The below statistics are not meant to scare anyone, but do show the importance of prevention.  And Yoga is one of the best and safest methods of prevention.

• Studies show that in 2005 30% of all deaths globally were due to cardiovascular (heart) disease and the rate is increasing.
• The 2009 World Alzheimer’s Report estimates 35 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
• The International Osteoporosis Foundation states 1 in 3 women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will 1 in 5 men.  According to the WHO (World Health Organization) Osteoporosis is second only to cardiovascular disease as a leading health care problem.
• The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) states 285 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes.

Numerous studies show how yoga can help prevent these diseases:

1. Heart disease

Yoga improves heart health in both healthy and sick individuals according to a Yale study conducted by Satish Sivasankaran, MD. ¹ Yoga helps manage weight, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart.  All these factors help to reduce risk of heart disease.

2. Alzheimer’s

A Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and McLean Hospital study show yoga practice can elevate brain gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels.  Low GABA levels are associated with alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety and epilepsy. ⁴

3. Osteoporosis
   • A study performed with 18 patients with osteoporosis or osteopenia, average age 68, found yoga to be effective in building bone mineral density. ²
   • It’s well documented that weight-bearing exercise help prevent osteoporisis ³ and yoga is a safe, low impact workout to help build bone mass.
4. Type II Diabetes
   Yoga is not just a great workout and stress remedy, but several studies show the beneficial effects it has on diabetes and diabetes prevention.
   • London’s Yoga Biomedical Trust found that a 12-week yoga program helped reduce fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin AC1 levels.
   • The University College of Medical Sciences in Delhi, India found through various studies that daily yoga practice can decrease fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin AC1, blood glucose after meals and improve insulin resistance.
   • Finally, a good exercise program helps prevent diabetes. ⁶ A yoga workout is great because it can be adapted to all levels of fitness and all ages.

¹ Yoga Reduces Heart Disease Risk
² Yoga for Osteoporosis: A Pilot Study
³ National Osteoporosis Foundation – Prevention Exercise for Healthy Bones
⁴ This is your brain on yoga
⁵American Diabetes Association: Twisting Without Shouting
⁶ Diet And Exercise Prevent Diabetes

Sleep is one of the most undervalued “medicines” for good health, and in today’s society, many people have a sleep debt.  Getting enough sleep promotes alertness, productivity and general good health.

What many do not know is that getting enough sleep can actually help you shed pounds.

Make friends with appetite regulating hormones

Leptin and ghrelin are hormones that regulate appetite. Ghrelin signals to the brain when you’re hungry and it’s time to eat, while leptin signals when you are full and it’s time to stop.  ¹

Chronic lack of sleep increases ghrelin and decreases leptin, turning your hunger/satiety indicator inside out.  So you get signals to eat (ghrelin) when you aren’t truly hungry anymore, and get signals to stop (leptin) too late.  ¹

One study demonstrates even two days of restricted sleep resulted in a 28% ghrelin increase and an 18% leptin decrease in a sampling of healthy young men.¹

In addition to these two hormones, sleep stimulates the release of growth hormone, which isn’t only important for developing children.  Growth hormone:

• strengthens bones
• creates new muscle cells
• stimulate the immune system
• promotes lipolysis (breakdown of fat), which helps you lose fat²

Another study linked sleep and weight gain to hypocretin/orexcin cells in the hypothalamus region of the brain.  These cells are easily excited and sensitive to stress.  If they are over stimulated they may promote arousal, which can lead to sleeplessness, in turn causing overeating. ³ A Yale University study also shows eleveated hypocretin levels induce arousal, increased food intake and adiposity (fat content). ⁴ So it’s important not just to get enough sleep, but also to avoid stress.

Get the beauty sleep you deserve

It’s not called “beauty sleep” for nothing.  Getting enough sleep will make your body, mind and spirit stronger.  Since the amount of sleep is subjective per person, it’s important to listen to your own body.  Start by listening to it tonight

¹ University of Chicago study, December 7, 2004 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine
² - The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 85, No. 2 799-803
– Obesity Research 4: 471-478 (1996)
³ Yale School of Medicine study, April 2005 issue of Cell Metabolism
⁴ Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520

“Don’t agonize, organize.”
~Florynce Kennedy

I love to-do lists.  I used to be addicted to them (and let them dominate my day).  I’d sit there and watch my little list turn into a big, hairy monster with every item whining to be top priority.  So I decided to take control – and so can you.  Take advantage of the organized beauty of a simple to-do list, but don’t let it take advantage of you (and your organized beauty).

