Homeopathy

38 Fish Oil Facts

22 Stress and Your Immune System

40 Hormonal Havoc

By Don Gauvreau A natural immune booster promotes youth

By Tutti Gould

Remedies for flu season

By Dr Serenity Aberdour your body’s defenses

Help support

24 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Discusses our Climate

By Carol Crenna Andrew Weaver

Interview with Dr.

26 Back to School? Don’t Forget Nutrition

By Jolie Root

Three basics kids need

28 Understanding Mushrooms

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By Terry Vanderheyden, ND The powers of traditional Chinese medicine

By Maureen Fontaine Why mushrooms help fight disease

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30 Recipe for Health

By Tracy Holly

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Cabbage and carrot slaw

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

By Sophia Stewart dye your hair

Safer products to

By Mark Schneider missing in fish oil?

By Robbin Coedy hormones

Is something

How to balance your

42 Hair Loss Help

By John Austen Balding can be caused by lack of nutrients

44 Beautifying Skin

By Shelly Lynn Nellis and relieve skin

Tips to replenish

46 Smart Cookies’ Financial Health

By Carol Crenna Smart Cookies

Interview with WTV’s

48 Achieve Better Athletic Performance: Part 3

By Andrea Bartels and Joelle Lyew Get energy, stamina and strength for exercise

www.vistamagonline.com

VISTA Publisher’s

word

M A G A Z I N E

Publisher:

Trent Nellis

Editor:

Carol Crenna

Marketing Director & Associate Editor:

Shelly-Lynn Nellis

Copy Editor:

Dan Tidsbury

Art Director:

Cindy Hughes

Graphic Design:

Chris Hart

Vice-President, Sales:

Paul Airut tel (778) 222-7775 e-mail paulairut@telus.net

cOVER CREDIT:

Gordan Dumka Photography

Contributing Writers: Alain Prud’homme, Andrea

Bartels, Brad King, Brendan Brazier, Carol Crenna, Dr. Christian Guenette, Claude Gallant, Cory Holly, Dan Tidsbury, Don Gauvreau, Joelle Lyew, John Austen, Dr John Stan, Jolie Root, Marva Ward, Maureen Fontaine, Michael Bloch, Dr Michael Colgan, Michelle Kwon, Robbin Coedy, Dr Serenity Aberdour, Shelly Lynn Nellis, Sophia Stewart, Terry Vanderheyden, Tracy Holly, Tutti Gould, Yvonne Anderson VISTA Magazine publishes bi-monthly issues and is distributed through the health food retailers of Canada. Send all questions, comments, and inquiries to: VISTA Magazine 13256 55A Avenue Surrey, BC CANADA V3X 3B3 Tel (604) 591-9991 or (877) 905-7771 Fax (604) 591-1989 e-mail vistamag@gmail.com www.vistamagonline.com VISTA Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Opinions expressed herein are those of the ­authors and advertisers and do not necessarily reflect those of the VISTA Magazine publisher, editors or staff. Readers are encouraged to consult with their health professional before embarking upon any exercise, medical or nutritional changes. Contents of VISTA Magazine are copyright 2009, all rights reserved. VISTA Magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without written permission of the publisher.

To subscribe to VISTA Magazine and receive delivery to your home or office bimonthly, send $39.95 plus GST = $41.95. ­Include your address and we’ll ship you our next issue. Single copies are also available for $6.95 plus GST = $7.37.

Canadian Publications Mail Products Sales Agreement #40025872 ISSN #1715-8214 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Magazine Fund toward our editorial costs.

Fall is upon us.

L

ook outside people, summer is over and here comes the spectacular imagery associated with the glorious Canadian Autumn. As the foliage begins to change colour, many Canadians will prepare for their long journey south to the land of heat and year round golf in an effort to escape the inevitable drop in temperature associated with the change of the seasons. We embrace the fall here and look forward to raking and jumping in the piles of leaves from our yard. If you are a person who walks, this is likely a favourite time of year for you to get outside and breathe in that cool Canadian air.

With all the bad press and daily warnings about the H1N1 Flu virus polluting the mainstream media one would think the end of civilization is near.

There has even been talk of implementing mandatrent nellis Photo tory vaccinations worldwide. I strongly suggest that rather than buy into the fear mongering and scare tactics being used by the mainstream media that each and every one of you do your research before making your decision whether to vaccinate or not. It has been proven time and time again that vaccines are in fact an assault on our bodies and are not equally beneficial to everyone. Do not feel pressured by the media into making a decision that you may in fact regret. Statistics do not lie and the fact is that the vaccinations will do more harm than good for countless numbers of citizens. Prevention is the best method of action to combat the H1N1 virus. Practice the following; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick with flu-like illness, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. As is almost always the case, prevention is the best medicine, so make sure your body is well prepared to stave off infection. Keep your immune system strong and well prepared.

Have you ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? I had not heard of it either until we started researching the topic for this issue. Not surprisingly, an enormous accumulation of the plastic we produce has found its way into the ocean currents of the Pacific Ocean. VISTA’s own Dan Tidsbury discusses at length the horror occurring at sea due to our carelessness and lack of foresight.

This article is an eye opener and should make us rethink the amount of non-biodegradable plastic we manufacturer on land. When one looks at the amount of plastic debris that is washing up on the shores of the Hawaiian island’s it should set off some alarms as to where we are headed with our current world wide plastic manufacturing practices. If you live an the coast of the Pacific Ocean be very afraid, be aware and do your part to stop the devastation of our waterways.

Trent E. Nellis, Publisher To contact Trent Nellis via e‑mail, write to thepub@shaw.ca

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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contents

www.vistamagonline.com

56 Sports Nutrition Update

By Cory Holly

Do you play to win?

58 Make your own Water

By Yvonne Anderson How to get inexpensive fresh water

61 Detoxifying the Body for Better Health

By Shelly Lynn Nellis toxins from?

Where do we get

68 Bone Building Basics

By Claude Gallant Prevent osteoporosis

70 The Seaweed Solution

By John Austen Why should humans eat sea vegetables?

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72 Pain Management 101

By Michelle Kwon relieve pain

Vibrations help

74 What is Coenzyme Q10?

50 Candida 101: What Every Woman Should Know

By Michelle Kwon facts

By Marva Ward Learn more about this antioxidant

Yeast overgrowth

52 Banish Breakouts: Skincare that Heals

By Sophia Stewart Good bacteria fights bad bacteria on your skin

70

54 Stress and Your Metabolism

By Brad King down

Relieve stress and slim

63 The Eighth Continent

By Dan Tidsbury Our continent-sized ocean garbage dump

66 Impulse Buying Reduction Tips

By Michael Bloch Do you really need that?

67 Harming The Environment Is Bad For The Economy

By David Suzuki with Faisal Moola

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Editor’s Healthlines

VISTA M A G A Z I N E

Carol Crenna, rhn

board o f adviso r s

How long will you live?

E Dr. Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN

Dr. Gloria Gilbère

ver wonder how long you’ll live? Most people over the age of 40 want to find secrets to defying the clock. It’s no wonder that websites which say they can reveal your physical age (from a questionnaire), forecast how long you will live, and help you to change that outcome have become some of the most popular sites on the internet.

A recent New York Times expose by Stephanie Clifford discusses the online age-quiz called RealAge (www.realage.com). According to RealAge, over 27 million people have taken its test, which asks 150 questions about your lifestyle and family history to assess your body’s biological age. Therefore, according to the site’s consultant doctors, the questionnaire will tell you how

the website has well respected Dr. Mehmet Oz, author and regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as a spokesman, web browsers trust it.

Death Clock, on the other hand, figures out how many seconds you have left to live by finding out how old you are, your outlook on life, your BMI index and whether you smoke. Unlike RealAge, this prediction game is fun, especially if it forecasts that you’ll be a centenarian. It subtracts its calculation from an average life span for man or woman, tells you the date you’ll die and then converts it into seconds. (According to its calculation, I will die on Friday, September 5, 2059 at age 98.) Then, before your eyes, the digital clock starts subtracting your personal seconds because it’s “the internet’s friendly reminder that life is

“According to its calculation, I will die on Friday, September 5, 2059 at age 98.”

Dr. Christian ­ uenette, DC G

Cory Holly, DN

Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky, BSc, MA, ND

Tomás Nimmo

Dr. Terry Willard, ClH, PhD

old your habits make you. Another popular website called Death Clock (www.deathclock.com) asks a few simple questions in order to calculate at exactly what age you’ll die.

The problem is that, like the New York Times article says, RealAge has become a middleman to drug makers. RealAge makes youth-enhancing lifestyle recommendations, including doing yoga and flossing your teeth, but makes its money by using your information to sell you medications.

Pharmaceutical companies pay RealAge to compile test results of RealAge’s millions of members and send them marketing messages.

Drug companies including Pfizer, Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline use RealAge answers to find people who may show symptoms of a disease and send them several messages about it (offering a drug solution) before there has even been a diagnosis given from their doctor. In essence, the website and its “partners” can scare you into thinking that you may have high cholesterol, diabetes or arthritis so you rush to your doctor for a prescription.

RealAge asks very personal questions like how sexually active you are, whether you’re an alcoholic or if you take antidepressants. Since

slipping away... second by second.” It doesn’t ask about lifestyle or family history because it wants to keep it simple. The site says, “This is not supposed to be a life insurance site or census bureau; this is a game.” However, it also gives detailed information about over 50 illnesses that you may feel you’re destined to get and includes interviews with doctors discussing both natural and drug options for everything from weight loss to menopausal symptoms.

It’s probably as accurate to simply ask yourself how long you feel that you’re going to live, question what may be the cause of death (and take precautions now to avoid that fate) and live your life like you want every second to be as healthful and happy as you can make it. No crystal ball or health guru required.

Carol Crenna will be teaching “Why Weight?” – a personalized weight loss course – through Capilano University Continuing Education in North Vancouver from September 29 to November 3 www.capilanou.ca/ ce.html and “Slim &Trim” – a personalized weight loss course – through Vancouver School Board Continuing Education from September 26 to November 7 www.continuinged.ca.

Dr. Zoltan Rona, MD

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

www.vistamagonline.com

To Change Your Life, Change Your Mind

By Dr. Christian Guenette

I

n order to change and transform your life, practising conscious choice is paramount. At some point, most of us discover a repeated pattern of circumstances that we wish we could change, but find it hard to. We often find ourselves stuck in that all-too-familiar pattern of: (a) thinking we shouldn’t, (b) doing it anyway, and (c) feeling bad about it later.

The most common reasons that we tell ourselves for staying stuck include: • • • • • • •

I’ve always done it like this.

It’s too hard to change.

I can’t do it.

I don’t know how to do it.

I’m too tired/exhausted.

I don’t know if it will work.

It never works for me.

How do you break the cycle so that you can begin to live the life you want?

The key to changing life’s circumstances resides within the mind, and involves the process of shifting from unconscious to conscious thinking – in a series of four basic steps that can lead to your manifesting your heart’s desires.

Before embarking on this journey of self-discovery and transformation, it is important to understand a few simple concepts about the human mind and how it relates to human behaviour.

The majority of your life (up to 95 percent) is experienced at the level of the subconscious.

This is where your autopilot reigns supreme. The subconscious autopilot monitors and maintains all necessary biological processes, keeping the heart beating, the lungs breathing, and the stomach digesting properly. Memories are also stored at this level, and you have instant access to these memories to keep you safe in your environment (for example, that fire can burn your skin and that certain wild berries are poisonous). These functions are critical for survival, and very little modification is necessary in these areas to live a long, safe existence.

When it comes to living a comfortable and fulfilling life, you must first understand how the other portions of the subconscious mind – including

egoistic and fear-based thoughts – establish limiting beliefs that keep you safe, but uncomfortable.

You must also tap into the conscious mind, which gives you the power to create (or re-create) your reality. From the time of your birth,

relates to the awareness that we all exist as pieces of the same puzzle, and that no one piece is more important than the others. Both concepts exist simultaneously in all of us, and to find a peaceful balance between the two leads to the realization of a fulfilling human life.

How do you create change?

The first step is to become more aware of what you want. For some, it’s easier if you start by identifying what you don’t want.

Then, you imagine the opposite of that. Be as detailed as possible, using all senses.

The next step is to connect with the feeling that you deserve the outcome. As equals, we all deserve to feel joy, love and inner peace – whatever form that takes for each of us.

Next, you must accept the way things have been up to now, and then let go of the past. Any energy focused on the past keeps you stuck in the past. Forgiveness of past mistakes frees you to move forward.

The final step is to make a conscious commitment to change, and then to take action. You can be full of good intentions, but without action steps you cannot change.

Divide your bigger goal into smaller achievable steps, and be sure to give yourself rewards for making it to specific checkpoints Lise Gagne Photo along the way.

Meditate often. When you meditate, you were taught by your parents, teachers, cul- you practise singular focus. When you use mediture and religion what to believe. As you grow, tation as a tool for conscious change, you clear most of your childhood is spent in a subcon- the mind of extraneous information that does scious state of learning – absorbing every detail not serve you. The more you meditate, the more of what it means to live as a human being in the conscious you become. When you make consociety in which you find yourself. scious choices, you are more likely to be conIf the subconscious autopilot was your only nected to a sense of self-worth, and the reasons state of mind, you would grow up as a clone of for staying committed to change. With a comyour parents, programmed to live the same lives mitment to consistently move in the direction of they did. Although you often start out that way, your desires, it is inevitable that you will achieve soon you begin to develop independent thought anything you set out to do. For more ideas about and individual choice – awakening an awareness personal change and transformation, go to www. of the ego and collective consciousness. thecommonsensecoach.com.

The ego relates to the concept “I am separate from everyone else.” It corresponds with Darwin’s idea of survival of the fittest – to com- Dr. Christian Guenette is The Common Sense Coach™. pete is to survive. The collective consciousness For more information, contact dr.guenette@gmail.com.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Fat Follies: Part 3

By Dr Michael Colgan

“I have been on a diet for the last two decades. I’ve lost a total of 789 pounds.

By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.”

Irma Bombeck

I

n Part 2 of this series, I examined popular weight loss methods, all of which fail to achieve long-term loss of body fat. There are many other weight loss schemes, with so many fraudulent ones that it ranks #2 on the 2008 FTC fraud list, beaten only by securities frauds.

I also showed why exercise alone does not work for long term weight loss simply because most people cannot do enough of it while still maintaining their personal and professional lives. All effective diets do contain an exercise component, however, so before discussing them, I want to clear up one point. Doing a lot more exercise is not necessarily better. This fact is amply demonstrated by the popular TV programme, The Biggest Loser. Participants are paid and supported to follow an extreme exercise and diet schedule. Those who stick to it rapidly lose weight and look terrific on the show. But, it is seldom revealed that the biggest losers are also the biggest re-gainers after the show is over. (Research it on the internet if you don’t believe me.)

The main reason for rapid weight regain after an extreme weight loss regimen is the great changes to your metabolism caused by it. Whenever you take on a diet and exercise schedule, over a few months your body adapts to that schedule, and expects it to continue. Essentially, you teach the body to become more efficient at utilizing stored fat as fuel because you are restricting the energy available from food and expending more energy in the exercise. The more exercise you do, the more efficient the body becomes. If you achieve your goal weight, and then reduce exercise and relax the diet, you have to deal with the new body you have created – a body that now needs less food than before you began the weight loss programme. Even a little extra food will all go to fat. That’s the major reason why some of the biggest losers can regain 20 pounds of fat per month after they quit, even though they are eating healthier and eating less than before they began.

If you follow any of the diets given here, do so in moderation. Determine that you will be able to stick indefinitely to the programme you choose.

Otherwise, it is a waste of time, and the short-

term success will leave your body in a worse state than before you began. Successful long-term fat loss is always a permanent lifestyle change.

Real evidence for weight loss

There are some recent controlled studies comparing the effectiveness of popular diets that provide reasonable evidence. One large study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2007 compared four diets. Subjects were 250 healthy female volunteers aged 25 to 50 covering a range of body types with body mass index varying between 27 and 40 (from visibly overweight to greatly obese).

They were randomly assigned to one of four diets. First was the LEARN diet, which stands for Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition. The LEARN diet is based on the US National Health guidelines and is low in fats and high in carbohydrates. Second was the Ornish diet, which is very high in carbohydrates. Third was the Zone diet, which is low in carbohydrates.

Fourth was the Atkins diet, which is very low in carbohydrates. So the diets spanned the spectrum for different proportions of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

The study that ran for 12 months showed that the Atkins diet caused the greatest weight loss, 4.7 kilograms (10.3 pounds) and had favourable effects on blood fat levels, especially in lowering blood triglycerides. Weight loss for the other three diets were 2.6 kilograms for the Ornish diet, 2.2 kilograms for the LEARN diet, and 1.6 kilograms for the Zone diet. Numerous health professionals now suspect that the US government’s promotion of the arduous and complicated but ineffective LEARN diet is partly responsible for the population’s ballooning weight.

In terms of low carbohydrates and high proteins, the Atkins diet is similar to the Colgan Institute 100 Year diet given in the book Nutrition for Champions. However, it’s derived from the nutritional requirements that match the human DNA code and the diet of our ancestors before there was agriculture. It emphasizes many health

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

factors that were never considered by Atkins.

The 14 essential factors of the 100 Year diet are: • Organically grown foods • Wild meats and fish • No processed carbohydrates • No hydrogenated fats • Minimal saturated fats • High essential fats • An alkaline diet • Minimal dairy foods • Minimal salt • High potassium • Minimal processed sugar • High fibre • Clean water • Vitamin and mineral supplements References available from VISTA. Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN, is an internationally renowned scientist. He is acknowledged as an antiaging expert. He formed the Colgan Institute in 1974, a consulting and research facility focused on nutrition, athletic performance and anti-aging, and has served as a consultant to the US National Institute on Aging and to the Canadian and New Zealand governments. His latest books are Save Your Brain, 2008, and Strong Bones, 2009. www.colganinstitute.com

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Overfed Yet Undernourished

By Brendan Brazier

F

ood delivers nourishment, right? We live in a strange time in which people who are overweight or obese can be (and most likely are) malnourished. Shouldn’t a person who eats an inordinate volume of food be well nourished? Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. Though 50 years ago it would have been a strange paradox, it’s now the rule, not the exception. What happened over the last 50 years that’s precipitated this shift?

