How to Cope With Agitation In Your Loved One Who Has Alzheimer’s

Writen by William G. Hammond, JD

Many times, understanding the meaning of a word can give us great insight into the issue at hand.

What is agitation?

• Extreme emotional disturbance. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)

• A stirring up or arousing; disturbance of tranquility; disturbance of mind that shows itself by physical excitement. (Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary).

• A mental state of extreme emotional disturbance, the feeling of being agitated; not calm. (WorldNet 1.6).

Many Alzheimer’s patients experience agitation in addition to memory loss. In the early stages of the illness, people with Alzheimer’s may encounter changes in their personality, such as irritability, anxiety or even depression. But as the disease progresses, these symptoms can worsen and become more difficult to live with. They may include sleep disturbances, delusions and hallucinations. Many times Alzheimer’s patients cannot get in touch with or express their feelings. So when they experience agitation, it is often difficult for the caregivers to understand and to help.

When a person with dementia displays agitation or other “symptoms,” you must try to determine what they are trying to communicate.

Good communication is an important part of any relationship. When caring for a person with dementia, the ability to communicate becomes more and more difficult. Both expressing and processing information becomes impaired. This inability to express and process can be frustrating and can manifest itself as agitation.

Following are some suggestions that may allow you to improve your communication with your loved one who has Alzheimer’s:

• Approach from the front to prevent startling him or her.

• Maintain eye contact.

• Lower the tone of your voice. A high pitch may indicate that you are upset.

• Smile and be pleasant.

• Talk with a calm presence.

• Speak slowly, clearly and directly.

• Identify yourself.

• Use short, simple sentences.

• Ask one question at a time.

• Eliminate background noise.

• Give plenty of time to respond.

• If he/she cannot find words, sometimes it helps if you finish the sentence.

• Repeat information when needed – repetition is good.

• Frequently affirm/praise him/her, even for the smallest things, i.e. “Good job,” “Thank you,” “You’re the best!”

• Validate feelings.

• Use touch. Touch the shoulder, knee, back, hand.

• Give hugs many times a day.

• Don’t argue – you’ll never win.

• Laugh together.

• If your talk becomes “heated,” stop. Go back and try again later.

• Don’t talk down. Respect him/her as an adult.

• Don’t’ correct him/her.

• Don’t demand. Ask nicely.

• Don’t take adverse behavior personally.

• Slow down! Hurrying increases frustration.

Another issue in agitation is non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is important to be aware of, both in what we are communicating to our loved ones, and what they are communicating to us. Non-verbal communication is expressed by persons with dementia through body languages, facial expression and tone of voice.

At times, the Alzheimer’s patient can look into your eyes and seem to read your soul, almost like a “sixth sense.” They are sensitive and intuitive to people and things around them. They know when someone is being sincere or not. Body language is as important as their facial expressions. For example, if your loved one suddenly gets up and walks around, that may indicate the need to go the bathroom. Be alert to those signs and give big hugs as much as possible. A gentle touch will make their life much easier and relaxed.

Environment can also cause agitation. Examples would be where temperatures are too cold or too hot, or lights too strong or too dim. Try to set up an environment that is relaxing for your loved one. It will make his or her life easier. And as your loved one with Alzheimer’s relaxes, so will you.

Gingko or Ginseng-Fortified Foods: Save Your Money

Writen by Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

I hope that you will not be fooled by the unbelievable advertising on some food packages. For example, labels on ginseng tea and gingko-fortified cereal both claim they will promote sharp thinking. There is no solid evidence that either ginseng or gingko improve thinking, but for this discussion, let’s assume they do. Ginseng is a stimulant just like an amphetamine. If you were to take too much ginseng, you would get diarrhea and a headache; a massive overdose could raise your blood pressure, cause a stroke and even death. If the correct dose of ginseng is contained in one cup of the tea, that means that you are taking a drug when you drink a cupful; two cups can give you a headache and ten cups might kill you.

It’s the dose that makes a poison. If a substance is to cause a health benefit, you have to eat an exact dose. If you take less, you don’t receive any benefit. If you take too much, you can suffer unpleasant side effects or even die. Drugs and supplements specify the dose on the bottle; if you take a whole bottle-full instead of one pill and die of an overdose, the manufacturer will not be held responsible. But nobody measures exact portions of food. What happens if you drink the ginseng tea all day to quench your thirst?