7 Tips for Simple To-Do Lists

1. Short - Seeing 30 items on your list is hard on the eyes (and nerves).  Keep it manageable and realistic.  One dozen items is fair, anything more and you either need to re-evaluate your priorities, create category lists (see below) or get a secretary. 
2. Concise – Leave out the details and extraneous words.  You should be able to quickly and easily skim your list.  Abbreviate and use acronyms.
3. Ordered – Mark your most important items with a star, asterisk, number, whatever makes you happy and makes the item stand out.  It’s useful to put the most important items at the top.  
4. Short-term vs long-term – I like short-term lists, but if you must, make one short-term list you can get done in a day or two, and one long-term list for ongoing items or items that will take more than a few days.
5. Category lists - For work, I have several to-do lists.  One for each project or category of work.  If you have enough items, it makes sense to have a separate to-do list for each.  Like-items grouped with each other are easier to find and keep things organized.  Then I have a separate category of ‘home’, which lists all items that are non-work related.
6. No dates and times – Dates and times don’t belong on a to-do list since items need to be done as soon as possible.  Use your calendar/cell phone/other nifty techno-geek gadget to remind yourself.  Some exceptions can be made for long-term lists.
7. Paper or electronic – For years I used the pen and paper approach for my list (nothing beats the satisfaction of crossing out an item with my pen, leaving an indent in the paper), but now I moved to a simple excel file.  An alternative is to try an online to-do list tool– they range from extremely simple to ones with more than you need bells & whistles. Try a few approaches and see what works for you.

To-do lists don’t have to add to your stress.  They are meant to reduce it and increase productivity.  Organize your list and your day using the above, and you’ll be surprised how much more you get done!

“The art of medicine consists of keeping the patient amused while nature heals the disease.”
~Voltaire

After that quote I don’t think I need to say much.  Laughing feels good and releases tension, your body likes it, bacteria and viruses don’t (because with laughter your little white blood cells become absolutely ruthless), it’s a nice ice-breaker and quite simply makes the day better.

Top 10 reasons to laugh (and laugh now)

1. Lower blood pressure. Initially upon laughing, blood pressure increases, but then falls below normal levels and as breathing deepens blood becomes more oxygen and nutrient rich.^1,2
2. Strengthen immune system. Laughter increases the number of natural killer cells that like to eat viruses for breakfast, as well as certain cancer cells.  Antibodies are also increased (immunoglobulin A), which is especially helpful for respiratory infections.  ^2,3
3. Reduce stress, irritation, depression and anger. Ok, so those were 4 reasons.  Add anxiety and grief to those as well.  In short, laughter changes our biochemical state significantly by decreasing stress hormones, relaxing muscles and upping antibodies that fight infection.^2,3 Here are 15 more tips to manage daily stress.
4. Connect socially. People are drawn to happy people.  No one wants a sour-puss.  Living is challenging enough without someone frowning and whining in your face.  And if you have something to laugh about, (yourself for example), people will naturally want to laugh with you.   
5. Workout for the lazy. Or busy.  Or gym fanatics.  Anyone, really.  Laughter not just works out the abs, but also works on the facial, leg, back, diaphragm and respiratory muscles. ⁴
6. Reduce pain. Laughter releases endorphins which are more potent than morphine and reduce the feeling of pain. ⁴


…and laugh at yourself.

7. You’ll make yourself more approachable and human to others.
8. Gain control. You’ll take away the opportunity of others to make fun of you.
9. Take things lightly.  You won’t take yourself so seriously and realize that everyone stumbles.  And really, most of the time the situation is minor and not as earth-shattering as it appears.
10. Change your perspective.  You’ll see things from a different perspective, which may offer a solution or new way of thinking.  It’s all in the way one looks at a situation.  Look at it with humor and you’ll gain a healthy control over it.

A quick observation about laughing at yourself.  This is healthy to a certain extent.  But don’t start to make fun of yourself to the point of self-degradation.  Always love and respect yourself.  Humans make mistakes.  Don’t be mean-spirited or overly sarcastic with your mistakes.

Stuck in a bad or complex situation?

So you’re in a sticky, crappy, frustrating, etc. situation.  Try to laugh it off.  Even if it appears one thing after another is going wrong – that’s something to laugh at too.  Things have to get better eventually, and the sooner you start laughing and taking things lightly, the sooner they’ll get better.  And sometimes one cannot change a situation.  By laughing at it you make it appear less serious and regain control over it.  It is not the situation that is making life tough – it’s how you react to it.

Feel generally angry or frustrated?