The desire to eat is a basic primal instinct, among the most powerful human desires that has served well for thousands of years. As soon as the body begins running low on nutrients to fuel movement or rebuild body tissue, it sends a chemical signal from the brain to induce appetite, inspiring consumption of food, and thereby acquiring nutrients.

However, the “hunger signal” will remain active until the body acquires adequate nutrition.

Only required nutrients can turn it off — actual calories have no bearing on satiety, which helps explain the obesity epidemic. Using white bread as an example provides further insight: a whole loaf could be consumed, and while the stomach would be physically filled, the chemical hunger signals being released from the brain would continue to be active, holding out for nourishment.

Thus, in spite of having a full belly, the desire to eat would remain strong. This leads to over-consumption and body fat.

The heavily processed “convenience foods” developed in the last 50 years are a key in the obesity epidemic. And with excess body fat comes the risk of myriad serious health concerns including type2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. But convenience foods are not the only culprit; how our food is grown is another one.

It all starts with the earth

Food is little more than a medium to get soilbased nutrients. Drawn from the earth, nutrients inherent to fertile soil are transformed into plant matter that’s biologically usable by animals and humans. Fewer nutrients exist in plants that have been grown in over-farmed soil, void of the nutrients that have been extracted season after season.

Farmable land is scarce

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as of 2001 only 7.42 percent of Canada’s total land mass was considered suitable for growing food. Of that, only a fraction is considered fertile and nutrient-rich. A report in 2003 by the same organization showed that our arable land percentage had declined by an astounding 14.8 percent over the course of only two years, putting our total at 5.02 percent in 2003. We can only assume that it has continued to decline since that report. You might expect a red flag would go up regarding this issue and the nation would collectively take proactive measures to ensure our dwindling supply of arable land is preserved. But we haven’t. In fact, our irreplaceable resource is continuing to be gobbled up – by animals.

Animal agriculture: the numberone reason for obesity

Farming animal products precipitates a serious health concern for everyone. Seventy percent of the arable land we have is not being used to grow food for us, but food for animals. For every 16 pounds of grain-energy fed to one cow, we only get one pound of meat-energy in return. Part of that energy is burned up by the cow’s general living, but the majority simply ends up as animal waste. We are turning one of our country’s most valuable resources – arable land – into manure.

Solving obesity, helping the planet

The solutions are as clear as the problems. A diet based on a foundation of whole plant-based foods is the answer, sustainable from both a health and environmental perspective. Hemp for example is a swift-growing, Canadian crop that produces a nutrient-rich seed packed with omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, complete protein and immune-boosting chlorophyll.

Hemp thrives when grown organically, and once the seeds have been harvested, its stalks can be tilled back into the field, returning nutrients to the soil for the following crop. Chlorella is another example of a nutrient-dense and sustainable harvest. In addition to its revered cleansing ability, chlorella is packed with B-vitamins (including the elusive B12), trace minerals, and

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“Only 7.42 percent of Canada’s total land mass was considered suitable for growing food.” chlorophyll and is 70 percent protein. As freshwater algae, chlorella grows exceptionally fast, quadrupling its mass every 24 hours and is hailed as being the most efficient way yet discovered to produce protein.

Not only will basing your diet on nutrientrich plants dramatically reduce your risk of disease, turn off your hunger signal (and cravings), boost your overall health and allow you to mentally and physically outperform those who are malnourished, it will help preserve the environment. And the environment will return the favour by ensuring sufficient arable land in which to grow nutrient-rich food for generations. By basing your diet on plant-based whole foods, you’ll also be supporting companies that participate in sound farming practices and, therefore, the preservation of one of our nation’s most valuable resources.

Brendan Brazier is a professional Ironman triathlete, Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion and bestselling author. www.brendanbrazier.com Brendan’s follow-up to The Thrive Diet is Thrive Fitness (Penguin Canada, 2009) which includes a complete, step-by-step fitness programme. These books are complemented by a free, online wellness programme at Thrivein30.com.

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Grow a Younger Body

By Alain Prud’homme

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uzanne Somers, in her book The Sexy Years, laments, “I love being a grownup but I have been programmed to dread this passage of life – the middle years, when I would become an over-the-hill, dried up, menopausal, no-longerdesirable, wrinkly old lady. No wonder we have been on a constant search for that secret elixir that will give us a few more years before the sentence of invisibility becomes our destiny.”

We are all striving to discover how best to keep our bodies youthful and even reverse the aging process in non-invasive ways. And as Somers says, “The time we put into preparing for change determines the outcome. We must be proactive about our health in order to take advantage of the latest breakthroughs. We’re not supposed to feel worn out; we’re not predisposed to get the diseases associated with aging. We’re supposed to be happy and healthy.”

How do we maintain youthfulness? Feeding our bodies whole fresh foods to improve everything from cognitive function to skin tone, drinking plenty of water to clean out wastes and toxins which speed aging, getting eight hours of beauty sleep, and exercising daily to relieve stress and increase mobility will go a long way to keep

our bodies looking and feeling 35.

Working beneath the surface, one of the best ways to age-proof our bodies is to restore the building blocks that create them. Our bodies age because changes occur in cells which affect their proper functioning. Eventually cells die as a normal part of processes; either they don’t divide like they should or they’re damaged by harmful substances in the environment or within the body. Whether the body can efficiently rebuild and repair itself and create new cells is dependent upon its ability to build different types of protein. This process requires collagen, which is a construction worker in the body’s building (and rebuilding) project. Therefore, to remain youthful we need to protect our collagen.

Collagen is both the material and the glue that holds our bodies – skin, bone, muscles, cartilage and tendons – together, found in blood vessels, joints, hair and all connective tissue. Any time the body has to build new cells, such as in the healing process, collagen is needed. As we age, we begin to lose the collagen that is present in our skin, which is why the skin begins to sag and wrinkle, but this is just the most visible sign of depleted collagen.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Our bodies manufacture their own collagen every day, but since production diminishes with age, the available supply quickly becomes less than enough. Deterioration of the body gradually follows. Things we have always done, like running or lifting, seem more difficult; we’re suddenly reminded of old injuries; our muscle mass decreases, we get joint pain, loss of bone density and weakened connective tissue.

To maintain healthy collagen, we should consider nutrients obtained in foods and supplements that can enhance the rebuilding process of the body. Collagen fibres contain two amino acids (building blocks of protein) called hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline, which may be important for forming collagen and providing strength and flexibility. It is logical to eat foods high in lysine and proline to potentially support collagen. Animal foods are the primary source of both amino acids; egg whites and wheat germ are good vegetarian sources of proline, and lowfat dairy products, fish and legumes are significant sources of lysine. Vitamin C is a major aid in increasing collagen, and is required to change proline into hydroxyproline and lysine into hydroxylysine, their collagen forms. Garlic and two sulfur-containing nutrients, taurine and lipoid acid, may have the ability to support damaged collagen fibres. Phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables are important in collagen-building; catechins found in green tea have shown to help prevent breakdown of collagen, and anthocyanidins found in cherries, blueberries and blackberries help collagen fibres link together to strengthen them.

Suzanne Somers concludes, “This is a tremendous time to be alive. Once again we baby boomers have decided not to take this thing – midlife – sitting down. We are still vital and energetic, but coming to terms with the mysteries allows us to go out and truly enjoy this age. Taking responsibility for our own well-being gives greater selfconfidence and control over aging.

We can prepare for a youthful future by being conscious of what is happening both inside and outside our bodies and taking steps to maintain it.’’

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Glutamine – The Anti-Aging Amino Acid

By Don Gauvreau

G

lutamine has been used for decades by athletes to help improve recovery and performance, and it’s now gaining popularity with people from all walks of life because it offers a multitude of other health benefits.

What is glutamine?

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body, found in the bloodstream and muscle tissue. Although glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, it can become essential when you’re experiencing stress, illness or injury when glutamine stores can become depleted. Glutamine helps produce proteins, peptides and other vital substances and produce energy used in most cells in the body. Glutamine plays a particularly important role in the brain, immune system, skeletal muscle, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Glutamine is found in high protein foods such as fish, meat, beans and dairy, and in vegetables including parsley and spinach.

Anti-aging properties

Glutamine has anti-aging properties and is a precursor to one of the body’s most powerful antioxidants: glutathione. Antioxidants prevent cellular damage by scavenging free radicals which can dramatically slow the aging process. Glutamine supplementation has also been shown to increase natural growth hormone. As we age, growth hormone declines, which can result in increased body fat, rapid skin aging, poor health, and lack of well being. One research study showed that supplementing with just 2 grams of glutamine daily could increase growth hormone output by an incredible 430 percent.

Glutamine and athletes

Glutamine has been used by athletes for its recovery-enhancing properties. Distance runners and endurance athletes are prone to overtraining, which is associated with a decrease in natural glutamine. Researchers believe that reduced glutamine levels after intense exercise are related to suppression of the immune system. A review of 14 studies found that the incidence of illness in distance runners was 32 percent lower when they regularly supplemented with glutamine.

Health benefits

In the GI tract, glutamine is used as a fuel source and can enhance the overall health of the digestive system. It heals cells of the GI tract by stimulating regeneration and growth of new cells. Research shows that glutamine can protect the stomach lining against stomach ulcers and aid its recovery.

When to take it

Glutamine supplementation is particularly beneficial during times of high stress when natural glutamine levels may drop. Within a few days after starting to supplement with glutamine you should notice increased energy, improved digestion and a greater sense of well being. Research shows that you can benefit from as little as 2 grams of glutamine daily; however, 5 to 10 grams daily offers maximum benefits. Glutamine can be taken during the day or before bed in order to increase natural growth hormone output during sleep. ranplett Photo

Immune system health

Glutamine is used as a fuel by white blood cells that provide immune system defense to the body. Experts believe that stress can cause glutamine levels to drop, which suppresses the immune system. Studies show that supplementing with glutamine can enhance lymphocyte cells and, in turn, fight illness.

Maintaining acid balance

Never overlook acid-base (or acid-alkaline) balance when wanting to improve your health – the proper balance between acids and bases (pH) in your body. When your body is too acidic, proteins are denatured, enzymes lose their ability to function and virtually every cell in your body is negatively affected. By acting as a buffer, glutamine plays a key role in maintaining acid-base balance.

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What type is best?

Some lower quality glutamine products are made from crab shells and others are made from byproducts of glucosamine. The best source of glutamine in the world comes from a fermentation process of beets, but not all fermentation techniques are the same. Japanese-based Ajinomoto is the worldwide leader in the research and production of amino acids and has perfected and patented the fermentation process. Its amino acids are between 99 and 100 percent pure, whereas impurities in other brands can be as much as six times higher. References available from VISTA. Don Gauvreau, MSc., CSCS, is recognized as a research and development expert in the nutrition industry.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Win the Flu Battle with Homeopathy

Get the Rest You Deserve

By Tutti Gould

T Reduce Stress & Pain Naturally A good night’s sleep free from stress, aches & pains is important in helping your body recover from the days’ wear and tear.

For more than 60 years Hyland’s Calms Forté has been nature’s answer to a good night’s sleep.

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he flu has been challenging us forever.

The Spanish Flu of 1918 had a devastating effect on millions of people worldwide. It also provided an opportunity to demonstrate how quickly and effectively homeopathic remedies work, even back then when the diagnosis was unknown. Guided by the patient’s own unique symptoms, homeopaths then and now are led to the appropriate remedy to bring about a cure in the majority of cases. Mortality rates in the 1918 pandemic were 60 to 80 percent among allopathic (conventional) doctors and hospitals and 3 to 15 percent with those taking homeopathic treatment according to Dr. Sandra Perko’s book Homeopathic Treatment of Influenza: Sur‑ viving Influenza Epidemics and Pandemics, Past, Present and Future with Homeopathy.

Viral infections of all sorts have become a motivating factor to keep up a healthy immune system, which is the best defense. Homeopathy improves a person’s overall level of health and creates a more resistant environment to ward off bacteria and virus alike.

Homeopathy is a natural medicine that works without side effects – and doesn’t interfere with other medications that you may be taking – to stimulate the body’s curative responses to heal itself. Whether you are surrounded by clients with the flu or are experiencing typical first signs such as chills, headache, fever, achiness and fatigue, homeopathic remedies work with the body’s own defenses to ease symptoms and minimize sick time, leaving the immune system as strong as or even stronger than before.

Four homeopathic flu fighters:

Gelsemium: A person needing gelsemium sempervirens (yellow jasmine) has flu symptoms that come on gradually over 6 to 24 hours. They feel profound weariness and a need to be left alone because they are tired. Chills running up and down the spine characterize their reaction to temperature. There is often sensitiv-

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ity to drafts, which bring on shivering. A throbbing headache described as “a band around the head” can be present along with thirstlessness and dizziness. To pinpoint the symptoms needing this remedy remember the four D’s: dizzy, dull, droopy and dumb, describing how a person feels who would benefit from gelsemium.

Bryonia: Bryonia is made from wild hops, a vine-like creeping plant that clings tenaciously onto anything firm for support. Just as the plant demonstrates a search for relief from movement, the person who responds well to this remedy is like a grumpy bear, feeling irritable when moving or being disturbed, and their pains and symptoms are made worse by any exertion. General symptoms that further indicate the use of bryonia include increased thirst for cold water, and a frontal headache that feels better with hard pressure. All mucous membranes tend to be dry.

Eupatorium perfoliatum: This homeopathic remedy is made from the herb boneset. It earned this name because it was said to ease the “bone breaking” fevers by encouraging perspiration. A homeopathic eupatorium preparation is best applied to the flu marked by aching bones, muscles and eyes, shivering chills and throbbing headaches.

Anas barbariae: Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis extractum is a popular remedy found in several homeopathic flu formulas. It is effective for the earliest stages of flu, and many people take it once a month throughout the flu season as prevention.

The homeopathic single remedies mentioned above can also be found in various combination formulas, which treat a variety of cold and flu symptoms. Combination remedies are very user-friendly, requiring minimal homeopathic knowledge, making them a great place to start when it comes to taking homeopathic medicine.

Tutti Gould, ND, DC, is a practicing naturopathic physician in Sutton, QC tuttig@sympatico.ca

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Stress and Your Immune System Have you been putting in a lot of extra hours? Are you getting by on too little sleep and taking on too much stress? If so, you may be setting your immune system up for a fall.

By Dr Serenity Aberdour

O

ccasional minor stress can be a benefit to your health, keeping your immune system stimulated and alert. However, chronic and excessive stress can suppress immune function, increasing your vulnerability to illness and infections.

Stress causes an increase in a hormone called cortisol, and although cortisol has some beneficial effects, chronic elevations in cortisol can lead to a reduction in white blood cells, poor wound healing, and increased susceptibility to infections.

In addition to high cortisol levels, stress can cause sleep disturbances. Apart from making you feel groggy and grumpy, poor sleep can have

Lise Gagne Photo

a significant, negative impact on your health, which includes increasing your risk of infections.

A 2009 study measured effects of sleep loss and the results were remarkable: those who slept less than seven hours were almost three times more likely to get a cold than those who slept eight hours or more. When researchers looked at the amount of time spent in bed with the intention of sleeping compared to how long people actually spent sleeping, even more interesting results surfaced. Those who spent less than 92 percent of their bedtime sleeping were more than five times more likely to get a cold than those who spent 98 percent or more of their bed time asleep! This shows that it is not just a matter of lying down and resting; you must actually get proper, restorative sleep in order to keep your immune system in peak form.

Stress can also lead to poor nutrition. During fast-paced, high stress times, it is common to miss out on proper nutrition because you reach for more convenient and, generally, processed foods. Just when your body needs more nutritional support, you often provide it with less.

What to do? Trying your best to maximize sleep and eat nutritional meals is a good start. In addition, natural products are available to help support your immune system during challenging times. Here are some of my favourites: Vitamin C: The adrenal gland, a major player in your body’s response and resistance to stress, has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C among the organs. Vitamin C is believed to play a vital role in the health and function of the adrenal gland, and additional intake of vitamin C is beneficial when you’re exposed to significant stress. Vitamin C has been shown to help ease stress-induced increases in cortisol and blood pressure and may reduce the risk of the common cold by as much as 50 percent in those under stress.

Vitamin B complex: Stress, and the increased metabolic demands that it creates, also

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

increases your need for B vitamins. A good B complex supplement, providing 25 to 50 milligrams of most of the Bs helps to support the body during stressful times.

Yeast beta-glucan: A newcomer to supplements, but a very familiar substance to your immune system, yeast beta glucan acts as an immune stimulant, preparing it for action. Yeast beta glucan supplementation has been shown to help reduce the risk of the common cold when used preventatively by those under stress. Researchers have also reported that it may reduce stress-induced fatigue and improve mood. In Canada, this ingredient is known as “Wellmune” and can be found in supplements on its own and in combination with other stress or immune supporting ingredients.

Rhodiola: This herbal product is a superstar adaptogen (substance that helps the body to adapt to stress). Safe, effective and relatively fast acting, rhodiola has been shown to help improve mental performance and reduce stress-induced fatigue. Rhodiola may help reduce elevated cortisol levels in those suffering from stress-associated “burnout.” I give this herb to patients who are always on the go and whose lifestyles put high demands on their adrenal glands.

To summarize, too much stress can hamper the performance of your immune system. Good sleep and nutrition are the cornerstones of good immune health, so make efforts to stay on track.

For extra support, vitamin C, B complex, rhodiola and yeast beta glucans can help to improve your ability to resist infection and illness during stressful times.

Dr Serenity Aberdour is a naturopathic physician with a general family practice in Vancouver, BC. She is a regular contributor to natural health magazines and has provided seminars to a variety of audiences on the benefits of natural medicine. www.serenitynd.com

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Nobel Peace Prize Winner Discusses our Climate

By Carol Crenna Dr. Andrew Weaver is a University of Victoria professor and research scientist who, as a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), shared in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.

Here he discusses what the environmental research says.

VISTA: Winning the Nobel Prize is quite an accomplishment. Do you know Al Gore well?

Andrew: I shared the prize with about 200 members of the IPCC. When Al Gore conducts training sessions in Canada, I act as his advisor for scientific questions that he doesn’t feel comfortable answering. Al Gore is an outstanding communicator though not a scientist. Climate scientists are not the best spokespeople because our daily discourse is talking jargon with colleagues, not giving passionate public presentations.