The same applies to gingko-fortified cereals. How much cereal do you have to eat to improve your mind? What happens if your child likes the flavor and eats the whole box? Foods that truly contain medicines would harm you if you ate too much. Of course the food manufacturers are not stupid, so they put in so little of the substance that it cannot possibly harm you in any amount – and therefore, of course, cannot have any benefit. This is deceptive advertising at its worst. Save your money.

How to Pick a Breakfast Cereal

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties. For more information and hundreds of fitness and health reports, visit http://www.DrMirkin.com

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AIDS 101 – Billy’s Story – A Surfer Living With AIDS / HIV

Writen by Mark Sperling

How am I gonna live my life if I’m positive? Is it gonna be a negative?

Like many others his age, Billy grew up with little knowledge about AIDS. For years the media kept pointing to particular groups – mainly homosexuals and drug addicts- as the only people affected by the disease. But as more and more is learned, AIDS cases in heterosexual teens and young adults have jumped to great proportions.

“Had I known what I know now about the disease, say, five or ten years ago, all my choices about relationships and sex would have changed. Back then, and even today, it’s a male thing to sleep with as many girls as possible – kind of like bragging rights. To look back on it now – trying to be cool will actually kill me.”

Billy, a blond, 23-year-old native Californian, fits the typical surfer/boarder stereotype, except one thing distinguishes Billy from others – he’s HIV positive. He is one of the growing numbers of teens and young adults who have been caught off-guard by this once-unknown disease. It is estimated that between the ages of thirteen to 24 years old, one in every 300 is infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that leads to AIDS.

I think about life and immorality what’s the first thing I do if I’m HIV

At a local coffee house, Billy and I talk about what he’s gone through. Sipping on a mocha, he remembers the fateful day he found out about his circumstances.

“I remember all the details – going in to get a normal physical at the hospital and having blood taken from me. Everything seemed okay, and even the doctor mentioned I appeared in good health. About two weeks later, ten days away from my birthday, a nurse calls from the hospital to ask that I come back in – no explanation, nothing.”

They took my blood with an anonymous number two weeks waitin wonderin

Billy thought he was stricken with cancer, like several members of his family before him. “I was so scared to go see the doctor,” he says. “I told no one – not even my parents or girlfriend. The thought of them having to worry about me frightened the shit out of me.” Billy pauses to reflect, then continues, “Something about the office and the doctor looming over me felt like I was at the gates of heaven waiting to meet my fate.” Then, BAM – like hitting a brick wall – the doctor told Billy his blood test came back HIV positive.

I shoulda done this a long time ago a lot of excuses why I couldn’t go I know these things and these things I must know, cause it’s better to know than to not know!

“AIDS?” Billy responded. “Isn’t that some kind of homosexual or drug-pusher thing?” As he toys with his mocha, Billy remembers thinking, “There’s no f-king way I could get something like that. Must have been some big mix-up. Then I thought, Oh shit, I must’ve used the same toilet seat or touched a door knob that some infected person used. But the doctor went on to say there was no way of getting HIV from that, and then asked if I’d ever had unprotected sex – without a condom.” Billy had engaged in unprotected sex.

“Yeah, a couple of times,” he says, “cause they’re uncomfortable or I didn’t have one in the heat of the moment. I figured if the girl was on the pill, who needed to wear a condom?

Was it really all that magic? the times I didn’ t use a prophylactic

“(I) believe it was a girl I dated back in college about four or five years ago, “Billy thinks back. According to the Center for Disease Control, AIDS cases in females have increased from seventeen percent to 39 percent in the past four years. AIDS has risen to become the United States sixth leading cause of death among fifteen to 24 year olds.

I’m readin’ about how it’s transmitted some behavior I must admit it. who I slept with, who they slept with who they, who they, who they slept with.

Since learning about his diagnosis, one of toughest things Billy’s had to deal with is telling past girlfriends he had sex with about the virus. “As I sat down making a list of who I slept with,” Billy says, “it started to scare me how many there were.” Billy doesn’t say this to be perceived as a so-called “stud,” but as part of understanding his high-risk behavior and its role in his contracting HIV.