You can’t exactly yell or scream in public.  Pity, yeah. Throwing the chair across the restaurant is also impolite.  So laugh! Even if you don’t feel it, let out a deep belly laugh and you’ll notice the anger start to melt.  It’s socially acceptable and healthy for you.

Understand not everyone’s sense of humor is alike

Just met someone new?  Wait until they make a joke, or laugh about something you did or you experienced.  Preferably not X-rated.  And preferably not aimed at a certain individual or group of people.  Also, adjust your laughing to the situation: a cocktail party and a funeral are two different situations.

Earth laughs in flowers.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jazz it up with more humor

Laughter allows for a healthy mind, body and spirit.  There are loads of things to laugh at and many ways to bring humor into the day.  So laugh!  And remember…it is your choice how to react.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.

~Irish Proverb

¹ University Of Maryland Medical Center (2005, March 19). University Of Maryland School Of Medicine Study Shows Laughter Helps Blood
² Bennett MP, Zeller JM, Rosenberg L, et al. The effect of mirthful laughter on stress and natural killer cell activity. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2003;9:38-45
³ Lee Berk, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. & Stanley Tan, M.D. Ph.D. (1996) “The Laughter – Immune Connection”
⁴ Dr. William F. Fry, Standford University, Dr. Marvin E. Herring, New Jersey’s School of Osteopathic Medicine NYT April 7, 1988

Some Amazing Properties

• Eases pain, headaches, migraines
• Soothes nerves, works as relaxant
• Reduces anxiety and stress
• Heals burns and sores
• Lessens depression
• Anti-septic and anti-bacterial

History

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula officinalis) is famous for its relaxing properties and its sweet, floral and fresh scent.  It became popular in the Middle Ages as medicine and was taken to the New World by the Pilgrims in 1620.  The name lavender comes from the Latin word “lavare,” which means “to wash.”  It has been used in pillows to aid insomnia for centuries and is very popular in soaps, shampoos and lotions.
The essential oil is derived from the fresh flower of the plant.

The Magic of Lavender Up Close

• Nervous system
  • Lavender is perhaps most famous for its soothing effect on the nerves, which helps with irritability, sleeplessness, migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression and stress .^1,2,3,4,5
    For more, check out these 15 easy tips on combating stress.
• Insomnia
  • An old remedy is to put some dried lavender in or by your pillow for a restful sleep.  Now scientific evidence exists that lavender helps you sleep better by relaxing the nervous system, easing muscle tension and lifting mood. ^1,3,4
    In addition to lavender here are 18 more easy Tips for Beating Insomnia and some super foods for a good night’s sleep. 
• Pain relief
  • Because of lavender’s ability to reduce muscle tension, it’s a great remedy for sore or tense muscles, sprains, backaches, headaches and rheumatism. ²
• Anti-septic and anti-bacterial
  • Lavender essential oil is a powerful first aid remedy because of its anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties. It helps heal burns, wounds, sores, insect stings, relieves pain and inflammation and can be used to treat head lice.  Do not use on open wounds! ^6,7
• Burns
  • Lavender promotes healing of the skin, calms the nerves and eases the pain of the burn. ^2,6,7
    Here are some more natural and safe burn remedies.
• Skin ailments
  • Lavender’s anti-septic and anti-bacterial qualities allow it to treat fungal infections, eczema, wounds, burns and acne.  ^6,7

So How Do I Use Lavender?

• Apply essential oil or cream: If you are not allergic (ask your doctor) you can put 100% pure lavender essential oil undiluted on the skin to relieve skin ailments, as a first aid or rub it into the temples to ease headaches and migraines. Do not use on open wounds!
  For lavender lotions, a good quality one I like is Avalon Lavender Hand & Body Lotion.
• Inhale it: Prepare a steam inhalation to treat depression, insomnia, headache, migraine, stress or nervousness.  Add 2-4 drops 100% pure lavender essential oil to 2-4 cups of boiling water, bend head over bowl and gently inhale.  For extra efficacy, drape a towel over your head to keep the steam and aroma in.
• Make a tea: steep 2 teaspoons of herb in 1 cup hot water.  Let sit 15 minutes and drink once cool enough.  Oral use not recommended for children.

Where Do I Get Lavender?

You can find lavender essential oil, bath and beauty products and the whole herb online or at health food and specialty stores.  

Contraindication

Although lavender essential oil, like tea tree oil, can be put undiluted on the skin, some people have allergic reactions to it.  It’s better to mix it with a carrier oil, such as almond, grapeseed, jojoba or olive oil.  Pregnant and breast-feeding women should consult their doctor before using.