VISTA: People are slow to change.

Andrew: They don’t understand that it concerns the survival of our civilization as we know it. Within 100 years, we’ll experience a climate that Earth hasn’t seen in hundreds of millions of years — humans have flourished with little to no fluctuation in climate. We have no choice but to change radically, which requires a 100 percent emission reduction.

VISTA: Is complete elimination of emissions possible?

Andrew: Yes, because we can also develop technologies to take carbon dioxide out of the air to reduce what is there. Conservation is not going to get us where we have to go. We also have to find ways to produce clean energy required for future generations – to charge the batteries in their electric cars, for example. It’s not a choice between wind, solar and rivers; we need them all working together.

VISTA: Electric car manufacturers haven’t done well.

Andrew: Transportation Canada sets arbitrary safety standards for electric cars, classified as low speed vehicles because they’re not allowed to go over 40 kilometres per hour so can’t be driven on city streets – ensuring the status quo continues for fossil fuel-burning automobiles.

Manufacturers actually have to under-engineer the engines so that they can only go that speed.

VISTA: What can we do?

Andrew: Support progressive policies. If people keep putting pressure on government, demanding change as voters, it will happen.

VISTA: Have you seen results?

Andrew: The carbon tax proposed by the BC government was the first economically optimal solution in the world. The world’s governments are now looking to BC for leadership because its government got re-elected with

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a platform that included doing the right thing. This decision wasn’t done to benefit leaders’ political careers but for future generations. The only way to deal with our environmental problem is to put a high price on emissions.

VISTA: It’s confusing as a consumer to know what’s more important: to buy products made 1. with renewable resources or 2. in areas that can produce it more readily with less energy consumption or 3. locally.

Andrew: If the federal government imposed a carbon tax on all goods imported into Canada, and there was a worldwide agreement on pricing to account for carbon emissions produced in growing, manufacturing and transporting the goods, priorities would change. Bamboo is a sustainable option for home decor, for example, but it can be grown in Canada, and will only be more economical to grow and manufacture here when we pay the true costs of bamboo from China including emissions created.

VISTA: Within IPCC, you were responsible for future predictions. Will you give us some?

Andrew: If we maintain greenhouse gas levels at today’s values, in the next few decades the Himalayan, Andes and British Columbia glaciers will be ice-free in summer — affecting millions of humans who depend on them for water. Lake Chad in Africa which straddles four countries is destined to completely dry, affecting 100 million people. When Pakistan and India no longer have water from glaciers, they will take it from somewhere. The problem will either become the great unifier or the great divider. People are realizing that issues are all tied together — dependence on oil developed in unstable regimes creates more cultural tension, global terrorism, poverty and environmental collapse.

VISTA: Are leaders listening?

Andrew: Global warming issues have been spoken the loudest by climate scientists – normally conservative academia, not fringe environmentalists.

Today scientists from around the world organized a press release urging action for the historic environmental meeting being held in Copenhagen in December 2009. It is the follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol, and may be one of the last chances that nations’ leaders have to join together to deal with this problem.

VISTA: How did you become interested in the environment?

Andrew: When I was a child I got a book from Santa Claus on the oceans and then watched Jacques Cousteau TV documentaries. Though I studied math and physics, I wanted them to have relevance for people so I focused on atmospheric and ocean science and then on climate change.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Back to School?

Don’t Forget Nutrition School children deserve all the help that they can get to meet the challenges of aca‑ demics. Being well nourished is fundamental to a child’s well being and ability to concentrate, learn, and behave in the classroom.

By Jolie Root

F

or optimal learning and behaviour, every child needs a good supply of the fatty acids EPA and DHA, the omega-3s found in cold water fish. Omega-3s EPA and DHA are absolutely essential at all stages of life but especially important during school years. From babies to toddlers up to age three, DHA is needed for the growth and development of the brain and eyes. After that, both EPA and DHA are important for learning, memory, focus, concentra-

tion, and information processing – all cognitive functioning. When supplemented daily, these nutrients may improve behaviour in children and ease symptoms of learning disorders. Specifically, the supplements have been found to benefit children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental coordination disorder. Studies have shown that children who have regular intakes of EPA and DHA may have a reduced risk of inflammatory conditions such as asthma, mood disorders including depression, and type 1 diabetes.

Recently, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that a majority of Canadian children are deficient in the Omega-3s EPA and DHA. In the study it was revealed that 78% of the children who were assessed did not get adequate amounts of Omega-3 EPA and DHA in their diets.

Researchers from the University of Guelph discovered that, on average, the level of daily consumption of omega-3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in kids four to eight years old is only 31.5 milligrams. The daily intake recommended by the Institute of Medicine is 90 milligrams per day.

It should be noted that even this recommended level is low. The Dieticians of Canada recommend 351 milligrams of EPA/DHA per day.

Measured against that suggested intake, 90 percent of the children in the study were deficient.

This is quite a problem when you consider that these nutriLise Gagne Photo ents are fundamental for optimal

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learning. Another study found that those children with ADHD have less than optimal essential fatty acids (including EPA and DHA) in their bodies. A trial of almost 100 boys found that boys with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids had more learning and behavioural problems including temper tantrums and sleep disturbances than boys with normal omega-3 fatty acid levels. A clinical study using omega-3 and omega-6 supplements in 117 children with ADHD found that children experienced significant improvements in reading, spelling, and behaviour during 3 months of supplementation. Yet another study found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation helped to decrease physical aggression in children with ADHD. Calcium is also very important for healthy school-aged children. We all know that they need it for healthy teeth and bones, but it also plays a crucial role in the functioning of nerve and muscle tissue. A diet that provides adequate calcium to meet daily requirements should include the following: toddlers require about 500 milligrams calcium each day, children age four to eight require 800 milligrams of daily calcium, and kids age nine to eighteen require about 1,300 milligrams daily.

Along with calcium, children need 400 IUs of vitamin D daily to ensure healthy bone mineralization, good muscle tone, and strong immune systems. Having a calcium deficiency during adolescence may set the stage for the development of bone disorders like osteoporosis later in life.

This disease, in which bones become fragile and brittle, impacts both men and women.

Dairy products like milk and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium. Children who routinely drink milk each day typically have no problem meeting their daily requirements of calcium, but many children have milk allergies, don’t digest it properly, or don’t like milk. These children will need to take a supplement to meet these requirements. References available from VISTA.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Understanding Mushrooms

By Maureen Fontaine

Mushrooms have historically been an integral part of East‑ ern medicine and have more recently become a powerful addition to alternative West‑ ern therapies. Each mush‑ room’s intricate characteristics help to enhance the immune system in very specific ways.

F

ungi are extremely powerful environmental aids in the forest, having the capacity to absorb and neutralize poisons such as herbicides, pesticides and toxic waste. They help manage the ecosystem, and are responsible for its regeneration and rejuvenation. Their unmatched ability to restore balance within Mother Nature is precisely what they accomplish within our body’s internal environment.

One of the main functions of the immune system is to identify and destroy distorted cells and it is only when this is not accomplished that disease occurs. Medicinal mushrooms support proper white blood cell behaviour and, therefore, stop diseased cells from replicating. Mushrooms are nature’s powerful therapy in addition to being nutrient-rich, with high levels of protein, fibre, vitamin B, calcium and other minerals.

The two most powerful mushrooms are reishi and cordyceps. The historically revered red reishi affects over 300 biochemical processes and functions of the liver. Cordyceps sinenesis, called the king of mushrooms, dates back to the Tang dynasty where it was a national medicinal treasure partially because of its effect on adrenal glands and ability to increase libido. Cordyceps was more recently credited when a group of nine athletes in the 1993 Chinese National Games shattered their individual world records, due in part to this mushroom’s ability to increase cellular energy by as much as 55 percent.

The potent mushroom maitake is effective for digestive disorders and insulin resistance (in-

Lise Gagne Photo

creasing insulin receptivity). Coriolus versicolor aids lung infections, impacting serious disease conditions that are sometimes unresponsive to traditional treatments. Agaricus blazei murill, a relative newcomer to medicinal mushrooms, increases interferon and interleukins, proteins produced by immune system cells to interfere with reproduction of a virus or tumour.

Shiitake is known for its ability to increase immune cells called lymphocytes, to control bacteria, and to balance cholesterol.

When used in formulations, these unique mushrooms carry added benefits. All help to offset the side effects of medical therapies such

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as chemotherapy by reducing symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, hair loss and diminished white blood cell count. They do not disrupt or change the benefits when combined with any other therapies. Medicinal mushroom therapy is commonplace in other countries to assist in eradicating disease.When choosing medicinal mushrooms, consider the following: Growing conditions are crucial. Attention must be paid to selecting species around growth parameters of temperature, light and oxygen, and they must be fully mature.

The substrate or surface on which it grows is unique to each species. In order that you pay for mushrooms alone, the less substrate in the finished product the better. Higher medicinal properties are attained when the entire substrate (which feeds the mushroom) has been consumed in a full growing period. No irradiation (which can decrease health benefits) is necessary when mushrooms are grown in a pristine environment because cross-contamination is impossible.

Nanosizing reduces size of particles down to less than 2 nanometres so they are more absorbable by the body, making the difference between a good result and an outstanding one. Achieved by a simple milling process, nanosizing increases potency five to ten times. Low temperature drying leaves the nutrients and medicinal benefits intact including antioxidants, beta-glucans, heteroglucans, chitinous substance, protein complexes, and heteropolysaccharides.

High polysaccharide count is important because polysaccharides (natural sugars) are the actual medicinal ingredient in mushrooms.

The highest quality mushroom products take well over 200 pounds of fresh mushrooms to make 1 pound of product and contain over 200 types of clinically proven polysaccharide immune system enhancers.

The greatest potential for biological rehabilitation and sustainability lies within the brilliance of fungi. Mother Nature’s mushrooms are also invaluable as powerful healers within our internal environment, fighting battles within unseen terrain. Given the state of today’s world, supporting our immune system is a proactive preventative step in our health.

Maureen Fontaine, B. Ed, ECS, CN, MH, is a diet and wellness consultant.

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Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

By Tracy Holly

C

abbage is a sturdy, strong and abundant vegetable. Highly adaptive and easy to grow, cabbage is common worldwide and prepared according to tradition by many cultures. It is eaten raw, pickled, fermented, short-cooked and stewed. Cabbage belongs to the brassica family of cruciferous vegetables that includes kale, broccoli, collards and Brussels sprouts. Members of this family are so named for their cross shaped (crucifer) flower petals.

Rich in nutritional integrity and fibre, cabbage is a great source of manganese, beta carotene and vitamins B, C, E and K. Cabbage also provides a unique source of sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinols (I3Cs), which are powerful helpers to detoxify carcinogens in the liver. Medical research suggests that indoles can lower the risk of certain forms of cancer. Men living in China and Japan who routinely consume cruciferous vegetables experience much lower rates of prostate cancer than their American counterparts. Similar data has been uncovered regarding breast cancer incidence among women.

Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw 1/2 red cabbage sliced and chopped 2 large carrots coarsely grated 1 medium white onion chopped 1 green apple cored and chopped 1/2 cup (125 ml) dried black currants Toss with everyday healthy salad dressing Everyday healthy salad dressing Together in a glass screw-top jar, mix the following: 1 part (1/2 cup-125 ml) extra virgin olive oil or ½ olive and ½ hemp seed oil 1 part (1/2 cup-125 ml) juice from freshly squeezed lemon 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard 6 cloves of freshly grated garlic or 1 large clove elephant garlic Makes approximately 1 cup (250 ml) of dressing.

Add all ingredients to a large salad bowl, top with dressing and toss.

Serving suggestion: add one tablespoon of unpasteurized honey to the salad dressing to make the salad slightly sweeter tasting.

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As a natural food staple, cabbage helps protect the skin and eyes from damage, enhances the oxidation of fatty acids in the liver, protects the heart and endocrine glands from injury, maintains nerve tissue integrity and boosts metabolism.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, this salad is an ideal accompaniment to a baked or barbequed meat, fish, or chicken dish. Red cabbage and carrot slaw offers a colourful combination of crunchy vegetables with a delightful, sweet and sour taste that will intrigue your taste buds.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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A growing body of international research con‑ firms that an integrative approach – using com‑ plementary medicine in addition to medical treatment – is the future of cancer care. Studies show that traditional Chinese medicine includ‑ ing herbal therapy, acupuncture and qi gong help to reduce symptoms associated with conven‑ tional cancer therapy and may improve survival.

T

raditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has always recognized the value of tonics. TCM classifies tonic herbs according to their effects on the body – by the organ or system they address, for instance – and by their impact on counter-balancing yin and yang body types, symptoms

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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www.vistamagonline.com which offer clues to individual needs in order that healing take place. Several herbs act to tonify a person’s level of qi (the body’s energy force) and are known as qi tonics. Astragalus (Astraga‑ lus membranaceus) is classically recognized as a premiere qi tonic in TCM for promoting overall health and stimulating immunity.

Qi tonics are valuable for anyone who wants greater energy, a stronger immune system and increased resistance to the flu, colds and other infections. Qi tonics stimulate the adrenal gland to improve stamina, overcome fatigue and help the body cope with stress, overwork and chronic illness. They also aid cancer patients undergoing medical treatments.

TCM practitioner and herbalist Subhuti Dharmananda, PhD, maintains that the use of qi tonic herbs is of primary benefit in adjunctive cancer treatments and for treating immune disorders. This method of therapy is called Fu Zheng therapy, meaning “to support normality,” according to Dharmananda. “Virtually all of the qi tonics have the ability to enhance production of white blood cells and enhance immune attack… The use of qi tonics in cancer therapy arises both from a traditional approach and from

modern experimentation. From the traditional view, both the systemic and local abnormalities that develop with cancer are thought to be due to weakness and pathology of the qi. Thus, treatment is based on tonifying the qi and clearing the pathological qi.”

Common qi tonics used in TCM in addition to astragalus include codonopsis, eleuthero, reishi, Chinese ginseng, gynostemma, zizyphus and licorice. Modern research confirms the benefits of astragalus-based formulas for adjunctive cancer care. A systematic review conducted by Taixiang et al. examined whether or not Chinese herbal medicines could decrease the toxicity experienced by patients treated with chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. The authors reported that the astragalus tonics did have a significant benefit including improved white blood cell counts and a decrease in nausea and vomiting. Furthermore, no adverse effects were reported.

An additional meta-analysis of the effects that astragalus-based products have on the immune function of lung-cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was published in 2006.

Research by McCulloch et al. found that astragalus-based herbal formulas definitely improve

immune function and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.

McCulloch and colleagues concluded, “We found evidence that astragalus-based Chinese herbal medicine may increase effectiveness (by improving survival, tumour response, and performance status) and reduce toxicity of standard platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.” Specifically, the authors noted an overall six-month odds ratio for survival of 0.58. In other words, those taking astragalus-based products had a 40 percent reduced likelihood of dying from their cancer in six months.

These findings validate the use of astragalus in traditional Chinese medicine and help to explain the beneficial effects of astragalus-based tonics in supportive treatments of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. References available from VISTA.

Terry Vanderheyden, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, is a graduate of CCNM and is in private practice in Barry’s Bay, ON.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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because you can reverse skin damage

A close look at the before and after photos show the results of 25 years of research into reversing skin damage by Madalene Heng, M.D., FRACP, FACD. Psoria-Gold® has been used on 10,000+ patients and is a patented curcumin gel formulation designed to inhibit the enzyme phosphorylase kinase to reduce: s 0SORIASIS s !CNE s (YPER PIGMENTATION s 0RE CANCEROUS changes to skin cells s 3CARRING s 0HOTO $AMAGED skin

A Cure for the Coming Cold

By John Austen

A

s much as you want to avoid it, chances are that you’ll catch a flu bug this fall or winter. According to US stats, the average person suffers at least two colds per year, and 1 in every 10 gets a more serious flu. The best way to beat the odds, of course, is to keep your immune system strong. Taking preventive measures to boost immunity will at least lessen a virus’s impact if it doesn’t deflect illness altogether.

Learn more about time-honoured remedies to avoid letting a virus take hold: Zinc: Zinc is an important healing mineral used since the ancient Egyptians. Zinc activates 100 important enzyme functions in the human body, and is essential to fight infections. Zinc and vitamin A are required for healthy epithelial cells which line the mouth, throat, sinuses, stomach and bowels. Zinc is known for its antiviral powers for colds and sore throats; when a zinc tablet is sucked, the mineral goes from the saliva into mouth tissues and enters the bloodstream where it binds with the cold virus’ shell and neutralizes it.

Echinacea: Though it’s known for its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects, echinacea is also an antioxidant that helps fight disease.

Echinacea angustifolia is the species of echinacea with the highest immune and health boosting properties due to its concentration of echinacoside. Echinacoside, found only in the roots, helps to prevent the spread of infections within tissues and aids tissue repair. It increases the production of virus-fighting T cells and T cell’s production of gamma-interferon which helps stop the virus from replicating.

Vitamin C: This antiviral, antioxidant vitamin reduces the severity and duration of colds because it neutralizes the toxins produced by cold viruses. It is these toxins that cause runny nose, muscle pain, headache and inflammation. Vitamin C also helps to protect from environmental pollutants that lower the body’s resistance to colds. Many people aren’t getting enough vitamin C to benefit from its antitoxin and antiviral qualities.

Beta carotene: Beta carotene (or vitamin A) helps the body resist colds and other viral infections by protecting the adrenal glands. This benefits the thymus gland, the master gland for immune function, which shrinks when the adrenals enlarge as a result of illness or stress. Vitamin A helps prevent adrenal enlargement, and works with zinc to keep epithelial cells healthy.

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Lise Gagne Photo

Ginger: Ginger has long been recognized for its heating effect on the tissues which stimulates circulation of the blood and helps to promote healing. Ginger also helps to clear the bronchial passages of mucus.

Wild cherry bark: Wild cherry bark is valued by herbalists for managing fevers and severe coughs. It is recognized for its tonic effect on the chest and lungs. Early American settlers used it in cough syrups.