“As I started calling them one by one,” Billy recalls, “I was faced with explaining what had happened and telling each of them they should get tested. “Billy realizes he didn’t have to do this, but would’ve felt guilty not doing so. He goes on to say that some of the girls were mad because they felt Billy had “killed” them, as one girl put it. Others were sympathetic and asked how they could help.

Get on the phone and call my past lovers I never thought about infectin “anotha all the times that I said “Hmmm? Don’t bother.

Each day, like the other estimated one-million Americans who are HIV-positive, Billy lives life to its fullest. “At times I’ll get real depressed,” he admits, “but I make it through and try to enjoy some of the simpler pleasures.” Billy sees life a little differently than probably you and I, and while he talks about different experiences he encounters each day, or about his dreams of surfing in Tavarua that he hopes to fulfill, Billy knows that now, unlike before, he must be wary of what his body will have in store in the future.

Would my whole life have to change? or would my life remain the same? sometimes it makes me wanna shout! all these things too hard to think about.

His coffee cold, Billy brings up his growing frustration about what has been happening around him. He’s afraid to tell friends because of their lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. “I know once I tell them,” Billy says, “I ll become an instant leper – an outcast.” He claims it’s not his friends faults, but society’s failure to educate his peers about AIDS.

“Young adults need to see an alternative, not be preached to, but educated about prevention,” Billy explains. “Too many groups are fighting over whether to teach safe sex, abstinence, or give out condoms in the public schools – they don’t realize as they’re squabbling more of us are dying because we re ignorant to the facts.”

How am I gonna live my life if I’m positive? is it gonna be a negative?

As afternoon comes to a close, Billy rushes to get a quick surf session before dark. I look toward the water: Billy is charging in full force down the line. A few hours later, he comes paddling back, bragging about every cutback he made and asking if we all saw it. At times he amazes me with his energy and love for life, but now I understand how he perceives things. The disease that has taken so many has in no way slowed down Billy and his dreams. Billy may be different from others because of it. He’s still my friend.

a day to laugh, a day to cry a day to live and a day to die ’til I find out, I may wonder but I’m not gonna live my life six feet under.

*lyrics written by Michael Franti, Charlie Hunter, performed by Spearhead, “Positive” appears on Spearhead’s Home CD and Red, Hot and Cool CD.

Green Tea; The Secret To Good Health

Writen by Nick Leonard

Green tea has been around for 1000s of years, and the Chinese have always known about the many health benefits of green tea. Now the rest world is catching up and jumping on the green tea bandwagon.

What makes green tea so healthy? Antioxidants, green tea is loaded with antioxidants that support your bodies immune system and helps eliminate harmful toxins from your body. These powerful antioxidants are so potent that research is showing that they might even be able to cure cancer.

In addition to being healthy green tea can also help you lose weight. Green tea has what is called a thermogenic effect on your body meaning that it makes your body burn more calories there by causing you to lose weight. In addition many people feel they get a natural energy boost, and also that they can think better when taking green tea.

Promoting good health and weight loss are great, but perhaps the best part is that green tea tastes wonderful. It doesn’t give you that insulin crash that soda does, and it’s not hard on your stomach like coffee. You can find green tea in many different flavors, but stay away from bottled tea because most of the time it’s filled with sugar or artificial sweeteners. The best way to buy green tea is in bulk loose leaf form, or if that’s not available in your area you can substitute it with bagged tea, but keep in mind that bagged tea is typically lower in quality than loose tea.

By simply replacing soda, coffee, or any other sugar filled beverages with green tea you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor and you will notice a positive change within days.

The author has been involved in the health and fitness field for over 10 years, and is passionate about natural remedies. A wonderful site about green tea is TeaBenefitsPlus.com

Being Nice Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

Writen by Vicki Rackner

“Mom, what did the doctor say about your liver function tests?” Martha and her mother Leah spent plenty of time on the phone the days before the follow-up doctor visit talking about what this abnormal blood test could mean. With a heavy sigh Leah said, “Well, the doctor looked like he was having a hard day, and there were lots of people in the waiting room and they looked very sick, so I didn’t ask.” Martha said, “If you took care of yourself with just a fraction of the nurturing you give to everyone else in the whole world, you would be in great shape.”