References:

¹- Cauffield JS, Forbes HJ. Dietary supplements used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Lippincotts Prim Care Pract. 1999; 3(3):290-304.
²- Ghelardini C, Galeotti N, Salvatore G, Mazzanti G. Local anaesthetic activity of the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia. Planta Med. 1999;65(8):700-703.
³- Hardy M, Kirk-Smith MD. Replacement of drug treatment for insomnia by ambient odor. Lancet. 1995;346:701.
⁴- Lee IS, Lee GJ. [Effects of lavender aromatherapy on insomnia and depression in women college students] Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2006;36(1):136-43.
⁵- Motomura N, Sakurai A, Yotsuya Y. Reduction of mental stress with lavender odorant.Percept Mot Skills. 2001;93(3):713-718.
⁶- University of Maryland Medical Center: “Lavender”
⁷- Organic Facts: “Health Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil”

How many times do you chew your food before you swallow?  Japan’s ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends chewing each mouthful 30 times.¹ Mothers and grandmothers have popularly told children to chew their food well, and with good reason.  The ideal number of chews depends on the consistency of the food, but even chewing very liquid or creamy food for a long time has benefits (e.g. especially if you are sick).

1. Lower stress levels.  Chewing relaxes the nervous system ² and when you chew slowly and longer, you are less rushed and can appreciate the present moment more.   A 2008 study found that chewing gum helps relieve anxiety, stress and improves alertness.  ³ However, I don’t recommend gum chewing as it can release mercury from fillings and can loosen white composite fillings as well.  Besides most gums have artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.  Instead, chew your food well!  In addition to chewing, here are some more powerful tips on lowering stress.
2. Strengthen teeth and gums. The hormone parotin gets released when you chew, which helps maintain teeth as well as stimulate cell metabolism.  ²
3. Boost the immune system. This same hormone parotin that strengthens the teeth and gums, stimulates the thymus which in turn creates T-cells (white blood cells) that are the protectors of the immune system. ²
4. Improve memory.  Japanese researchers found that chewing helps prevent age related memory loss.  New memories are stored briefly in the hippocampus (brain area related to learning), which deteriorates with age.  MRIs (magnetic resonance images) showed that hippocampus activity was increased when chewing. ⁴
5. Prevent stomach and digestive issues.  Our teeth are made to chew and break down food.  The more we chew, the less strain and work for the digestive system.   In addition, if you don’t chew enough the food will be too dry and have a harder time moving to the stomach through the esophagus.  Digestive juices will already be at work, stimulated by the aroma and taste of food, and will have nothing to work on until the food arrives, thus irritating the stomach.  If food arrives well chewed it also decreases chances of sitting there and causing gas. ⁵
6. Activate the circulatory system. There are 15 pairs of muscles attached to the jaw.  When you chew, the pressure activates the circulatory system.  ⁶
7. Activate anti-bacterial properties. Streptococcus bacteria, staphtococcus bacteria, and the Aids virus can’t live in saliva.  Chewing stimulates saliva production, which in turn activates its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.  ⁷
8. Bonus reason: lose weight! It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to register you are no longer hungry.  If you eat more slowly, you will feel full sooner.  Several studies have been conducted and reported with success that people consume fewer calories on average if they eat slowly rather than quickly.^{8,9, 10}
   

Even when you are in a rush, try to chew slowly and until the food is well mashed into a pulp.  It is easier when you are not multitasking (e.g. reading, watching TV, carrying on conversation with your mouth full).  Besides you should avoid  multitasking to increase your peace of mind and productivity.

It may be hard to chew a lot in the beginning and you will find a natural instinct to swallow food earlier.  Move it back with the tongue and continue chewing – and I know, it doesn’t sound too appetizing.  But definitely worth it!  If you are constantly rushed and your days are hectic, here are some simple ways to instill calmness in your day.  Becoming calm will help you to slow down eating and vice versa.   You can do it

1 Group ruminates, picks and chews figure of 30 chomps for each bite, Japan Times
2 The Gastrointestinal Sourcebook, by M. Sara Rosenthal
3 Andrew Scholey, Ph.D., professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia
4 Behavioral Brain Research (vol 108, p 145)
5 Chewing Well Prevents Stomach Woes, Kelly Reith, BA, RHN
6 Hasegawa Y, Sakagami J, Ono T, Hori K, Zhang M, Maeda Y. , PMID: 19627361 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
7 Mactrobiotic Times, Bob Carr
8 Myers, RD and ML McCaleb. “Feeding: satiety signal from intestine triggers
brain’s noradrenergic mechanism.” Science, Vol 209, Issue 4460, 1035-1037.
9 “Science Confirms Diet Tactic: Eat Slow, Eat Less.”
LiveScience. Nov. 15, 2006.
10Warner, Jennifer. “Eat Slow, Lose Weight?.” WebMD. Nov. 17, 2004.