Licorice: Licorice is a popular herbal remedy for coughs and chest colds, and is noted for its soothing effect. Its use for easing dry coughs dates back to the third century.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

because you can achieve better immune health

Albi’s Kama C.A.Z.E.™ family contains Zinc, Vitamin C, and Beta carotene (pro-vitamin A) to boost your body’s immune function and fight infections. These are combined with the healing herbs ginger, wild cherry bark, licorice and the powerful echinacea angustifolia. Albi grows its own echinacea angustifolia which is the species with the highest echinacoside concentration. Why is that important? Echinacoside is a caffeic acid ester with many immune and health boosting properties. The graph below compares our own Echinacea to 4 other leading brands. Only Kama C.A.Z.E.™ will give you all these powerful herbs in one Chewable Tablet. Also try our Extra Strength with twice as much echinacea and our Hot Kama C.A.Z.E.™ with Cayenne for an extra immune boost .

Independent HPLC Analysis conducted November 6th, 2007.

Comparing echinacosides between Albi Naturals and 4 other leading Canadian companies.

8 7

5 4 3 2 1 0

echinacoside mg / ml of echinacosides

6

N/D

not detectable

N/D

Albi’s

N/D

N/D

Brand 2

Brand 3

X X X Brand 1

X

Brand 4

Echinacea angustifolia NOT Standardized

NOT Standardized

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If you’re rethinking that trip to the hair-co‑ lour section of the grocery store and would like to find a more harmless hue, you’re not alone. Millions of women are questioning conventional dyeing products that contain a number of ingredients with bad reputations.

You’re not only worried about your hair con‑ dition, you’re concerned about your lungs and skin — breathing in those chemicals and hav‑ ing them absorb into your scalp enables them to make their way into your bloodstream.

H

air to dye for? Conventional hair dye contains a combination of peroxide and ammonia, which not only alter the molecular structure of hair and damages it, but may cause allergic reactions. Many women develop reactions to these or the chemicals p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) and diaminobenzene, also found in hair colour. You can suddenly become allergic to these chemicals even after years of use.

Hair dye has also come under scrutiny due to possible links to cancer. Even back in 1994, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute announced that dark coloured dyes (brown and black), when used over a prolonged period of time, may increase the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system) and multiple myeloma (cancer of cells in the bone marrow). Dark hair dyes contain a much higher concentration of chemicals than lighter ones. In 2001, the International Journal of Cancer found that those who use permanent hair dye are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer. Other studies show higher risks of leukemia (cancer of blood-forming cells) and ovarian cancer.

You’ve heard that there are alternatives to toxic colouring agents, and you want to “do the right thing” when it comes to all of your beauty care choices. But it’s tough not to become bewildered by the plethora of so-called natural products flooding the market.

What’s natural? It turns out that all permanent dyes must use PPD to adhere to the hair shaft and peroxide to open it. Permanent dyes that don’t use PPD or one of its derivative names, like benzenediamine dihydrochloride or aminoaniline dihydrochloride, use toxic metals like lead or mercury to achieve the same effect. Select products, however, contain low concentrations of PPD and peroxide so read ingredients carefully or do

Available where quality natural products are sold.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

www.vistamagonline.com research online before buying. Some brands contain only 1 to 3 percent hydrogen peroxide compared with as much as 6 percent in non-natural hair dyes, and may be ammonia and paraben-free. If they don’t contain ammonia, there is no smell once mixed, allowing you to avoid inhaling toxic fumes. The absence of ammonia results in little penetration of the skin’s epidermis, so fewer allergic reactions occur.

Look for mild natural products that don’t cause psoriasis and eczema or irritate skin. Some semi-permanent or wash-out dyes (that last five to six washes) are vegetable-based and contain no ammonia, peroxide or PPD. Although they have to be used more often because they just coat the hair shaft without penetrating it, they are a good alternative to harsh chemicals.

Both permanent and semi-permanent natural dyes also use plant-based ingredients — brown tones are produced by varying amounts of walnut extract and yellow tones are made by rhubarb and cinchona. Some products add other herbal extracts like aloe vera, vitamins E and C and proteins to protect and moisturize hair.

But do they work? Yes. A natural permanent is ideal if you have 50 percent grey hair since it offers the most coverage. Touch-ups on re-growth are required approximately every four to five weeks, like all other dyes.

Temporary colours contain less peroxide (1 to 3 percent) but they won’t totally cover grey and will fade after 12 to 16 shampoos. These products offer a wide selection of reliable colours and also add ingredients for natural shine and body – not petroleum-based plasticizers for unnatural shine like conventional products.

Three out of every five women aged 18 to 55 now colour their hair (according to the US Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association) and since baby boomers are aging, the number of both men and women dyeing their hair has steadily increased. Hair care companies are realizing that they need to keep up with health findings and with the growing demand for natural products to ensure that your hair is, indeed, as healthy as it looks.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Fish Oil Facts These days, it’s hard to find anyone that is still unaware of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. New reports abound with studies demonstrating omega-3s ben‑ efits for healthy brain, cardiovascular and joint function. It’s not surprising that omega3 fish oils have become the number one and fastest growing category in the natural health product industry.

By Mark Schneider

A

re all of these fish oils delivering on their health promises? A closer look at the majority of the products on the shelves reveals some disappointing truths about today’s mass-marketed fish oil supplements.

It’s important to note that while DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are vital omega-3 fatty acids, they are far from the only valuable omegas in fish. Nearly all conventional fish oil brands are chemically processed and manipulated to produce isolated DHA and EPA without the naturally occurring complement of 14 other fatty acids and several other nutrients that fish have to offer.

Many people are unaware of the existence – let alone the health benefits – of other fatty acids in salmon and other fish like omega -5, 7 and -9. Myristoleic acid (omega-5) supports normal cell growth, reduces inflammation and has anti-bacterial properties. Palmitoleic acid (omega-7) protects skin and the gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts. Omega-9 fatty acids help to maintain brain and nerve functions, and supports healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. If these supporting omega fatty acids are missing, you are not receiving the full spectrum of nature’s benefits from fish oil.

The over-processing and overheating involved in the manufacturing of fish oil also results in the loss of other valuable nutrients including vitamin D and E and a powerful antioxidant found in marine animals called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin contributes to the colour of the fish’s flesh, such as salmon’s pink hue, and a pale fish oil is an indicator that astaxanthin may be lacking. Vitamin D has been increasingly recognized recently as studies prove its importance for general health and to protect against cancer and other diseases; salmon is listed as the most abundant natural source. This is also lost during most processing. Some manufacturers will add

synthetic vitamins and other nutrients back into the oil, but the full benefits of the whole intact oil are lost forever.

This extensive processing would not be necessary if not for purity and freshness challenges that come from polluted waters and long transportation times for delicate, quickly spoiling fish. Fish oil manufacturers often source many different types of fish stocks (with varying levels of beneficial omega fats) and ship these catches over long distances from various fisheries before processing. This means that they need to use complex, high-heat purification and distillation processes to deliver an acceptable product for consumers. Unfortunately distillation destroys beneficial nutrients in the fish, too.

For fish oil to have full health benefits it has to be sourced from pure waters, minimally processed without chemicals or extreme heat, and cold pressed immediately after being taken from the fish. Using only “clean” fish stocks, such as wild, sustainably caught salmon from northern waters, eliminates the need for harsh processing.

By using an “extra-virgin” low heat process, the oil can still deliver the fish’s natural array of 16 omega fatty acids and other nutrients including vitamin D and astaxanthin.

To be a food-grade oil produced in a government inspected facility, it must be extensively tested for PCBs, heavy metal contaminants and toxins (that must be purified or distilled out if they occur in the product, so best to buy one without them in the first place). Like most edible oils, fish oil can oxidize or spoil when exposed to oxygen and light. To prevent oxidation and ensure stability, herbal antioxidants including those found in rosemary and oregano can be added in extract form instead of using chemicals or heat.

Clinical studies have evaluated and confirmed the effectiveness of taking fish oil, and

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

salmon oil in particular, in whole, cold-pressed form for reducing inflammation and LDL cholesterol, improving energy, mood and memory, and supporting digestive and joint health. However, before you buy another fish oil, do a little research to find out where it came from, what it’s gone through, and what the environmental impacts of producing it are. Given the potentially disastrous consequences of over-fishing, the importance of sustainability cannot be overstated; find out if your fish oil is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. An informed choice can make a difference to your health and the health of the planet.

B

ut are all of these fish oils really delivering on their health promises? A close look at products on store shelves reveals some disappointing truths about mass marketed fish oil supplements.

It’s important to note that while DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are vital fatty acids, they are far from the only valuable omegas in fish. Nearly all conventional fish oil brands are chemically processed and manipulated to produce isolated DHA and EPA without the naturally occurring complement of 14 other fatty acids and several nutrients that fish have to offer.

Salmon, for example, provides omegas -5, -7 and -9 in addition to omega-3. Myristoleic acid (omega-5) supports normal cell growth, reduces inflammation and has antibacterial properties. Palmitoleic acid (omega-7) protects your skin and the lining of the gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts. Omega-9 helps to maintain brain and nerve function while supporting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. If these supporting omega fats are missing, you are not getting the full spectrum of nature’s benefits from fish oil.

The over-processing and overheating involved in the manufacturing of fish oil also results in the loss of valuable nutrients including vitamin D, vitamin E and a powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin that’s found in marine animals which contributes to the colour of the flesh, such as salmon’s pink hue. If you’re buying a salmon oil and the colour is pale, this is an indicator that astaxanthin may be lacking. Vitamin D has had much publicity in the past year as studies prove thattake it’s vital general health If you a for “purified” fishand oil capsule, you’re not getting what to protect against cancer (salmon is listed as the nature created in the first place. Wholemega is a whole-food most abundant natural source). This is also lost approach to Some fish manufacturers oil and an alternative to the fractionated, during most processing. will attempt to add synthetic vitamins “purified” fish oils on and theother market today that require chemical nutrients back into the oil, but the full benefits of processing. Wholemega is a sustainably caught, the wholeand intacthigh oil areheat lost forever.

This fresh-pressed, processing would not be necessary it 100% Wild ifAlaskan salmon oil that delivers 16 weren’t for purity and freshness challenges that vital Omega Fatty Acids including 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9s, as well as come from polluted waters and long transpornaturally Vitamin tation times, and we occurring are talking about delicate,D and Astaxanthin. It’s simple: you quickly spoiled fish, after all.

Fish oil manufachave to get Wholemega to get what nature intended. turers often source many different types of fish (with varying levels of beneficial omega fats) and ship them over long distances from global ports A WHOLE and fisheries before processing. This means that NEW FISH OIL WITH... they need to use complex purification methods “Purified” Fish Oil ...A CLEAR DIFFERENCE! and distillation Wholemega™ processes using high heat to deFresh Pressed Chemical and Heat Processed liver an acceptable product for consumers. Unfortunately distillation destroys beneficial nutri16 Whole 100% Fresh Natural Chemically ents in the fish, too.

Omegas Wild-Caught Pressed Antioxidants Processed THE DIFFERENCE 3, 5, 6, 7, 9’s Alaskan Salmon For fish oil to have full health benefits it has to be sourced from pure waters, minimally proNO Wholemega™ cessed without chemicals or extreme heat, and cold pressed immediately taken from NO “Purified” Fishafter Oilsbeing NO NO NO YES the fish. Harsh processing to deliver purity is not always required even though many companies Available at Health Food and Supplement Stores use it. By using an “extra-virgin” low heat proDistributed by: Advantage Health Matters Inc. ® www.wholemega.ca t 1-800-304-1497 Prevention t Regeneration t Longevity Health Matters

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Hormonal Havoc

By Robbin Coedy

M

ost women will experience some sort of hormonal disorder in their lifetime.

PMS, menopause, menstrual irregularities and infertility seem to be increasingly common. Hormonal disorders are attributed to an imbalance, implying that the body is not able to balance the normal cycle of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones and goes off-course.

Many women find that even the smallest thing – such as temporary stress – can affect their menstrual cycle.

What is causing widespread imbalances, and why do women in different parts of the world have greater or fewer symptoms of menopause and

menstrual disorders? Is it genetics, diet, stress, or exposure to estrogen-like chemicals? There is no single answer. However, natural health practitioners know that simply supplementing with hormones (such as hormone-replacement therapy or oral contraceptives) or phytoestrogens (derived from plants) is not the solution.

Toxins

Xenoestrogens may play a large role in hormone dysfunction. Xenoestrogens are those chemicals which look like estrogen to the body, but are not actually estrogen. Bisphenol A is an example of a xenoestrogen, contained in plastic bottles and

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www.vistamagonline.com the lining of aluminum cans. We are bombarded with tiny amounts of other xenoestrogens in everything from sunscreens to insecticide residues found in food. These and other toxins can disrupt the normal function of both female and male hormonal systems.

Toxins and acids tend to build up throughout our body’s connective tissue. Hormones must pass through this connective matrix to get from the bloodstream to the end organs. If the connective tissue is blocked with toxins and acids, the hormones may not be able to get to where they’re needed in the body. This can lead to various symptoms of hormonal disruption.

One priority for treating hormonal disorders should, therefore, be detoxification. A gentle homeopathic detoxification is a good way to promote removal of toxins without side effects. For optimal results, drink plenty of water and keep your bowels moving while detoxifying.

abdominal pain, migraine, and bloating). Especially if you are also experiencing emotional symptoms such as irritability, mood swings, depressed mood, or nervousness, a homeopathic formula may be a good choice.

Look for homeopathics such as chastetree (Vitex agnus castus), black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), unicorn root (Aletris farinosa), and pulsatilla, which help to rebalance the female hormonal system.

Many natural remedies take time to re-regulate the body, so give them a minimum of one

Bring your body back into balance while addressing issues of toxins and acids with complex homeopathic remedies which are safe, gentle and effective.

Alkalinizing the body – specifically, removing acids stuck in the connective tissue – can also help. If there are enough acids in the body to be causing a problem, only a strong alkalinizing formula which contains bicarbonate minerals such as calcium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate will be effective.

Remedies

Supplementing with phytoestrogen nutrients (found in plants such as soy and flax) is fine, but re-balancing hormone levels so that you don’t have to depend on supplements is even better! Some supplements try to replace the body’s own hormones by giving large doses of herbs commonly used to treat hormonal disorders. However, with this method you’re not addressing the root cause of hormones being unbalanced. Bring your body back into balance while addressing issues of toxins and acids with complex homeopathic remedies which are safe, gentle and effective. Complex homeopathic remedies help bring symptomatic relief and get to the root of the hormonal disorder.

Phytoestrogens do not rebalance hormones; they simply mask the problem temporarily.

Several homeopathic remedies have been shown to have excellent effects on physical symptoms of menopause (such as hot flashes, headache, and weight gain) and PMS (such as

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

month before expecting to start noticing symptom relief. Since it has taken years to get to a state of hormonal disorder – it cannot be solved overnight. Get rid of toxins, limit your exposure to new toxins, and rebalance those hormones with a proven homeopathic remedy – you will be healthier and happier for it.

Robbin Coedy, BSc, MSc, holds a degree in nutritional and nutraceutical sciences from the University of Guelph and a Masters in human biology and nutrition. She has been in the natural health field for many years as a researcher, writer and guest speaker.

www.vistamagonline.com

Hair Loss Help

By John Austen

P

eople tell balding men that hair does not define you or your social success – even William Shakespeare was bald and he’s considered the greatest romantic playwright there ever was – but that’s of little consequence when you start to notice that your own crowning glory is abdicating its royal stronghold. At least you’re not alone; pattern baldness affects over half of men by age 50.

Instead of helplessly watching the follicle fallout, be proactive. Just like all other areas of your body, your hair needs specific vitamins and minerals to look and feel its best. If certain nutrients are missing from your diet, damaged hair and hair loss can result.

Hang on to what you’ve got. You have about 100,000 strands of hair if you have an average head of it, growing about an inch every two months.

Your hair undergoes changes as you age and is affected by climate, outdoor and indoor environment, stress and illness in addition to nutrition. To have full healthy locks, give them more than just a quick shampoo. Choose a shampoo made from pure botanical extracts to nourish and protect hair and scalp while stimulating hair follicles. It should also remove harmful chemical buildup on hair and scalp which can cause hair loss. Certain botanical ingredients work to increase blood flow to the small capillaries that feed hair roots, stimulating growth and working during shampooing to revitalize your scalp. If you are experiencing hair loss, some companies also offer supplements that can be effective to stop hair loss within four to six months. Don’t be too lazy to use conditioner; moisturizing agents in botanical conditioners can add strength, provide a protective layer resistant to environmental damage, and give hair and scalp a chance to recover. Stimulating cayenne, nettle, ginger, fenugreek, aloe vera, and calming essential oils of peppermint, rosemary, sandalwood, wheat germ oil and horsetail are used in these products.

Fenugreek helps maintain healthy-looking hair and a wellnourished scalp. Hair strength is adversely affected by a protein-poor diet.

Easily absorbed proteins in fenugreek can help correct this deficiency and

promote a thicker hair shaft, increasing strength.

Hormonal balance is also related to decreased shaft thickness and hair strength.

Those who have decreased hair-shaft thickness and hair strength have been found to have higher-than-normal concentrations of the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in hair follicles.

Natural plant steroids (steroid saponins) are compounds that help eliminate extra cholesterol and hormones in the body. When excess cholesterol is eliminated, it has been shown that less DHT can be made. Some plant sterols (steroids) may also work to block DHT receptors. When

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sterols prevent DHT from binding to receptors in hair follicles, hair looks healthier, fuller and stronger.

Vitamin B is also important for hair maintenance. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiencies are associated with increased sebum – oil produced by hair follicles. Increased sebum production may result in weaker hair shafts. Vitamin B2 can help reduce sebum and also supports proper cell growth. Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is important for proper blood flow to the scalp and the hair follicle. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is particularly important for the health of the adrenal glands. Weak adrenal glands can lead to hormonal imbalances that may increase DHT levels.

Folic acid is also vital for cellular activity and proper hair growth.

Lose the hair loss. Reevaluate your diet. Add green vegetables, whole grains, essential fats and other foods rich in hair-healthy vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, B12, zinc and selenium. Hormonal shifts, medications (over 290 drugs cause or contribute to hair loss including antidepressants, blood-thinning agents, amphetamines and hypertension drugs), stress and illness are culprits. Even a severe flu can trigger it, and you may not notice hair loss for months. Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, iron deficiency, diabetes and cancer can trigger hair loss.

Avoid alcohol consumption.