Leah’s life is guided by two words: “Be nice.” In her perfect day, everyone gets along, she anticipates and meets the needs of others and goes to sleep knowing she’s a worthy person because people tell her so. Leah avoids conflict and she would never dream of making a scene. When she gave the cashier at the grocery store a $20 bill for a $7 item and got back $3 she didn’t say a word. Her perfectionism usually heads off criticism, but sometimes it backfires. She tried to help her adult son, who said with annoyance, “Mom, stop being such a people-pleaser.” Leah’s darkest fear is that she will not give enough and wind up all alone, abandoned by her friends and family.

While being nice sounds like a good idea, there’s a problem. It doesn’t work. People pleasers often take care of others at the expense of themselves. Activities that promote health, like the daily walk and a good night’s sleep are sacrificed when someone else is in need. Trying to avoid or ignore conflict and anger is like trying to hold a beach ball under water. Unexpressed feelings can pop up as physical ailments, such as heartburn or depression or back pain. When your value as a person is defined by what other people think about you, and you don’t measure up, food or alcohol medicate the emptiness.

If you’re a people-pleaser who gets sick, the same behaviors that got you to the doctor in the first place may stand in the way of getting good health care. You might not want to “trouble your doctor” with your problems. If you have side effects from a medication, you might simply stop taking the pills rather than tell your doctor that you want to try a different medication. A cross look from the front office staff when you ask for a copy of your medical record may be all you need to decide that you’re not doing that again.

The bottom line is that being nice can be hazardous to your health. It erodes your health and impairs your ability to get better if you’re sick.

I invite you to examine how being nice is working for you. Serving others offers great rewards. Serving at the expense of yourself comes with a huge cost that ultimately limits your ability to serve. You can be freed from the imprisonment of people-pleasing. If you want to treat yourself with more love and respect, here are some thoughts.

Re-think being nice.

People-pleasing is a learned behavior that can be unlearned. Although habits may be deeply engrained, small changes can make a huge difference. Next time you’re asked to volunteer, instead of jumping in with a “Yes”, say, instead, “I’ll get back to you on that.” You will come to understand that “no” is a complete sentence, and you can utter the word! If you can’t imagine doing this, use this “fake it till you make it trick”…tell yourself that you’re taking care of your children’s father, your mother’s daughter or your pet’s owner.

Take care of yourself every day.

Get exercise, nutrition and rest every day. Do something that recharges your batteries every day no matter what. It’s a clich

Doctor, What Do I Do If I Think I Have Osteoporosis?

Writen by Nathan Wei

Bone is a living tissue that undergoes constant change. This series of changes is called “remodeling.” Old bone is removed and new bone is formed.

The structure of bone consists of a matrix composed of a framework of collagen and minerals. While the character of bone is different in different areas of the skeleton, the common thread is that if the collagen framework or the minerals aren’t properly remodeled, then bone quality is compromised. This leads to an increased risk for fracture. The typical situation- and the one that is responsible for post-menopausal osteoporosis- is that too much bone tissue is removed and not enough is built. When this abnormal bone is subjected to daily wear and tear, “microcracks” in the bone accumulate leading to fracture.

The first place to start if you suspect you may be at risk for osteoporosis is to find the right kind of doctor. This is usually a rheumatologist who specializes in osteoporosis.

He or she will take a careful history looking for risk factors. Among the most common are: female gender, advancing age, family history, small body frame, Caucasian or Asian race, chronic kidney or bowel disease, cigarette smoking, alcoholism, high caffeine intake, and chronic steroid or blood thinner therapy.

Other medical conditions which may be associated with osteoporosis are diabetes, overactive thyroid disease, lung disease, alcoholism, and hormone (estrogen or testosterone) deficiency.

Ideally, a careful history evaluating a patient’s risk for falls should also be taken. Impaired vision and environmental hazards such as poor lighting in the home, etc. should be looked into.

After the history, a careful physical examination looking for specific causes of bone loss such as thyroid disease, vitamin deficiency, or other conditions should be performed.

Then, a full laboratory workup consisting of complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), thyroid blood tests, blood chemistries, urinalysis, serum vitamin D levels, and 24 hour urine tests measuring calcium and phosphorus should be obtained.

If there is evidence of fracture in the spine, x-rays may be obtained. Some people may have what are called insufficiency fractures. These are fractures that develop spontaneously in people with very low bone strength. Often these types of fractures will not show up on regular x-ray. Bone scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may then be required. Special urine tests for bone markers may also be ordered. These urine tests may yield a clue that bone is undergoing improper remodeling.