• Possible Causes
  • Problem with digestive system
  • Morning sickness in early pregnancy
  • Stress
  • Motion or sea sickness
  • Food allergy
  • Alcohol or drugs
  • Overeating
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Medication
  • Chemotherapy
  • Illness or infection

• Remedies
  • Ginger: according to a study funded by the National Cancer Institute, ginger cut nausea in half in a group of 644 cancer patients studied. Peel a piece of fresh ginger root and steep it in hot water to make a tea or take a ginger capsule (about 1g of ginger root) with a glass of water.
  • Peppermint: aids digestions, relieves gas, irritable bowel syndrome, cramps, diarrhea, indigestion and food poisoning. Brew some peppermint tea and for extra effect, combine with ginger root.
  • Chamomile: the oil derived from its flowers can help reduce muscle spasms and inflammation of mucus membranes.  Brew some tea and combine with peppermint or ginger as desired.
  • Rice water: boil ½ cup of white rice in 1 cup water for 15 minutes, drain water from rice, wait for it to cool and drink rice water. This is an Ayurvedic as well as western remedy.
  • Cumin seeds: aid digestion and eases gas and bloating.  Take ½ teaspoon of ground cumin seeds with some water or tea
  • Cloves: relieve nausea and vomiting.  Throw a few into hot water to make an infusion and drink.
  • Vomit: don’t leave the irritant in your stomach.  Stick your (clean) finger down your throat and let the contents of your stomach come out.
  • Sleep on right side: there will be less pressure on the stomach this way and will prevent it from being squashed.
  • Acupuncture: a study of over 3,300 cases found that acupuncture relieved nausea in 80% of patients after surgery.
  • Chew your food thoroughly, as this will make it easier to digest, and don’t overeat.

References
1 Ginger May Root out Nausea, WebMD
² American Cancer Sociey
³ Using Chamomile to Treat Upset Stomach
⁴ http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Nausea.html
⁵ http://www.ayurvediccure.com/home-remedies/homeremedies-nausea.htm
⁶ UCLA, Louise M Darling Biomedical Library, Cloves
⁷ Stimulating Acupuncture Stops Nausea

• Possible causes
  • Diseased gums
  • Dental decay
  • Nose, throat and respiratory tract infections (e.g. tonsillitis, bronchitis, sinusitis)
  • Gastro-intestinal problems
  • Chronic constipation
  • Dirty tongue
  • Dry mouth

• Remedies
  • One of the most important things to do outside of filling your cavities is to get your digestive system in order.  You need a good balance of healthy bacteria in your gut; otherwise you risk a slew of health problems including bad breath (halitosis) and body odor.  Your body contains about 60 to 100 trillion bacteria and you need to make sure most of them are the good kind.
    • The main food for halitosis causing bacteria is sugar and foods that easily convert into sugar (refined foods, products containing white flour).  Avoid these as much as possible.
    • Next, take probiotics to get your good bacteria back in balance.   Probiotics are dietary supplements of live bacteria and yeasts and can be purchased at your local health food store.  Dosage varies according to the supplement you buy.  Make sure the supplement contains no fillers such as magnesium steareate, or additives that can take away from the effectiveness.
  • Fenugreek tea (steep seeds in cold water and simmer 15 minutes)
  • Avocado (removes intestinal decomposition and decay)
  • Chew unripe Guava (tannic, malic, oxalic and phosphoric acids clean teeth and gums, and help bleeding gums)
  • Mix ½ tsp baking soda in 1 cup water and rinse your mouth.
  • Chew raw parsley or make tea out of it
  • Parsley clove mouthwash: Chop several sprigs of parsley and steep with 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves in hot water. Gargle and rinse several times a day.
  • Chew on some raw cardamom seeds after meals and during the day
  • Avoid refined sugar and carbohydrates
  • Clean your teeth twice a day (using a toothbrush and floss)
  • Brush your tongue with a toothbrush or tongue scraper (available at most pharmacies). Close up the tongue resembles a spiky forest and is a great place for trapped food particles.
  • Saliva is a natural disinfectant for your mouth. A dry mouth = bad breath. Drink plenty of water during the day!

References
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/05/can-new-mouthwashes-really-take-bad-breath-away.aspx
http://www.iloveindia.com/home-remedies/halitosis.html