Use the lowest setting on your hair dryer and keep it at a distance to avoid breakage from overheating. Get plenty of sleep.

After swimming, wash and condition thoroughly because chlorine is extremely damaging to hair and scalp.

Great hair and fastidious grooming have always been signs of wealth and prosperity (except maybe for ancient Romans who shaved their head before battle because it became a liability when it got in their eyes). Take steps to put it where it belongs, and don’t abuse it or ranplett Photo you’ll lose it.

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Beautifying Skin

By Shelly Lynn Nellis

I

f you sometimes feel like your life is an open book, whose pages can be read in detail on your face, you’re not alone. If you have lived a full life, then your face provides proof of your experiences. This doesn’t mean that you should give all of your secrets away! Take care of your skin to avoid

revealing those tell-tale signs as long as you can.

Good skin from within. In the book Younger You by Dr. Eric Braverman, the author says that knowing what’s going on inside the body can tell you what’s affecting your outer skin. He says blood tests can show your levels of vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, alpha

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linolenic acid, selenium and magnesium. Low levels of these put you at risk for rosacea, eczema, dry skin, brittle hair and dermatitis. Blood levels of linolenic, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), lipoprotein A and other fats can determine your risk for dry skin, fatty skin, psoriasis, eczema and brittle nails. Your blood levels of zinc and copper show a risk for inflammation, brown spots, slow wound healing, loss of collagen and elastin, and dandruff.

You glow girl! Dr. Braverman also says that natural hormones reverse many of the signs of “dermatopause” or aged skin. Some doctors prescribe natural DHEA (adrenal hormone), and human growth hormone. Nutrients including vitamin C, estradiol and L-lysine are essential for production of collagen and can be found in supplement form. He says that vitamin D reverses skin damage but as your skin ages, it can no longer synthesize vitamin D coming from the sun, so take a vitamin D supplement. He also suggests taking zinc for wound healing and for relieving dermatitis and dandruff.

Keep skin well fed. Eating foods with nutrients that include fatty acids and those that fight inflammation will protect the skin from further aging and increase elasticity. Dr. Braverman suggests salmon, ginger, garlic, broccoli, extra virgin olive oil, raw almonds, fibre, green tea and strawberries. He also recommends eating vegetables rich in carotenoids to protect against the sun’s damaging rays including tomatoes, pumpkin, peaches, mangoes, and others with a bright red or orange colour. Eating vegetables high in lutein and zeaxanthin found in red peppers, pumpkins and dark green vegetables will also improve the look and feel of skin.

Skin treat or torture? If you blame your inflamed, itchy, blemished skin on chronic sensitivity to environment or foods you may be mistaken.

Many people who think they have sensitive skin are actually experiencing symptoms caused by using skin care products with irritating ingredients that aren’t right for certain skin types. Dr. Braverman says that many “natural” ingredients could be harmful and a one-size-fits-all approach to products doesn’t work.

Let’s face it: life takes its toll on your looks. Since skin is where you hold a lot of tension, acupressure, done on yourself or by someone else, helps to relieve tension that can affect your facial skin. Acupressure, working on the same meridian points used in acupuncture, but without needles, can help release blocked energy. Dr. Braverman suggests applying very firm pressure for a full minute to: 1. the base of the skull, one finger-width away on each side of the spinal column bones, 2. the pad between the joint of the thumb and the index finger, 3. the sole of the foot one third of the way down from the toes.

(Younger You, by Eric Braverman, MD, published by McGraw-Hill, $30.95, 2007)

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Smart Cookies’ Financial Health

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By Carol Crenna

W TV’s five Smart Cookies used to hide secret lives of maxed out credit cards, shopping sprees and un‑ paid bills. But after organizing a money group to revamp their financial health, they were all able to buy real estate, accumulate thousands of dollars in other investments, and become experts at helping others find money-saving solutions. VISTA speaks to three Smart Cookies, Katie Dunsworth, Robyn Gunn and Andrea Baxter.

easier so sleep quality improved. We feel more emotionally secure when we have a concrete plan for life. We have also made investing in our health a priority; since we’re self employed, we‘ve invested in an individual extended health/dental policy. It’s expensive but it’s like maintaining your car — by addressing issues as they occur, you prevent getting a major problem out of the blue that you can’t afford.

VISTA: How does being good with money make you healthier?

Robyn: All Smart Cookies members had tried to get ahead on our own, buying books and watching programmes about debt reduction, but weren’t doing well. After seeing The Oprah Winfrey Show’s Debt Diet when Oprah challenged America to get out of debt, Katie and Angela decided to try the process within a group of women who didn’t know each other, meeting each week.

Katie: A study was recently released about financially-related illnesses – it causes stress, depression, sleeplessness. Andrea and I were highly stressed when in debt. Creating a solid financial plan allowed us to literally rest

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Robyn: My career before being a Smart Cookie was as a social worker working in Emergency at the hospital, and many people came in for mental health problems, feeling overwhelmed because they were unemployed and couldn’t pay bills. Sometimes it’s not even that you have the debt. The stress is that you haven’t got any plan to pay it off.

Andrea: I wasn’t aware of my options when in debt so felt backed into a corner and on my own. I didn’t know there are people (volunteer counselors) who can help.

VISTA: How did you start your money club?

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

VISTA: How did it help?

Robyn: We set goals each week that we would have to accomplish, and the others held us accountable. It’s the same as going to the gym; if you’re on your own you can talk yourself out of it or procrastinate, but we had to explain ourselves.

Katie: Though we’re close now, it was good that we were only acquaintances at first because when getting to know someone new, you want to make a good impression and don’t want to be the one without your homework done. When we help women across Canada and the US organize money groups, we stress the importance of leaving every meeting with a short term goal to reach that week or an action that will help achieve a long term goal. A goal to build your retirement portfolio would include researching companies that you want to invest in and talking to others who have good financial planners before choosing one, for example. gordon dumka Photo

VISTA: Could you explain your Rather Factor?

Andrea: During a discussion about the obligations that made it hard for us to stick with our spending plans, Robyn recounted how she’d paid close to $100 on a birthday dinner for a friend of a friend, and said she would rather have put that money towards traveling. The Rather Factor was born.

It’s about prioritizing and deciding when and where you want to spend your money. This kept my spending in check. Instead of buying Starbucks lattes every day, I realized that I would rather be spending it on paying down my debt.

Robyn: We’re not about deprivation. None of us wants to be known as “cheap” or to miss out on invitations because friends assume we’re “on a budget.” You can still do these things when you choose to. Rather than thinking about what you aren’t buying now, focus on what that money you saved will bring. It’s also about doing the math. I was spending $10 every day eating take-out lunch because I wasn’t organized enough to make it. That works out to one trip per year! Looking ahead and focusing on what I wanted made it easier to prepare lunches at home. The amount our group used to spend in miscellaneous items added up to more than our monthly mortgage – money that we didn’t have. People tell us that they come home with something new every day. You have to break this habit.

Katie: I was a shopaholic – buying things to make myself feel better. Now I know that I can have a great life, but it doesn’t mean that I can have everything I want when I want it. Accomplishing a goal is also addictive, so you get the same high that you get from shopping, though not with the same immediacy. There’s satisfaction in watching your savings grow (or debt shrink).

We hear parents with the shop-every-day habit who now see their children do the same. We’re speaking in high schools within an education programme which gives students real world training on financial management.

VISTA: How do you save money when shopping?

Andrea: We’re advocates of buying on online auction sites, and going to auctions. We use www.ebay.com/www.ebay.ca, www.ubid.com, craigslist. com and www.ebid.net.

VISTA: Do you feature vegetarian recipes because they’re inexpensive or healthy?

Katie: We all try to eat healthily, but the vegetarian recipes were about saving money. We incorporate meat-free meals throughout the week, cooking some recipes such as chili in big batches using inexpensive veggie ground, beans and vegetables.

VISTA: How do you shop for healthy food on a budget?

Andrea: I buy big bags of good quality frozen vegetables when they’re

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not in season to incorporate into stir-fries and pasta, and use frozen fruit in yogurt and smoothies. My mother, a phenomenal cook, was adamant about getting the very freshest food for the best price. She sourced the best butchers and quality wholesale suppliers where she’d buy food for a fraction of the cost. I do the same now, and support local merchants.

Robyn: We all buy what’s in season, such as asparagus in early summer and root vegetables in winter when it’s less expensive. I freeze fresh produce myself. I shop health food stores with a list and don’t buy everything there, just what I need that I can’t find elsewhere, and go to different stores for deals on other items.

VISTA: How do you stay in shape?

Andrea: I’m always trying to find an exercise that I love. I wanted to get a personal trainer but it wasn’t in my budget so I bartered with one – my marketing services for his workout sessions.

Katie: Robyn and I are sporadic exercisers, so we use online trainers instead of getting gym memberships. www.youtube.com has free 10-minute videos from trainers for Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, for example.

Type in the workout you’d like to try – abs, yoga, pilates – in Youtube’s search box. www.shape.com offers unique workout ideas and shows you the proper techniques. There are free podcasts on iTunes to help you train for a half-marathon. www.meetup.com helps connect you with a free workout, hiking, or yoga group in your area.

Robyn: You can download a program for strength training on your iPhone for $2.99, take it to the gym and follow all exercises needed for a three-day split workout.

VISTA: Can you save money and save the planet?

Katie: You can save by making your own household cleaning products, like replacing Windex with vinegar and water.

Robyn: I used to be obsessed with Fantastik cleaner with harsh chemicals but switched to Method “nontoxic planet-friendly” products. I don’t want my dog licking chemicals, so I bought a floor steamer that heats and uses only water to clean floors. We’ve also chosen to live in neighbourhoods that are central to everything so we can walk to grocery stores and to work, which saves on gas costs, our environmental footprint, and time. Three girls got rid of their cars and now use Zip Cars (a company that shares cars amongst drivers) when they need to go further than they can walk.

Andrea: We’ve found easy ways to save energy money. We save $56 a year by setting the thermostat three degrees lower when we’re not at home, save $38 a year by washing our clothes in cold water — washing machines are designed to clean at cold-water temperatures!

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Achieve Better Athletic Performance: Part 3

By Andrea Bartels and Joelle Lyew

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re you concerned about the side effects of energy drinks, over-thecounter medications and anabolic steroid drugs? Nature provides a bounty of herbs and nutrients that can help you optimize your athletic strength and performance safely and effectively.

Energy

Research has shown that specific herbs can provide an extra energy boost during heavy sports or fitness activities without the “crash� that caffeine can give. Panax ginseng quinquifolium (American ginseng) is a non-addictive herb traditionally used to support stamina and resistance to stress.

In a 9-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 30 highly trained athletes, use of Panax ginseng or Panax ginseng with vitamin E produced significant improvements in aerobic capacity.

Stamina

Other herbs that may be combined include astragalus, ashwaghandha and Siberian ginseng. Astragalus (milk vetch) boosts immune function to higher levels needed to protect an active body during strenuous exercise. Ashwagandha and Siberian ginseng (botanically unrelated to panax ginseng) have long been considered adrenal gland tonics, ensuring the adrenaline and cortisol hormones needed to maintain stamina during intense exercise are adequate.

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www.vistamagonline.com

Breathing

Proper and unimpaired breathing is of paramount importance while performing sports. Whether or not you are hindered by asthma during heavy training or competition, there are herbs that may help you maximize your ability to take in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. The common garden “weeds” nettle and mullein have traditionally been used to support lung efficiency and the expulsion of mucous, helping to detoxify the lungs. Also beneficial are oils of peppermint and eucalyptus for clearing the airways.

Pleurisy root has traditionally been used by Native Americans as a bronchodilator, clearing the airway for maximum respiration. Similarly, the Chinese herb Bulbus fritillaria may prevent the wheezing characteristic of asthma.

Muscle

Tribulus terrestris, also known as puncture vine, supports testosterone production and increases free circulating testosterone in the body, which is important for supporting muscle growth in men.

Insulin

The effects of insulin on muscle growth are well known. Certain herbs and nutrients increase insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1 and IGF-2) to maximize muscle growth. The Asian herbs Momordica charantia (bitter melon), Gymnema sylvestre and banaba leaf have been used to increase insulin, which in turn clears glucose from the bloodstream by delivering it to cells for energy use. The antioxidant R-alpha lipoic acid improves the cells’ uptake of glucose and protects cells from damage by intense athletic training. The minerals chromium polynicotinate and vanadyl sulphate further complement these functions to provide maximum levels of glucose and insulin to “hungry” muscles.

Pain management

Don’t let muscle pain and inflammation hinder your athletic performance.

Notopterygium incisum, Angelica pubescens and Rehmannia glutinos are herbs that have been traditionally used to fight pain through their natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory action. These herbs may be paired with methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM), which donates much-needed sulfur to your joints and muscles for their maintenance and repair.

Strength

Muscles are composed of protein and water, the latter increasing in volume within muscle as it grows larger. In pure, concentrated form, creatine monohydrate increases volume in muscle cells, allowing temporary increases in strength. In order for creatine to be used quickly and effectively to produce these effects, it is best combined with low-glycemic index sugars.

Protein

Protein is the building block of muscle. In order to rebuild the muscle after the tearing and damage caused by strenuous weight-lifting or long-duration athletic activities, adequate protein is required. Unlike with sugars and fats, the body has no long-term storage place for extra ingested proteins; therefore, it is important to maximize the absorption of protein. Whey protein powder from cow’s milk provides highly bio-available protein for muscle maintenance. References available from VISTA. Andrea Bartels, B.A., CNP, RNCP, is an Ottawa-based registered nutritional consultant practitioner with over 10 years of experience. She has worked with chiropractors, homeopaths, medical doctors, pharmacists and biochemists and also teaches at The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Ottawa.

Joelle Lyew, MSc., earned her honours Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in botany specializing in cell biology of plant structure and function. She is an accomplished lab researcher and has published articles in the American Journal of Botany.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Candida 101: What Every Woman Should Know

By Michelle Kwon

Too much yeast can be making you sick. If you’ve ever complained of digestive problems, acne, poor concentration, constant fatigue or recurring yeast infections, you might be suffering from the common but potentially debilitating condition known as candida, or yeast, overgrowth. Candida albicans is a parasitic fungus which is naturally present in the mouth, gastrointestinal tract and vagina and normally lives in harmony with other bacteria without doing you any harm. As the fungus multiplies, it influences your health.

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What is candida overgrowth?

As yeast grows out of control, it attaches itself to and damages the delicate lining of the intestines, permitting toxins, undigested protein particles and the yeast itself to pass directly into the bloodstream, moving to other parts of the body. The body, believing these substances to be foreign invaders, starts an antibody reaction which causes inflammation.

Overgrowth of candida weakens your immune system, and competes with the body’s cells for vital nutrients (magnesium is pulled from cells, for example).

How do you recognize it?

Approximately 75 percent of women will have an overgrowth at some time in their life. Symptoms include: recurrent yeast infections, discharge or itching, bloating, gas, allergies of the respiratory tract, eczema, psoriasis, headaches, food intolerances, fatigue, digestive problems, constipation or diarrhea, acne, depression, lack of memory and concentration, severe premenstrual symptoms, chronic fatigue, irritability, lack of libido and increased sugar cravings.

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What stimulates overgrowth?

Several factors cause it. Antibiotics are known triggers. Stress, illness, birth control pills, hormonal changes (during pregnancy), diets high in sugar and low in balanced nutrition, and medications such as cortisone and painkillers depress your immune system and create an environment for candida overgrowth.

How can you get rid of it?

Although over-the-counter anti-yeast medications exist, they provide only temporary relief since they don’t address the underlying reasons why it occurred. Several natural products are designed to correct candida overgrowth: Cinnamon not only aids circulation, digestion, congestion and vital body functions, its antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial benefits suppress E. coli, staphylococcus and candida. Garlic is a well known antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic herb effective against many “opportunistic microbes” including herpes and candida, which lose the structure of their cell walls when exposed to garlic. Olive leaf extract is an antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral herb, and its ability to destroy bacteria makes it a powerful antibiotic, helping fight overgrowth of infections. Oregano is also an antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antioxidant. Its compound called carvacrol destroys candida and bacteria including staphylococcus, campylobacter, E.coli and giardia.

When you take a product to rebalance candida, avoid eating any type of sugar, sweet fruits, yeast, mushrooms, processed and fermented foods, dairy and alcohol. Take a probiotic supplement, especially at the end of the treatment, to rebuild your intestinal flora.

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Eliminate candida fungi with natural ingredients Candida fungi can overgrow if you eat a poor diet, if you have used antibiotics or birth control pills, or if your immune system is weak (malnutrition, overtraining, bad health in general).

Most people don’t even know they suffer from Candida overgrowth, but women recognize it, when they get a yeast infection. The normal medical treatments are lotions or pills. These are effective but often don’t provide a long-term solution.

Furthermore, over 40% of sufferers re-experience Candida problems after using these treatments. Scientific research shows that high concentrations of cinnamon oil, garlic and oregano have a positive influence on the excessive growth of Candida Albicans. Dida™ is based on this research and has been used successfully in Scandinavia for many years.

Dida is manufactured in Sweden by New Nordic and is the No.1 natural Candida treatment in Europe. Dida is available at most health food stores across Canada.

For more information, please visit www.newnordic.ca or call 1 800 261 4223, 1-877-688-7478 (for Quebec).