A bone density scan (also called a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan or DEXA) is mandatory! These scans should be interpreted by a trained rheumatologist. This scan measures the actual “thickness” of bone. DEXA scans are also an excellent method for evaluating the effectiveness of drug therapy once the patient has been started on the proper medication.

In some instance, a bone biopsy may be required. This procedure involves the extraction of a plug of bone from the pelvis. This is done using local anesthetic and provides a specific look at bone architecture.

In future articles, treatment of osteoporosis will be discussed.

Diet

Writen by Donovan Baldwin

What is a diet? Does a diet really help you lose weight? Are they healthy? Why would anyone want to go on one?

These are questions that almost everybody is asking these days.

First of all, despite my normal advice against “diets”, I do have to admit that in some circumstances, for some people, they can help a person’s weight loss program. Let me explain a couple of things, however.

People today get confused when they hear the word “diet”. They usually think that it always applies to some special plan of eating which is intended to help people lose weight. This isn’t always so, and there was a time that the word was simply used to indicate a list of what a person ate. Scholars would, and still do, talk about the “diet” of a tribe, nation, or cultural group. Doctors would prepare a list of foods intended to accomplish some goal other than weight loss, and the word would be applied to that list of foods. Heck, I was placed on one as a small child in order to determine what food might be causing an allergy I had at the time.

Today the word has come to mean a special list of foods you can or cannot eat if you wish to lose weight. Many of these have achieved almost mystical status and many have their own followings. Just witness how far the Atkins and South Beach Diets have extended themselves in our society.

Before Dr. Atkins came along and South Beach was discovered, I am sure you remember such exciting diets as those centered around specific foods which practically guaranteed weight loss success. You could eat grapefruit, cabbage soup, or you could enjoy the promised effects of the negative calorie diet. Most have these have faded away for three basic reasons:

1. People got tired of eating the same thing meal after meal.

2. They were unrealistic in their expectations. How could you get cabbage soup when on vacation, or at a business luncheon.

3. Most of the time, they simply didn’t work.

While “going on a diet” for a short period may produce a small loss for some people, dieting is simply not the answer to a lifelong weight loss problem. If you are just a few pounds overweight and want to drop a few dress sizes by the wedding in two weeks, a diet just might do the trick, and, for that short time, you will probably be able to stick with it as long as you keep your goal in sight.

The downside of a diet is threefold:

* The effects are not permanent or life changing

* It does not contribute to health and vitality

* It may actually contribute to weight gain

I have covered these subjects in more depth in other articles I have written, and, because of limited space, I will just provide a quick overview of these topics.

Most people will not stay on a diet for a myriad of reasons, and it normally cannot be adapted to a new style of eating – a lifestyle change. Admittedly, some people have hereditary or genetic situations that they cannot overcome, but which cause them to become overweight. However, for anyone, at least a portion of what made someone overweight is a part of their life choices, and it is these choices which must be changed in order for permanent weight loss to occur.

Limiting nutritional intake or restricting access to a wide selection of nutritional options, such as in the grapefruit or cabbage soup diet, also limits the individual’s access to nutrients necessary to normal health. Eating some foods, or types of foods, in excess may contribute to other health problems in some people.

Our bodies have been designed to operate and react in certain ways, and this includes how they react and function when changes occur in our diet. One of the effects of a failed attempt is that the body may actually put back on more weight than it originally had to contend with, and may even continue to gain over a prolonged period of time following coming off the program.

True, permanent weight loss for health and fitness hinges on three central points:

* Regular physical activity

* Periods of rest

* A sensible diet

Diet if you must, but realize that for your health and for permanent weight loss, you must do more. One last point. If you do choose to go on a diet, please take a daily multivitamin to help replace the nutrients you are missing.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has blogs on the subjects of weight loss and health, hybrid cars and alternative fuels, and internet marketing and related business topics.

Fight Obesity Prevent Diabetes

Writen by Sathya Mohan

Overweight and obesity, one of the major risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes. Obesity is the main modifiable risk factor for 90 per cent of all cases of diabetes. Levels of overweight are increasing dramatically among children, resulting in more and more childhood cases of type 2 diabetes, a condition that until recently affected primarily adults. The aim of the campaign is to convey the message that simple and inexpensive lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and healthy food choices can be effective in countering the serious human and social consequences that would result from a worsening of the diabetes epidemic.

Obesity results when the size or number of fat cells in a person’s body increases. When a person gains weight, these fat cells first increase in size and later in number. Overweight and obesity can cause diabetes, and contribute to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, infertility, birth complications and arthritis. Obesity is largely preventable through changes in lifestyle, especially diet.

Obesity is most commonly assessed by a single measure, the Body Mass Index (BMI), which uses a mathematical formula based on a person’s height and weight.

Waist circumference is also increasingly recognized as a simple means of identifying obesity. This measurement in combination with BMI has shown to be the best predictor of obesity and its associated health risks.

The twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity already represent the biggest public health challenge of the 21 st century. It is no longer possible to rely only on management and prevention strategies that focus on the individual. Responses are required at the population level as well. Since major changes in both physical inactivity and food explain the development of the obesity and diabetes crisis, rational measures to address both issues are needed. The epidemic of obesity and diabetes has developed in spite of decades of national and local efforts to emphasize the value of `balanced diets’ and to stress the importance of moderate daily exercise. Health education should, therefore, also be designed to support other measures. These include:

Providing children with a wide variety of physical activities.

Appropriate urban environments that encourage healthy lifestyle habits for all.

Teaching healthy eating habits and providing nutritious foods in schools

Monitoring the weight of children.

Food labelling.

Smaller portion sizes.

Lower prices for healthy foods.

It is important to establish strong national systems and partnerships that enable governments, civil society, and the private sector to evaluate and implement effective new policies. Given the epidemic of obesity and the increased incidence of diabetes that is likely to follow, systems to ensure annual monitoring of diabetes prevalence in populations should be established. It is already late, but a global effort can be made to transform diets, encourage less dependence on motorized transport, and promote efforts to restore physical activity into our daily lives.

The Time to Act is now!

Sathya Mohan
Research Fellow

Inactive Alert: Essential Proteins for Sedentary People

Writen by Jim Duffy

The importance of protein in diet has been clearly established by nutritional scientists, and widely accepted by athletes. Among other vital functions, protein is indispensable for creating muscle. Just as important is protein’s essential ability to repair damaged muscles after training[i].

While the value of protein in diet has been accepted and promoted within the athletic community, it has been less well disseminated within the very large sedentary population. Currently making up about 25% of Americans[ii] – or 1 in every 4 people – sedentary people are defined as those who undertake less than half an hour of moderate physical activity per day[iii].

A key problem to solve, therefore, is that the bulk of these sedentary Americans do not know that they are, or more likely are not, getting enough protein in their diet. This large group of sedentary people reflects the myth that protein-rich nutrition is important only for athletes and those who are physically active. The Reference Daily Intake[1] amount for protein is 50 grams, and most sedentary people are not coming close to meeting this standard.

Next to water, protein is the body’s most prevalent substance. Protein is the essential building block for muscle and tissue, and vital for the functioning of critical systems, such as digestion. Protein even helps regulate and control hormones and chemicals that influence mood and coping ability something that has an impact for all people, regardless of physical exercise regimen. In fact, in the context of protein deficiency-related mood disorders, one may argue that a sedentary person on the dangerous road to obesity might be psychologically better equipped to implement a disciplined (e.g. healthy) eating plan if, among other key factors, a complete protein diet exited from the start.

Yet there is another related problem that is arguably more damaging. The little information that most Sedentary Americans are receiving about protein – snippets of facts here and there, mostly from marketers and advertisers – are often outright misleading. This is most clearly seen in the world of fast food.

Many sedentary Americans who have some basic awareness of protein’s importance in diet believe, due largely to marketing campaigns, that fast food burgers are a “good source of protein”. Lost in this belief is the fact that virtually all fast food burgers are almost thoroughly unhealthy choices that are high in saturated fat, calories, sodium, cholesterol, and the list goes on.

In fact, a popular burger contains 52% of the recommended daily value (DV) of fat, and over 500 calories, of which 60% are from fat[2]. These clearly unhealthy factors diminish the nutritional value from the burger’s 24 grams of protein.