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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COMMONLY CALLED LOW THYROID ,OW LEVELS OF IRON AND CONVERSELY HIGH LEVELS OF IRON IN THE BLOOD A DEFICIENCY OF ZINC IN THE DIET AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AND TOO MUCH STRESS ARE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH HAIR LOSS (AVE A HEMOGLOBIN TEST AT THE DOCTOR S OFFICE AND IF YOU ARE IRON DEFICIENT TAKE &LORADIX )F YOU HAVE EXCESS IRON DONATE BLOOD $IET IS ALSO IMPORTANT 3TART THE DAY WITH A PROTEIN RICH BREAKFAST AN EGG A CHICKEN BREAST A PROTEIN SHAKE PROTEIN POWDER IN YOGURT AND EAT PROTEIN AND GREENS AT EVERY MEAL THEREAFTER %VERY DAY AT BREAKFAST TAKE A COMPLETE MULTI NUTRIENT FORMULA LIKE &EMM%SSENTIALS FOR ALL THE COFACTORS NEEDED FOR STRONG THICK HAIR &EMM%SSENTIALS CONTAINS ZINC CITRATE NEEDED FOR THICK HAIR AND EVENING PRIMROSE AND FLAX SEED OIL FOR SHINY HAIR AMONG OTHER IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS "IO3IL CLINICALLY RESEARCHED AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF "RUSSELS ENHANCES COLLAGEN NOT ONLY IN THE HAIR BUT ALSO THE NAILS BONES AND SKIN #OLLAGEN AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HAIR MAKES OUR HAIR ELASTIC SO THERE IS LESS BREAKAGE AND LESS HAIR IN YOUR BRUSH "IO3IL WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR HAIR IS SHINY THICK AND STRONG WITHIN WEEKS )F YOUR HAIR LOSS IS RELATED TO SUBCLINICAL LOW THYROID

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Banish Breakouts:

Skincare That Heals

By Sophia Stewart

It doesn’t matter what blemishes look like; white‑ heads, blackheads and inflamed cysts are all blocked pores and are classified as acne. It also doesn’t matter what age you are; acne affects mature skin almost as much as in adolescence.

A

cne is caused by toxins, hormones and aging. Accumulated wastes in the body irritate the skin and cause inflammation and acne.

Therefore, poor bowel health (constipation) can increase acne. If you don’t have daily bowel movements, your liver will be sluggish and since it plays a vital role in ridding the body of toxins, your skin becomes the “nearest exit� for accumulated waste, which shows up as pimples.

Hormones – estrogen dominance, progesterone deficiency or excess male hormones – also influence acne by stimulating oil production in the skin, which leads to clogged pores and inflammation. Menopause and menstruation are obvious causes, but stress also creates hormonal shakeups since your body increases cortisol and testosterone to cope. When those hormones increase, you’re bound to get acne.

Your skin’s exfoliation slows as you age, so dead cells sit and clog the surface rather than falling off. When sebum is kept from the surface due to a clogged follicle, this oil sits underneath, mixing with bacteria and eventually erupting onto the skin surface.

Combat and prevent acne

Nourish skin by eating lean protein (which affects male hormones), vegetables, fruits, flax, hemp or fish oil, and fibre, and drink more water. Overindulging in carbs can elevate blood sugar, producing insulin that triggers male hormones which increase sebum. Detoxifying the liver with leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables help normalize hormone levels.

Sugar is an acne culprit, and mineral and vitamin imbalances may play a big role in skin troubles. Too much copper, for instance, from foods like chocolate, tea and soy may compromise production of collagen and elastin.

Skin problems can be treated without using harsh, over-the-counter chemical acne creams. Natural ingredients including the following can gently cleanse away toxins and bacteria and heal breakouts:

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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stalman Photo

Acidophilus (sourced from potato protein/enzymes) is good bacteria that helps balance the bad bacteria that cause skin eruptions.

Apple cider vinegar contains beneficial enzymes and can balance all skin types, including sensitive and problem skin.

Coriander is an anti-inflammatory and detoxifier that soothes and calms acne, relieving itchiness and redness.

Sugar cane enzymes dissolve dull surface cells and crystallize acne to help the healing process.

Beta carotene is an antioxidant and anti-aging nutrient. It is converted to vitamin A in the body to help renew skin cells.

Water chestnut contains fibre and vitamin B6 which are important for skin health, and also detoxifies skin.

Witch hazel stimulates capillary circulation and has a mild astringent effect.

Tea tree oil is an antiseptic used to treat acne, oily skin and rashes (in addition to abscesses, athlete’s foot, blisters, burns and cold sores).

Be patient. Improvements won’t appear overnight. Give the body time to go through its natural healing process, particularly when using plantbased ingredients. These treat the root of the problem, which takes longer, unlike chemical ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide which may eliminate symptoms quickly at first but actually only suppress acne, making it rebound worse later. Using natural healing ingredients, in a month, you’ll see improvements, and progress will be long-lasting.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Stress and Your Metabolism

By Brad King

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et’s face it — everyone is stressed. According to Kenneth Pelletier, PhD, author of Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer and board member of the American Institute of Stress, 80 to 90 percent of all illnesses are linked to stress and 75 to 90 percent of all visits to the doctor are for stress and anxiety-related concerns.

How does excess stress relate to your waistline?

When you constantly become stressed, you end up elevating your stress hormones, especially cortisol. Perception equals reality in the face of stress. During stress, cortisol can become more important to your body than other hormones, and since it is produced along the same biochemical pathway as your sex hormones, cortisol can rob the body of the very substances needed to keep these hormones in abundance.

For instance, cortisol can compete with tes-

tosterone (one of the reasons your libido is almost non-existent during times of stress) and testosterone is needed for the repair and replacement of muscle tissue. This is so important because your muscle tissue controls, to a large extent, the rate of your metabolism (one of the reasons your metabolism declines through age is because of a loss of lean muscle). In other words, the more muscle you carry, the greater your ability to burn body fat.

Cortisol also competes with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), your anti-aging hormone, which is why people seem to magically age before your eyes when they are under stress for long periods. DHEA is also needed to maintain a healthy metabolism. In fact, research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison has shown that derivatives of DHEA help start thermogenesis (the burning of body fat), and may help decrease the incidence of obesity. Since one of the most important roles DHEA is in balancing the

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effects of cortisol, perhaps this is one of the keys to its metabolism enhancing effects.

The good news is that DHEA levels can be naturally enhanced by altering your moods. Research presented in the journal, Psychoneuroendocrinology showed that mood disturbance and perceived stress over time negatively affected the cortisol to DHEA ratio (cortisol went up and DHEA came crashing down). When the test subjects lowered their stress levels through an intervention called cognitive-behaviour stress management, their DHEA levels rose in concert with changes in their moods.

Since healthy DHEA/cortisol ratios are so important to a healthy metabolism, it makes sense to practise stress reduction as much as possible. Aside from this, maintain a positive attitude and lose the belly fat. Research presented in the journal Diabetes indicates that abdominal fat can contribute substantially to the regeneration of cortisol.

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Properly formulated natural stress supplements can offer support to the adrenal system and in the process help balance the DHEA/cortisol ratios – leading to a healthier metabolism and fat loss. Aside from this, they can also help your body deal with stress in a healthy manner. Look for formulas containing proven nutriceuticals to help combat stress. Some of these include: Ashwagandha or Indian ginseng: It increases the body’s ability to withstand all kinds of stress by helping to reduce the stress-related excesses of the nervous system and strengthen the immune system.

Lyophilized adrenal tissue: Obtained from hormone- and antibioticfree cattle, it has been shown to help assist in restoring the abilities of the adrenal gland.

Rhodiola rosea or Arctic root: It helps maintain a maximum stressabsorbing capacity, increasing the body’s resistance to stress, by enhancing mental and physical performance, increasing protein production to help stop muscle wasting during stress, and helping to stimulate immunity.

Other ways to reduce cortisol and raise DHEA are to exercise regularly, maintain a regular sleep schedule and never skip meals — unbalanced blood-sugar raises cortisol. Also, try supplementing with high alpha-lactalbumin whey protein. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, high alpha-lactalbumin whey helps stressvulnerable individuals by increasing the brain’s levels of the hormones tryptophan and serotonin.

Brad J. King, MS, MFS, is a nutritional researcher and author of 10 books, including the new Beer Belly Blues. Subscribe to his free monthly newsletter at www.

AwakenYourBody.com

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Reduce Abdominal Fat Reduce Cortisol Levels

Sports Nutrition Update

Do You Play to Win?

By Cory Holly

Captain’s Log from the US-RV Enterprise: Life, the ONLY frontier. This is the real-life story of the US-RV Enterprise, her crew, and their five year mission to inspire, motivate and educate all they encounter, to teach people how to get well and age with excellent health; to listen, lead and edify; to help save humanity from it‑ self; and to boldly go where no married couple has gone before…Star date 2009.07.27

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ot one rule book on any sport in the world states that the object of the game is to “win.” For example, the official 2009-2011 rulebook of USA Hockey states the following, “The goal of USA Hockey is to promote a safe and positive playing environment for all participants while continuing to focus on skill development and enjoyment of the sport.” However, ask nearly anyone what they think the purpose of hockey, football, soccer, baseball or any sport is and they will most likely say, “to win.”

Like the purpose of their life, it’s all about winning – being number 1; getting the gold; finishing first! In my books, the object of all sports and life is to “play” according to the rules. Ethics and fair play are numero uno. It’s amazing how many athletes engaged in sports have never read the rule book on their own game. Here’s a hint: if you don’t want to play according to the rules, then don’t play. If you do agree to play by the rules, then play to the best of your ability for “fun.” When the game is over, a winner will be declared. Great! But it’s a winner for just that game. That’s it. Game over. Move on.

Winning is the effect of an action, the outcome, not the cause or purpose of sports. We’re all still the same inside at the end of the day – win, lose or draw.

Good or bad. The difference is in the spirit of sports compared to the business of sports, like the spirit of the law compared to the letter. The sports business has clouded the true meaning, but in the end, in the spirit world where men and women find themselves, the true meaning remains unchanged.

Do you know the definition of sports? If you it look up in Webster’s New World Dictionary, it’s defined as “any activity or experience that pro-

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vides enjoyment or recreation”, and includes “activity by way of bodily exertion.” It mentions fun and play as vital components. Sports is a derivative of Middle English sporte, which is short for disporte, and is translated from Old French desport, meaning pleasure, and from desporter, meaning to divert. In ancient history, sports were viewed as a non-essential form of physical pleasure used by men and women to distract them from and help cope with the hardships and serious side of life.

Today, watching and playing sports has become a national pastime for millions of people worldwide. But it is much more than that. Sports have evolved into a huge commercial business that involves governments and some of the world’s largest corporations, all of which are intimately connected to refined food. Those who play strictly to win will often do whatever it takes to win, including using banned substances or violence with calculated and premeditated intention. Those who play for fun, the true purpose, will seldom cheat, take drugs or abuse people including themselves. Those who play for the love of the game cannot tolerate people who cheat or use violence.

If the organizers, promoters and fans of organized sports tolerate violence and disrespectful behaviour from athletes, then any player with a shred of self-respect, honour and integrity will be forced to withdraw from playing that style of game and play elsewhere. Who then remains on the field? Business and life and sports are one and the same. Do you cheat in your marriage? Do you take advantage of your customers or mistreat your employees? Do you cut corners for profit at the expense of quality? Do you lie to your children or verbally abuse your siblings? Do you play to win no matter what the cost, then justify it with fame or fortune? Sports don’t build character, and neither does business or life. They only reveal it.

Don’t you know it’s impossible to win? I don’t mean within the sports people play or the businesses people run. Think bigger picture; elevate your thoughts. Someone once said, “Live your life like it’s already over.” In the hands of time we’re already gone, so winning, as it is commonly perceived, becomes irrelevant.

You might be alive this minute, but much sooner than you think, you’re parking spot will be empty. Poof! It’s the greatest and least understood disappearing act in the history of civilization. And in 100 or 1,000 years, not one single soul will know you ever existed.

Relatively speaking, life is a brief moment in time. So get over it. Embrace the unknown, and to quote a great line from the movie Shawshank Redemption, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” Stop trying to win. I didn’t say stop trying to improve or succeed or strive for excellence, but stop trying to win for winning sake. Are you really that insecure? Instead, start

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Get into the game; express your passion; create skill. Winning is letting go. Winning is contentment. Winning is not caring if you win or lose, but how you play.

being nice. Put down your fists, your weapons, and start living. Have fun.

Be yourself. Enjoy the game.

Play by the rules of health. Stop hurting yourself and other people.

Make health and wellness a top priority. Get into fitness. Take some vitamins. Eat some really nutritious food. Pursue a life that fulfills your curiosity and heart’s desire. Do no harm is the first rule of natural medicine. It’s also the first and last law of a moral man.

Do you think you’re going to live forever? Do you see death as a victory, a loss, an end to suffering, a new beginning, a huge release, a transfer of biological energy into the ether? Stop wasting time. Stop trying to “win.”

Instead, live with purpose and direction. Enrich your life with wholesome experiences. Spend time with your family. The meaning of life is to live with meaning. Live your life in peace and go about your business with benevolence.

Play sports as a true sportsman. Get into the game; express your passion; create skill. Winning is letting go. Winning is contentment. Winning is not caring if you win or lose, but how you play. Don’t be concerned about what other people think. Be true to yourself. “Winners” are the same as “losers.” The only difference is how people treat you and how you think about yourself. If you never play to win, but you play hard and honourably and you “lose,” you won’t suffer the terrible disappointment those who played to win but lost often feel. Imagine spending the rest of your life thinking you’re not good enough because you didn’t win. Winning is nothing and everything. It all depends how you look at it. As always, stay well and live free…CH Cory Holly is an elite masters athlete and world champion natural bodybuilder who has never played to “win.” Cory has been devoted to sports nutrition, anti-aging, health and fitness for 50 years. Visit CoryHolly.com.

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Make your own Water

By Yvonne Anderson

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y philosophy on life is about balance.

It stems from my early years in the YMCA youth leadership programme that instilled in me the mind/body/spirit concept that has stayed with me all of my life. I am forever wrestling with life balance – and that was what sent me on a quest to make my own water!

When I consider getting back to basics with my family, I look at three aspects important to the body: food (including supplements), exercise, and water, which are all essentials to health.

I have a handle on food: I can make my own meals with ingredients from the garden and lots of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables sourced at local markets and grocery stores; and I teach my family about nutrition and I’m making progress (even with my teenager).

There are several exercise options in our family that include soccer, swimming, rugby, cycling, skiing, running, occasional triathlons, and long walks with the dog. We regularly make our own goals – achieving some and breaking others – and have fun, laughing at our sometimes crazy attempts to stay fit.

But what about water? You can survive without food for 40 days but you can only last 72 hours without water. It’s no wonder since our body is 75 percent water and our brain is 85 percent water. Mild dehydration slows your metabolism by as much as 3 percent. I make sure that my kids eat well, but to thrive in school and sports, they need to be well hydrated.

Tap water is readily available but I worry about its chlorine content and chlorine by-products like THMs. Bottled water is not an option for our family because it is expensive. To give my family of five two litres of bottled water per day, I could spend over $3,500 a year buying water. I also consider the environment. Every year over 28 billion plastic bottles are used and over 86 percent end up as garbage — 1,500 water bottles end up as garbage every second! Our family will not contribute to the growing plastic slick in the Pacific Ocean.

I want to take control of my family’s drinking water by making sure it is healthy, cost effective, and eco-friendly. Since I tried to make my own wine a few years ago I thought, why not try to make my own water? There are several great options to choose from. Distilled water is an option, but while the water is pure it is also empty (devoid of nutrients) and I want healthy mineralized water for my family. I considered reverse osmosis water, but the waste water generated

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doesn’t make that option very eco-friendly. Then I looked at gravity water systems, and found one that I love. Our family now makes clean, mineralized and alkaline water using our tap water. It’s easy — all of the kids, including our 11-year-old, get involved. We use the abundant resource that our city’s water supply gives us and by enhancing it, end up with a nutritious resource that I feel comfortable serving on our table. We now drink much more water because we love the taste; even the dog drinks more. Since I want my family to thrive, not just survive, we make our water.

Yvonne Anderson, BA, MA, is a kinesiologist, entrepreneur and mother who knew that her family wasn’t drinking enough water. She was suspicious of tap water, and concerned about the cost and environmental impact of bottled water so had to find a safe, nutritious solution.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Editor Selects Genacol This high quality product is a topical gel with added Genacol® microbeads designed to relieve local muscular, rheumatic and arthritic pains. These microbeads are essential and in large part responsible for the excellent results of the product.

Aztec Ancient Super Foods - AZTEC NOPAL Aztec Nopal or Prickly Pear Cactus is native to Mexico where it has been used as a food and medicine by the ancient indigenous civilizations. Nopal is primarily known for its positive effect on blood sugar because of its ability to normalize levels and increase insulin sensitivity. PURICA: www.purica.com 1-877-746-9397 service@purica.com or 1-877-746-9397

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Hyland’s Complete Flu Care a non-prescription, aspirin-free formula that is safe for all members of the family and works without any side effects. Hyland’s Complete Flu Care contains six all-natural symptom-relieving homeopathic medicines that offer an effective two-phase healing process. Individuals who take the medicine when they start to feel sick will benefit from a shorter flu episode.

ALLERGY TAKE CARE® ALLERGY TAKE CARE® is a 100% herbal formula that helps relieve seasonal allergy symptoms and provides respiratory support while maintaining open nasal passages. ALLERGY TAKE CARE® utilizes supercritical extraction of Stinging Nettle with a breakthrough technology called DARTvision™ (Direct Analysis in Real Time) which provides the full range of bioactive chemistries of the Stinging Nettle with guaranteed dose-to-dose reliability and potency. ALLERGY TAKE CARE® is non-drowsy and works in less than 30 minutes.

Never Give Up Once homeless, Joseph & his 3 year old son, Zach started Organic Trader from collecting pop bottles to help the dolphins. That was 11 years ago. Once in a while a story comes along that captures your heart. Organic Trader from Vancouver Island is just such a story. The Organic Trader eco-brands include; Earth Spirit-TM Organics for health stores and practitioners, Professional Organics-TM for salons & spas, and Organic Pet Spa-TM for our beloved pets.

Please visit the web site for the inspiring story, and to get your own (free) copy of the DVD (limited time only). www.OrganicTraderCanada.com

Naka’s Nutri Prevent features Resveratrol An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure! Nutri Prevent is an effective vitamin formulation featuring the benefits of Resveratrol (100 mg), Co-Q10 (100 mg), Alpha Lipoic Acid (200 mg), Quercetin (150 mg) and B vitamins.

It is an extra strength antioxidant and cardiovascular health support aid. Clinical studies suggest that increasing the antioxidant status of our blood serum may result in a reduced risk of many chronic degenerative diseases. Add Nutri Prevent to your daily supplement routine today and help to live healthy with Naka! Naka Herbs & Vitamins Ltd. (416) 748-3073 www.nakaherbs.com.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Detoxifying the Body for Better Health

By Shelly Lynn Nellis

lise gange Photo

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etoxifying has never been more important than it is today as the human body is exposed to a greater number of toxic substances. Not only is the body being attacked by toxins that are ingested on a daily basis, but also by external toxins.

Some of the most common toxins that attack the body are caused by the normal process of breathing. Air pollution, cigarette smoke, mold, mildew and other air-borne toxins enter the body as we get our daily intake of oxygen.

There’s very little that can be done to avoid these toxins unless we live in a bubble or wear a mask and a tank of oxygen all day and night.

An array of toxins enters the human body by absorption through the skin. Without thinking, we expose ourselves to the ravages of chemical absorption every time that we dress in synthetic fabrics. Chemically treated lawns contain toxins that can enter through the exposed skin of feet that are bare or wearing only sandals or flip flops. Pesticide residue from produce can enter the skin when it is being handled.

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Exposure to other types of toxins that enter through skin might be less frequent, but nonetheless, the danger exists. Proximity to nuclear power plants, cell phone towers, and bomb testing sites have all been touted as potential dangers for the human body. Radiation (and electromagnetic waves) from medical x-rays, microwaves, computers, televisions, outdoor electrical wires and satellite transmissions have also been reported to be toxic dangers to the body.

Internal toxins are typically encountered due to ingestion. The foods that we eat often contain trace elements of pesticides and other toxins and these can accumulate in the body. Improperly prepared or spoiled food can create fermentation or toxic buildup in the digestive system when eaten. Even the water that we drink daily can contain toxins that lead to ill health.

Ridding the human body of these toxins is the only way to ensure that they will not damage it beyond repair. A buildup of toxins will reduce the body’s ability to function properly and will dramatically sap the energy from it. In order to live a better, happier life, we must rid our bodies of these toxins.

Detoxifying the body increases energy and greatly improves chronic health conditions from lethargy and constipation to joint pain and weight gain. It can be done with any of the natural products available. Each individual must decide which type of programme and product ingredients will most likely best benefit them.

Additionally, eliminating certain foods from the daily diet will reduce ingestion of toxins as will better preparation of foods. While some exposure to toxins can be actively reduced, the problem remains that not all can be avoided.

Whether we decide to eliminate toxins by altering our behaviour, diet and activities or by trying a natural detox product, it is clearly a matter of personal choice.

Shelly Lynn Nellis has been actively involved in the health industry for over 15 years, and is one of the co-founders and partners of VISTA Magazine. For more information visit www.askshelly.com

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

By Dan Tidsbury

In This Section: Impulse Buying By Michael Bloch Harming the Environment is Bad For The Economy 62

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

By David Suzuki with Faisal Moola

The Eighth Continent

By Dan Tidsbury

That human habitation has impacted the planet is undeniable. No other species has an equivalent drive to reshape their environment combined with the technology to make it hap‑ pen on a vast scale. The Great Wall is visible from space. Dams alter the course of rivers and mountains are carved away to access the mineral riches beneath. Metropolitan centres in almost every country occupy thousands of square kilometres of what was once forest or rich delta soil. Aerial photographs starkly il‑ lustrate pollutants discharged into waterways and scars on the landscape left behind by hu‑ man activity. This is to say nothing of the grow‑ ing body of research into effects not as immedi‑ ately apparent like global climate change.

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less visible example of human impact is a manmade atrocity the size of Alberta and Saskatchewan combined that is swirling in the mid-Pacific Ocean, out of sight of land and out of mind for most consumers: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Nearly 1,500,000 square kilometres in area, the garbage patch is estimated to contain as much as 100 million tonnes of debris. Frequent references to this area as the world’s new “eighth continent” conjure images of a solid white mass, a floating island alongside which a ship might be moored. The reality is quite different. The Pacific Garbage Patch is a zone in which huge quantities of plastic waste are floating; some of it recognizable in its original form, much of it not.

A clockwise spiral of ocean currents known as the North Pacific Gyre holds this mass of plastic waste together between California and Hawaii as it shifts north and south with the seasons. The nature of the material makes it difficult to clearly define its boundaries, as does the fact that it is not stationary. The edges may be indistinct, but the patch has a physical presence nonetheless. Contact with land masses in its shifting path, most

notably the Hawaiian archipelago, is evidenced by beaches buried metres deep in plastic waste. As troubling as the sight of beautiful beaches turned into impromptu landfills may be, the damage that we don’t see is of even greater concern.

Where did it come from? Greenpeace researchers estimate that the

“A nation-wide Canadian retailer sells a tool for opening plastic blister packaging that comes to the consumer in a blister pack of its own.” world produces more than 200 billion pounds of plastic each year of which about 10 percent finds its way into the ocean. Most of it (70 percent) sinks to the ocean floor, disrupting that fragile ecosystem and damaging the species that live there.

What remains afloat (30 percent) contributes to the flotsam found worldwide, transported by ocean currents. Some is deposited on shorelines while much is trapped in one of the gyres that dot the oceans; the final destination is frequently a world away from the original source. This waste stream continues to accumulate every year.

An initial reaction to ocean waste is to look for a seaborne source. Identifying culprits might

let us off the hook, make us feel better, comforted that someone else is responsible, but such is not the case. The junk originates in our factories, offices and supermarkets. Estimates suggest that only 15 to 20 percent of the plastic waste found in the North Pacific Gyre comes from ships, oil exploration platforms, and lost shipping containers.

Fully 80 percent originates on land and is transported to the ocean by river currents or the wind, or is dumped along the shoreline to be picked up by waves. The waste is then concentrated in the vortex of ocean currents that form the gyres.

Although plastic doesn’t break down quickly and most plastic waste is not biodegradable, through photodegradation the plastic does disintegrate into smaller and smaller pieces that retain their essential chemical composition. No matter how small the pieces may be, they remain a polymer and float from just below the surface to depths reaching 30 metres. The amount of plastic in these zones dwarfs the amount of plankton

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by an estimated ratio of 6:1. Moreover, this position in the upper water column brings the fragments into maximum contact with aquatic life, with deadly effects.

The floating debris absorbs and concentrates toxic organic compounds such as DDT and PCBs. Once concentrated, their harmful effects increase exponentially. These tiny toxic pellets are ingested by small aquatic organisms that normally feed on plankton, thus entering the food chain at the lowest level. Consumption by larger species spreads the contamination throughout. We may not eat plankton directly, but we are inseparably linked through the chain of consumption to creatures that do.

Larger fragments are easily mistaken for food by fish, birds and marine mammals that starve in large numbers with stomachs full of non-nutritive plastic waste, or feed the plastic to their young, which starve. The loss of successive generations multiplies the damage. Mortality among adults and offspring has been identified in turtles, birds such as the albatross and aquatic mammals. Add to that the physical hazards of entanglement and injury and the potential toll is staggering.

Owing to its relatively recent discovery and lack of any obvious commercial opportunity, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is under-researched.

To this point, the bulk of research has focused on attempting to discover the extent and nature of the problem. Only within the last few years have specific programmes been undertaken to devise cleanup methods or to find a way to “harvest” the waste for commercial purposes. These efforts are at best exploratory. Concerns have also been raised about the potential damage to ocean life resulting from large-scale cleanup operations themselves. Since the waste is spread throughout the upper water column, simply skimming the surface is not an option. Trawling at depth to capture the floating debris risks extensive damage to species living in the area.

Caution is being urged to ensure that the cure is not worse than the disease. Subsidized research funding will need to be increased; until there is a commercial application and cost recovery, the private sector has little motivation to invest in this issue.

In the absence of a viable scientific solution, the priority must be to prevent the problem from growing, which depends on management and control at its source: on land. Producing less and exercising control over handling of what is pro-

duced will reduce the volume that enters oceans.

Completely eliminating the flow of waste into the marine environment, though desirable, is not a practical near-term objective. Nonetheless, incremental improvements net benefits. Plastic has long been regarded as a cheap and serviceable material and we have become addicted to convenience. It’s time to count the real cost.

Consumers and regulatory bodies can push companies to find alternatives to plastic, especially environmentally safe, reusable packaging. Something as simple as a tube of lip balm is frequently wrapped in paper, placed inside a cardboard container, sealed with a plastic wrapper, and carried home in a disposable single-use plastic bag. A nation-wide Canadian retailer sells a tool for opening plastic blister packaging that comes to the consumer in a blister pack of its own. Apparently the corporate world has an underdeveloped sense of the ironic. Some changes, though, are taking place. Plastic grocery bags have been banned outright in many jurisdictions while retailers in others have begun charging a fee for each bag. It is surprising how even a token fee can alter behaviour. Once something is not “free”, alternatives suddenly become more appealing.

Consumers should support products and companies that utilize reduced and alternative packaging. Both companies that offer positive alternatives and those that don’t need to know what choices customers are making and why.

Loss of profit and market share is a language corporations understand and will respond to.

If a strong-enough financial incentive exists, research, innovation and change follow.

At local, regional and national levels, voters can demand more effective and expanded recycling programmes (with inclusion of more types of plastic). Nevertheless, no programme will be effective if significant numbers of people don’t fully make use of it.

Concentrated education efforts are necessary to convince people of the necessity and value of recycling, which can be difficult. Natural inertia resists behavioural change, and one news item that calls the effectiveness of recycling into question can undo dozens that make the positive case. Skeptics find a ready audience. Convenience addiction must also be overcome. If the public is confused about what to do or where to do it, the instinctive reaction is to give up and just throw it in the trash. Some municipalities are revamping recycling programmes to eliminate requirements for individual sorting or experimenting with types and frequency of pick ups to promote participation.

It is clear, however, that education and motivation are the crux of the matter. City dwellers don’t visit the central ocean, and cruise ships

“Loss of profit and market share is a language corporations understand and will respond to. If a strongenough financial incentive exists, research, innovation and change follow.” devoted to relaxation and entertainment are unlikely to include a visit to a floating landfill on their itineraries. The bulk of the garbage isn’t piling up on beaches along our coastlines. Toxins in food, and their long-term effects, aren’t obvious to the eye and aren’t included on food labels.

There isn’t a cute cuddly animal with sad dark eyes to spark an emotional response to the issue.

Consequently, the problem must be addressed at the level of rational thought. Only when individuals grasp the specific impact that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch can have on their life can

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

sufficient energy be generated for mass change The world is confronted with an alarming list of potential catastrophes: climate change, air and water pollution, destruction of species and habitat, population growth and accompanying shortages of food and water. While the growth of an eighth continent is not more critical than these issues, neither can it be ignored.

It is an inseparable part of an emerging understanding that we are destroying the planet that sustains us, an understanding that demands attention and action.

Impulse Buying Reduction Tips

By Michael Bloch

T

imes are tight. When consumers tighten their purse strings in response, we’re told that bad things happen to the economy, so we need to spend to do our bit to avoid a recession or depression. Many of us buy stuff on impulse – purchases we don’t really need or we haven’t really thought through. Hyperconsumption forms the core of our environmental woes: issues that will make this financial crisis seem insignificant Hardware stores tend to be my toy shop equivalent. Each time I go I see lots of groovy gadgets that are so useful… or are they? The internet has also given opportunities to impulse buy. I constantly have to stop, take a deep breath and think before I whip out the plastic.

Here are tips to help you avoid impulse buying:

When you see something that grabs your eye, think about want vs. need.

Is it a case of really needing it, or just wanting it? By buying that item, will you be preventing yourself from buying something that you’ve been wanting or needing for a long time; and will purchasing this item delay you from getting to your real acquisition goals?

Don’t trust brand names. Sometimes we justify a bargain by saying “Oh, but it’s a great brand.” Many goods are now made in countries where quality control isn’t great and at the same factories that create goods for many leading brands. Brands that previously represented quality now churn out rubbish but are still riding on their old reputation... for now.

When you shop, take a list with you and stick to what’s on it. Set yourself a weekly budget and don’t exceed it. Plan your major purchases on a schedule. Focused research will save you cash, even if you miss an item on sale. Better to be safe than sorry.

Never buy the latest or greatest in electronic and computer equipment.

You’ll pay more and it’s likely to have bugs that haven’t been worked out yet.

Wait a few months until the price drops dramatically and the product will be more likely to work as it should.

Compare prices. An 80-percent-off sale may sound attractive, but not if the store’s merchandise was grossly overpriced to begin with. Check other merchants and you might find the sale was a little misleading.

Check the warranty – not just the length, but what it covers. The sooner stuff wears out, the sooner it becomes waste and needs to be replaced. Often a warranty will reveal a product’s serviceable life — a form of planned obsolescence.

Beware of “limited time” sales, particularly those advertised online.

These are designed to create a sense of urgency around a product you may not have otherwise considered buying. Many times these offers actually drag on for months.

Bear in mind that marketers are pseudo-psychologists who invest millions in strategies to get you to part with money. Watch out for im-

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lise gange Photo

pulse-buy marketing that focuses on pain points such as “Everyone is buying this — don’t be left out!” As much as we think we are resistant to these messages, our subconscious fears and need for acceptance tend to override rational thought.

Resist trends including “green” clothing and eco-chic products. This year’s fashion is next year’s moth food. Find out what you look good in and feel comfortable wearing and stick with it. I grew up in the 70s, and when my peers look back at old photos they often say, “Geez. I can’t believe I wore that!”

Check out the ingredients and components of the item you’re about to buy. What effect on the environment will your impulse buy have? Can the item be recycled? This tip has saved me a lot of cash – and waste.

Of all the things that you can do to go green, getting control of your impulse buying is the one that may make the most difference to the environment. While our economic system is unfortunately based on consumption, you can take responsibility in deciding when and how you spend your money.

The best purchases you’ve made in your life are usually not those that are done on impulse, but the ones you have given a lot of thought to. By resisting the little purchases, you can indulge in some bigger green goals such as installing a more efficient washing machine or solar power!

Michael Bloch publishes Green Living Tips, an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of Earth friendly tips and environment related news to help consumers reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact. www.greenlivingtips.com

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Harming The Environment

Is Bad for the Economy

By David Suzuki with Faisal Moola

We often point out that ecology and economy have the same root, from the Greek oikos, meaning “home.” Ecology is the study of home and economics is its management. But many people still insist on treating them as two separate, often incompatible, processes.

A

t its most absurd, the argument is that we simply can’t afford to protect the environment – that the costs will be so high as to ruin the economy. But if you don’t take care of your home, it will eventually become uninhabitable, and where’s the economic justification for that?

Others argue that the economic advantages of some activities outweigh the environmental disadvantages. This, too, is an absurd argument.

A recent posting on the website Grist.org points to a number of studies and articles showing that many of these activities are not even beneficial from an economic standpoint.

Take coal mining. Research from West Virginia University found that “coal mining costs Appalachians five times more in early deaths as the industry provides to the region in jobs, taxes and other economic benefits.”

And, according to Grist, the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development found that “the coal industry takes $115 million more from Kentucky’s state government annually in services and programs than it contributes in taxes.”

The website also refers to a peer-reviewed study in the journal Science that concluded logging in Brazil’s rainforests offered only short-term gains in income, life-expectancy, and literacy, but that the gains disappear over the long term “leaving deforested municipalities just as poor as those that preserved their forests.”

Yet another study found that all the big three US automakers need to do to become profitable and to compete with Japanese car manufacturers is to meet new government-mandated fuel economy standards.

I recently noted in this column that bear-watching can be more profitable than bear-hunting, and the Grist article likewise notes that whalewatching is far more profitable than killing whales.

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Often the problem is not so much with resource exploitation itself, but rather with the way we exploit our resources, and the reasons for the exploitation. With CEOs looking at quarterly results and politicians looking at three- or four-year terms of office, the incentives for long-range thinking are not always clear.

One of the most horrendous examples of this worm’s-eye view can be seen in Canada’s tar sands. As author Andrew Nikiforuk argues in his award-winning book Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent, this resource could be used wisely to “fund Canada’s transition to a lowcarbon economy.” Instead, industrial interests and the Alberta and federal governments are hell-bent on full-scale liquidation. And so we will end up with some short-term profits and a seemingly healthy economy in exchange for massive environmental damage and the rapid depletion of a resource that may still be necessary for some time to come – along with the negative economic consequences of all that.

Part of the problem lies in the real reason for much of our resource exploitation and industrial activity. A lot of it is done not out of necessity but out of a desire for a relatively small number of people to make lots of money quickly. And when the money is rolling in and jobs are being created, the politicians who foster the activities look good.

We may need fossil fuels, at least for now, but do we really need them so that one or two people can propel themselves to the grocery store in a massive SUV made from tonnes of metal?

We also see, not surprisingly, that the dinosaurs of the fossil fuel and other industries will go to great lengths to protect their interests. If that means spreading misinformation and outright lies about the consequences of their industries, so be it.

And so, even though the scientific proof for human-caused global warming is undeniable, we have the coal and oil industries funding massive campaigns to cast doubt on the science and we have politicians implying that the world’s scientists are involved in some sinister plot – all so we can continue to rely on diminishing supplies of polluting fuels instead of creating jobs and wealth through a greener economy that may save us from catastrophe.

We need only to look at recent events in the US to see that the people standing in the way of progress on the environment are often just as ignorant about the economy.

Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation and Dr. Faisal Moola is the Director of Science at the David Suzuki Foundation.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

How much calcium do you need?

Recently a study examining the correlation between high calcium intake and fracture rates (hip fractures) found no connection.

Other studies have shown that calcium taken in combination with vitamin D did not prevent fractures. Was my mother wrong? Upon closer scrutiny, more questions need to be answered.

Was there sufficient calcium in the test subjects’ diet, even with additional calcium? Did the subjects consume items which deplete the body’s calcium or block its ability to absorb it?

Make no mistake; your body needs calcium for muscle and blood vessel contraction and expansion, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and to send messages through your nervous system. Without sufficient calcium in your diet, your body will rob what it needs from your bones. Most people do not consume recommended daily calcium levels.

For women the impact is magnified during menopause. Decreased estrogen decreases the rate and ability to regulate cells which naturally break down bone, and reduces estrogen’s role in preventing calcium loss through urination and calcium absorption in the bowel. Foods high in calcium include dark green vegetables, broccoli, sesame seeds and dairy products, but if you cannot get enough calcium from food alone, consider a supplement.

Do I need vitamin D?

Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Naturally derived vitamin D (from the sun, eggs, fatty fish) is converted into an active form (calcitriol or D3) required for calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

If you are not getting enough natural vitamin D, foods including some cereals and milk are vitamin D fortified, and supplements are available. Choose one with boron, a mineral shown to help activate vitamin D and control estrogen in post-menopausal women.