It is largely due to this lack of information – and concurrent existence of misinformation — that prevents many sedentary Americans from learning about the importance of protein. At the same time, it is also clear to medical experts that the concept of a sedentary lifestyle is a serious global health problem that must be addressed sooner rather than later[iv].

Addressing this problem is, like many chronic health conditions, complicated and multi-layered. Yet accepting this complexity is, in itself, a starting point for a solution one that must equally be multi-layered and holistic in approach. Awareness of protein must extend beyond the boundaries of the “fit and athletic” communities, and concurrently, ways for sedentary people to access protein must be developed ways that are entirely healthier than fast food burgers.

Despite the difficult and admittedly uphill battle that many sedentary Americans face today, there is reason to be rationally optimistic. There are products on the market that are providing balanced sources of complete protein, yet in responsible, low-calorie and fat-free portions. Since these products are fortified with vitamins and nutrients, they can be utilized as either a supplement or a complete meal replacement. This is of notable value for dieters and “time starved” individuals who are seeking quick, convenient ways to eat healthy.

Ultimately, resolving this problem of sedentary Americans will not be easy, nor will it be rapid. It has taken generations to create the statistic that 1 in 4 Americans lead sedentary lifestyles and it may take generations to unravel this knot. The hallmarks of unraveling it, however, are clear: quality awareness, quality understanding, and above all, quality nutritional products that consumers both demand, and indeed, thoroughly deserve from their food manufacturers.

About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at www.protica.com. You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com.

[1] Formerly referred by its better-known name “Recommended Daily Allowance”.

[2] The USDA’s recommendation is 30% calories from fat

References

[i] Source: “The Power of Protein”. The Physician and Sportsmedicine. http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1996/04_96/protein.htm

[ii] Source: “What We Think is Making Us Fat”. About.com. http://walking.about.com/cs/howtoloseweight/a/obesitycause404.htm

[iii] Source: “Cost and Consequences for Sedentary Living: New Battleground for an Old Enemy”. Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. http://www.fitness.gov/researchdigestmarch2002.pdf

[iv] Source: “Sedentary Lifestyle: a Global Public Health Problem”. The World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/hpr/physactiv/sedentary.lifestyle1.shtml

Copyright 2004 – Protica Research – http://www.protica.com

Gentle Showers

Writen by Colleen Dougherty

Imagine lying down in a cozy, dimly lit room. Soft music is playing in the background and warm water massages you like rain falling from above.

Sound heavenly?

Oh, it is. It also happens to be very beneficial. This luxurious water treatment is detoxifying, hydrating, and intensely relaxing. It affects both the skin and the muscles. It calms the lungs, heart, stomach, and endocrine system by stimulating nerve reflexes on the spinal cord.

The Vichy shower, which originated in Vichy, France, is a form of hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is the therapeutic use of hot and /or cold water to alleviate pain, relieve stress, and to achieve a state of comfort, relaxation, and refreshment. During your Vichy shower treatment the therapist will adjust and alternate massage jets over your entire body. The Vichy shower is a 6 headed rain bar that can be adjusted to provide light pressure (for a soothing, tingling, sedating effect) or stronger pressure (for relieving tension in your problem areas). Your therapist will decide with you beforehand whether you should have a hot, cold, or contrast shower. The hot water is to relax tense muscles and muscle spasms, increase blood flow to the tissues, and relieve pain. It also initiates a good night’s sleep. The cold shower is used to reduce inflammation and to invigorate the body and mind. Some treatments involve alternating between hot and cold water to relieve congestion and headaches as well as to promote circulation. Switching from a hot shower to a cold shower for just 30 seconds sends an immediate rush of blood through your system, which speeds up the body’s healing process and gives you a burst of energy.

A Vichy shower treatment is especially beneficial for people with sports injuries, arthritis, neck and back pain, fatigue, and tense muscles. We can combine a Vichy shower with any spa treatment. I personally recommend a Vichy Shower followed by a Full Body Massage for maximum benefit.

Colleen Dougherty graduated from the New York Institute of Massage in 1997. Since 1998, she has worked as a Licensed Massage Therapist at Scott Miller – a salon, spa, and store in Rochester, NY (http://www.scottmillerstyle.com). Colleen has advanced training in LaStone Therapy, Reflexology, Deep Tissue Massage, Pregnancy and Infant Massage, Orthopedic Massage, Myofacial Pain & Disfunction, and more.