Absorption enhancers

For most vitamins and minerals there are complementary and competing nutrients in the body. Complementary nutrients are those that enhance absorption, while competing ones reduce absorption. With calcium, a natural soluble fibre called inulin has been shown to increase absorption. Caffeine has been shown to increase calcium excretion in your urine, so getting your daily fix may rob your bones.

What about exercise?

Studies show that muscle pulling on bone builds bone, so weight- or load-bearing exercise builds denser, stronger bones. Thirty minutes daily of exercise that requires muscles to work against gravity benefits not only your bones, but also improves heart health, muscle strength, coordination and balance. If you already have osteoporosis, you should exercise. Your doctor will tell you what you can safely do to preserve

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bone; however exercise alone can’t prevent or cure osteoporosis. Several factors may increase your risk: Age: You begin to drastically lose bone mass during the five years when you experience menopause. Bone mass loss then progresses at a slower rate until age 65 when the loss rate increases again.

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Gender: Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Of the 10 million people dealing with osteoporosis, 68 percent are women.

Low sex hormones: This is possibly due to amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods) in women of reproductive age, menopause (low oestrogen level) or low testosterone level in men.

Certain diseases: These include untreated celiac disease (loss of bone mass due to inadequate nutrition), arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis sufferers have an increased risk, likely due to medication), eating disorders (nutritional and hormonal problems negatively affect bone density), and cancers (prostate and breast) due to change in hormone levels.

Medications: Medications such as anti-seizure drugs, some steroid (glucocorticoids), sleeping pills, and some cancer drugs affect bones.

Diet: Unbalanced diets do not provide the vitamins, minerals and nutrients needed to function, so your body scavenges them from other areas (bones, teeth).

Alcohol: Excessive consumption stresses major organs; and consumption is more detrimental during young adulthood because it negatively affects bone forming cells (osteoblasts).

Smoking: There is a direct link between decreased bone mass and tobacco use. Smokers also tend to have a poor diet, drink more alcohol, and women experience menopause at an earlier age.

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A silent disease, most people are first diagnosed with osteoporosis only after they fracture a bone.

Keep your bones healthy by ensuring you get adequate calcium and vitamin D. The most absorbable and bioavailable (effective) calcium sources are calcium gluconate lactate and calcium fructoborate, and the most bioavailable form of vitamin D is D3. References available from VISTA.

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The Seaweed Solution

Each drop of Quick D contains 1000 i.u. of naturally derived, biologically active vitamin D, now known to prevent numerous diseases. The base contains Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Palmitate), Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols) and organic Sunflower oil. Most liquid vitamin D products use an undefined generic vegetable oil for their base, which may contain various possible allergens.

Today known as the "Sunshine Vitamin," in days of yore vitamin D was known as the "antirachitic vitamin," due to its use as a treatment for rickets (a disease causing bones to become soft and bendable, leading to bowed legs, knock knees and other bone malformations). These days the winter blahs and the longing for a sunny tropical vacation may be more modern indicators of a vitamin D deficiency. It’s been estimated that as many as 80% of Canadians may have dangerously low levels of vitamin D during our long winters. The supplement is now being prescribed for such problems as low energy, depression and joint pain. Even celiac disease (gluten-sensitivity) is indirectly linked to a deficiency of vitamin D.

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By John Austen

V

egetables of the sea are just as vital to your health as vegetables grown on land. In fact, ounce for ounce they are up to 20 times higher in essential nutrients than land vegetables. For thousands of years, seaweed has been a mainstay in the diets of civilizations around the globe, and it has now become a mainstay in Canadian health food stores.

Acclaimed for its health benefits, seaweed is turning up in everything from crackers and seasonings to natural detox and obesity fomulas. And many people are taking the plunge to discover their own sea favourites.

Seaweed or sea vegetables are part of the family of marine algae.

Though seaweed has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, it became popular in North America after modern research was able to show its benefits. Seaweed has protective effects against liver illness and its antioxidants may help prevent aging and other diseases through its ability to scavenge free radicals. Seaweeds are also used to detoxify the body from waste, toxins, heavy metals and even radiation exposure; the human body has a very similar composition to the ocean and seaweed is the ocean’s detoxifier.

Edible seaweed (not all are) is one of the richest sources of vitamins and minerals including iodine, selenium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, beta-carotene, and vitamins E and B. They provide natural organic iodine, a crucial nutrient for a healthy thyroid. Kelp, in particular, with its balance of natural iodine and other minerals, vitamins and trace elements, is considered a body balancer, promoting adrenal, pituitary and thyroid health. It can assist in normalizing thyroid disorders, obesity and lymph system congestion, and purifying the blood.

What seaweeds are edible?

Kelp (or kombu) is sold in dried sheets, liquid or powder and is one of the most versatile seaweeds, used in health remedies and in cooking, added to soups to create a thick stock; nori makes the shiny green wrapper for sushi rolls; wakame is used in miso soup with a dark brown colour and mild flavour; arame is mild-tasting seaweed added to stir fries and soups; dulse,a reddish-purple variety with a salty flavour, is used for sauces or a chewy snack; hiziki lends a nutty flavour to soups and stews; laver has a sweet taste when toasted, and is sprinkled on grain dishes; sea palm has a mild flavour and a noodle-like appearance and is an exotic sea vegetable.

Kelp is one of the most well known varieties. The best species of kelp, Laminaria digitata, produces the highest levels of organic iodine and other nutrients, including over 50 minerals and trace elements and 22 amino acids and several other organic vitamins and digestive enzymes. Lamineria digitata is an arterial cleansing agent, creating healthy blood vessels and reducing deposits in the arteries while restoring their elasticity. It also strengthens the circulatory system and helps to lower cholesterol.

www.nutristart.com 1 800 813-4233 70 | VISTA Magazine

Issue 66

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Liquid kelp – which is odourless and almost tasteless – can be used effectively for weight loss by helping to eliminate excess stores of fat and fluids.

Liquid kelp – which is odourless and almost tasteless – can be used effectively for weight loss by helping to eliminate excess stores of fat and fluids. Its easily absorbed organic minerals provide energy and stamina, while organic vitamins boost the immune system and act as viral protectors. Seaweed’s natural digestive enzymes help the body’s metabolic and digestive systems, soothing a sensitive or troubled digestive system

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and aiding recurrent constipation and gastric bloating. Topically, it promotes healthier skin, hair and nails.

Kelp and other sea plants both extract and absorb vital minerals from ocean water and then miraculously convert them from unavailable inorganic substances to available organic minerals that our bodies can use for overall health. Consider adding these wonders of the sea to your diet.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Pain Management 101

By Michelle Kwon

Do you suffer from back, neck, arm or leg pain?

Do your joints ache? Do you have poor bal‑ ance or difficulty walking? Do you have poor circulation in the legs and feet?

I

t’s been hypothesized that one third of baby boomers are in pain or discomfort at any given time. Fortunately, lifestyle changes including rest, a healthy diet, low impact exercise, and complementary therapies such as acupuncture, laser therapy, physiotherapy and vibrational therapy can make a dramatic difference without drugs.

Vibrational therapy may be one of the simplest ways to provide relief. It dates back to the 1960s when rhythmic neuromuscular stimulation (RNS) or “cyclical vibrations” was introduced and embraced by scientists. Vibrational therapy increases blood circulation and improves flexibility, mobility and muscle strength. You simply stand on a metal base while holding on to supportive arms on a machine which vibrates 30 to 50 times per second.

Muscles throughout the body are forced into action to maintain balance, the body’s natural response to vibration.

During vibration therapy the tissues are warmed up and oxygen in your blood increases. Due to increased oxygen, waste products are removed from the body more efficiently through increased lymphatic drainage, and substances that cause pain are also more easily removed. This therapy is said to raise growth hormone levels which are essential to repairing and regenerating tissue.

Sore muscles are often caused by poor posture and improper use of muscles: some are too weak to do their job, particularly in the back, shoulders and neck, while other inappropriate ones are called upon to work overtime. This causes strain not only on muscles but on joints and ligaments.

In response to vibrational stimulation therapy, the muscle contractions required strengthen and tone muscle over time. Bones respond by growing stronger and denser because the muscles around them grow. However, the vibration doesn’t cause fatigue or aggravate an injury like other exercise can, and actually repairs damaged tissue.

Research has shown that this therapy may also stimulate metabolism, improve joint function and stability, reduce body fat, lower cortisol levels which helps minimize the effects of stress, and offer rapid recovery after sports and exercise for better performance in addition to pain relief.

Vibration training is used by athletes, trainers and coaches for sports injury rehabilitation. It has been adopted by dozens of professional sports teams including the Toronto Blue Jays, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs and by Canadian olympic athletes.

Don’t accept pain, or anything but the highest standard of physical health, vitality and comfort as normal. Discover the cause instead of covering the symptoms with medication; consider what lifestyle changes you can adopt; and try therapies that have been proven to work.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

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Nutri MULTI for men features the benefits of Lycopene, Stinging Nettle, Siberian Ginseng and Amla. Nutri MULTI for women features 1000 IU of Vitamin D, which studies suggest could help prevent major breast, colon and ovarian diseases. It also has Blackcurrant Oil, plus Cranberry and Boron. Try Nutri MULTI today! Naka Herbs & Vitamins Ltd. (416) 748-3073 www.nakaherbs.com.

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VISTA Magazine Issue 66

What is Coenzyme Q10?

By Marva Ward You may have heard of the antioxidant CoQ10, or know someone taking it as a supplement, but don’t know much about it. CoQ10, also known as coenzyme Q10 or ubiquinone, is a vitamin found in our cells. It is a vital component in making our body’s energy source.

That source is called ATP and it drives all of our body’s functions. CoQ10 assists in the production of ATP. Without CoQ10 our cells cannot make ATP and with‑ out ATP we cannot survive.

CoQ10 deficiency was first linked to heart disease in Italy in 1972, and in the late 70s, ongoing clinical trials began confirming the importance of CoQ10 in treating heart disease. Over the past 30 years research has focused on congestive heart failure, ischemic (oxygen deprived) heart disease, angina and myocardial (heart tissue) protection in open heart surgery. Studies indicate that tissue with low levels of CoQ10 becomes diseased and that supplementing with it offers measurable improvement. The benefits are related to both its ability to aid energy flow in and between the organs and its antioxidant properties. In 2000, a Turkish study published in the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists supported CoQ10’s antioxidant effect against breast cancer. The results indicated that supplementation of CoQ10 may induce a protective effect in healthy breast tissue.

Heart disease and cancer have reached epidemic proportions and many studies have linked the deficiency of CoQ10 as a possible cause. How have we become so deficient when we are biologically equipped to produce it in abundance? There are several reasons and the first may be linked to the North American diet. The production of CoQ10 is a complex, multistage process that includes the amino acid tyrosine, B vitamins, vitamin C, pantothenic acid and trace minerals. If we do not provide our body with complete nutrition, it cannot make the appropriate nutrients to sustain health.

Age also plays a role in reduced levels of CoQ10. There are two forms CoQ10, ubiquinone and its reduced form ubiquinol. The levels of both will vary and are primarily dependant on the particular organ’s needs; however, age and state of health are also significant factors. In the blood, CoQ10 is generally in the form of ubiquinol. Studies show that blood levels of ubiquinol tend to decline after age 40. This is a consequence of poor fat digestion also linked to aging. Research has shown that supplementation with the ubiquinol form of CoQ10 effectively raises its levels in the blood. The circulating ubiquinol is turned back into ubiquinone in the cell, resulting in the production of ATP (energy).

The use of pharmaceutical drugs affects CoQ10 levels and is well documented in scientific studies specific to cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.

A medical petition was launched and presented to the US government in 2002 by Dr. Julian Whitaker asking the US government to label all statin drugs with a warning: statin drugs block the production of CoQ10 in the cells. The petition stated that although the statin drugs offer tremendous benefits, there may be risks of developing statin-induced liver dysfunction,

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cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure due to the severely reduced production of CoQ10. To help maintain blood levels of CoQ10, many medical and naturopathic practitioners suggest that individuals taking statin drugs supplement with 200 milligrams of CoQ10 daily.

Although our bodies make CoQ10, it can also be sourced, minimally, through the foods that we eat. For example 3 ounces of beef contain 2.6 milligrams whereas half a cup of boiled broccoli has 0.5 milligrams. Studies show that the levels of CoQ10 in food may be compromised in cooking.

Frying tends to reduce the levels by as much as 30 percent, yet boiling or steaming does not.

One way to increase CoQ10 levels is to take it in a supplement. Doses range from 30 to 400 milligrams and are available in capsules, gel-caps and liquid; however, even in the healthiest individuals, absorption can be a challenge. Taking the supplements with high quality, fat-containing foods, olive oil, grape seed or fish oil may help to improve levels of CoQ10 in the blood and ultimately in the cells.

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

www.vistamagonline.com

Paperback Heroes

Books that Inspire Healthy Living

By Michelle Kwon

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New areas of know

ledge come to thos e when the time is right. So read with an open hear t and mind.

The great inne r truth lies with in.

— Melchizedek

Bring Light into

your heart each day as all miracles flow from this.

— Cameron, Guid e and

Mary-Jane is a Reik i Master and Irido and loves to incor logist pora healing work. Bruc te crystals into her e is a machinist by trade and also a Reiki Master and Med ium. Like many others, they are constantly striv to remember and ing re-awaken to the secret knowledge of the past.

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Mary-Jane Bate man and Bruc e Fogel share beau writings and insp tiful iration received over the years through channelle d corresponden ce with Guides, Angels, Holy Arch angels and man y other Beings Divine Light. The of y are releasing this information this exciting time at of great planetar y change to help others raise their vibration – so we can all expe a smoother tran rience sition on humanit y’s retu the third level rn back to of consciousnes s.

Knowledge of Oneness Letters of Enlightenmen from Beyond the t Veil

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Knowledge of Oneness: Letters of Enlightenment from Beyond the Veil, by Mary-Jane Bateman and Bruce Fogel, published by Agio Publishing House, $18.95 The authors of this book are reiki masters who are constantly striving to “re-awaken to the secret knowledge of the past.” Though you may find it difficult to accept that they are guided by spirits to write its passages, you don’t have to believe it in order to learn from the wise messages it provides. Through personal stories told by Mary-Jane and “letters” provided by channeling, they offer lessons for living. For example, Mary-Jane states, “When times get difficult, examine exactly what you are experiencing and

Knowledge of Onene

knowledge of

The Thyroid Sourcebook, by M. Sara Rosenthal, PhD, published by McGraw Hill, $22.95 The thyroid, our butterfly shaped gland beneath the Adam’s apple, has taken the blame for weight gain and lack of energy more than any other part of our body. While it’s true that both are symptoms of a thyroid gone amiss, the amount of misinformation regarding this gland shrouds its purpose in mystery and confusion. This book, written by a thyroid cancer survivor, offers insightful, easy-to-read information about hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Grave’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease and thyroid cancer. It also discusses symptoms that many women worry could be related to their thyroid such as cold intolerance, depression, changes in hair condition, heavy periods, fatigue, weight gain, poor memory and muscle aches.

The author includes patient experiences, the latest testing procedures to get an accurate diagnosis, conventional and complementary therapies, hormone replacement facts, and special diets that can alleviate symptoms, and explains the iodine connection in the diet. She discusses thyroid nodules (lumps), cysts and goiters and how to verify and treat them, and perhaps just as important, offers hope to help you continue living a full, happy life when you are diagnosed with a thyroid problem.

Bateman

Lives in the Balance: Nurses’ Stories from the ICU, edited by Tilda Shalof, published by McClelland and Stewart, $17.99 In the 25 true stories collected in this book, critical care nurses reveal the nail-biting moment by moment world of intensive care where patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries need attention day and night to survive. There are stories of miraculous healing and of sorrowful death and the time in between when lives hang in the balance — and every story will bring tears. These nurses are defined by a heroine-like readiness to take on challenges and work through raw emotions, but also by medical expertise to make split-second procedural decisions. There’s a nurse who laments about the difficult work they do keep alive people that are arriving more acutely ill than ever before. Discussing a 14-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the head and a 25-year-old newlywed left unrecognizable from a car accident, she says she doesn’t know where the deep place within her is that holds heart-wrenching emotions when she has to tell parents their child won’t survive injuries. There’s the nurse with the patient whose minor paper-cut turned into flesh eating disease and had survived massive amputations only to succumb to an infection caused in part by hospital error due to an overwhelming workload. She asks, “We could still save him, but what about the nurses who are drowning?”

MARY-JANE BA TEMAN and BRUCE FOGE L

PUBLISHING HOUSE PUBLISHING HOUSE

what message there is for you in the event. Until you experience and feel an event and its emotional attachment, you cannot grow. Our soul’s purpose is to progress and grow from each of these experiences. Our greatest enemy is our fear. When fear creeps into our minds it silences our hearts and curbs our personal growth, keeping us in repetitive cycles of disillusionment.”

As a healer, Mary-Jane also discusses herbal remedies that she uses, detoxification, and the importance of spiritual healing for physical healing to occur. She says, “The root of illness lies within and only you can address that need. There are many doctors, naturopaths and healers available for assistance. However, they can only take you part of the way. The energy around you, your emotions and spiritual vibration, must be cared for and nurtured. Toxic emotions that are left to manifest will eventually result in a physical ailment. Each part of our body has an emotional attachment.”

VISTA Magazine Issue 66

Put your heart into it No matter what activity you are involved in, Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) is an important factor in helping to improve your performance and over all health.

That’s because CoQ10 is an essential cofactor in the production of ATP, the body’s major fuel source for muscles and cellular processes. Your heart is the most abundant source of CoQ10, but science has revealed a number of factors that could affect your body’s ability to produce this essential nutrient. Serum levels of CoQ10 tend to decline after the age of 40, and can be further exaggerated by pharmaceutical drugs (e.g. statins) or inadequate quantities of key nutrients needed to make CoQ10 in your body (e.g.

B-vitamins, tyrosine, etc.). One of the best ways to energize your heart and body is to take a natural source supplement of CoQ10. NOW® offers one of the largest selections of premium quality, affordable CoQ10.

Join the Orange Revolution

Available exclusively at fine health food retailers.

For more information on CoQ10 products, visit www.nowfoods.com