Preventative Medicine now government policy in USA

“The Obama Administration is committed to helping increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life, said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D.  “Even in your 70s, 80s, or beyond you can reduce your risk of disability and chronic illness if you take care of yourself."  

I certainly congratulate the American medical establishment for this stand on healthy ageing. Teaching people to take care of this one body/mind/spirit has been the work of wisdom traditions and complementary medicine for generations. We advocate that "taking care of yourself" is lifelong, an aspect of life to study, practice and enjoy.

Now even the science of our own western culture  demonstrates the value of taking care of yourself. Eating healthfully, exercising regularly and consciously relaxing will definitely make your life more healthy, more fun and last longer!

IODINE - get it from your diet

My sister told me recently that she was buying an iodine supplement from the internet. She heard that feeling constantly tired and finding it hard to lose weight, amongst other things, is a sign of an under active thyroid gland..
Iodine is an important nutrient. It is especially important for the correct functioning of the thyroid. Once upon a time, we got plenty of iodine from our seafood rich diet. Few modern diets are "rich" in seafood, so we need iodised salt, iodine supplements etc.
Seaweed is an excellent source of iodine, and a very tasty sea vegetable. Take a look at this recipe from www.whfoods.org, it's easy, tasty and iodine rich!

SEAWEED RICE

Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium pieces wakame, (2 TBS soaked and chopped)*
• 2 TBS chopped dulse seaweed
• 2-1/4 cups warm water
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup long grain brown rice
• salt and white pepper to taste
• *For more on Sea vegetables.

Directions:

1. Chop garlic and mince onion and let them sit for 5-10 minutes to enhance their health-promoting benefits.
2. Rinse wakame, and soak in the warm water. After 5 minutes, squeeze out the water from the wakame and chop it. Save water.
3. While wakame is soaking, chop the dulse.
4. Heat 1 TBS of seaweed soaking water in a medium saucepan. Healthy Sauté chopped onion over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic, rice, chopped seaweed, and soaking water.
5. Bring water to a boil on high heat. As soon as it begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for about 35 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Serves 4 as side dish

National Headache Awareness week

There is now good quality scientific evidence for the use of acupuncture and massage when suffering from headaches, especially tension headaches...... In 2009, the Cochrane Collaboration published a review of research covering 2,317 patients suffering from tension headaches, drawn from 11 different studies. The conclusion is that 'acupuncture could be a valuable option for patients suffering from frequent tension headaches'. Similarly, research conducted into the value of massage for chronic headaches found that frequency and severity were greatly reduced with regular massage. Both massage and acupuncture leave your body feeling good. These treatments will also help you to reduce your dependence on medicines like Panadol and Neurofen by reducing the number of headaches you get. You do not need to live in pain.

Eating Organic

Eating organically produced food has always been important to me. The impact of pesticides and artificial fertilisers on the health of our soils and waterways, not to mention valuable insect and bird populations, has always steered me towards chemical free foods.
I actually helped some friends start one of the original organic and bio-dynamic food stores in Sydney in 1973 . . yes, that was a long time ago.
These days, we can identify the nutritional benefits of organic foods. Michael Pollan's great book the Omnivore's Dilemma tells about the assay tests that show higher levels of mineral uptake in organically grown plants. My backyard Gardening book, published by the CSIRO tells of higher levels of phytonutrients in organically grown plants. Phytonutrients are the reason that blueberries and broccoli are so good for us. They are powerful anti-oxidants preventing all sorts of disease making processes from flourishing in our human body. The theory is that the plants produce these chemicals to protect them from bugs and diseases. Organically grown food has higher levels, because organically grown foods are exposed to bugs, not pesticides.

Organic food is readily available, even in supermarkets now. I buy organically produced milk, cottage cheese, some meat, lots of legumes, tomato paste and pasta sauces, tofu and of course chocolate, at the supermarket. I source organic vegetables and eggs from a food co-op and we grow salad greens in my veggie garden.

My new best friend - the Harvard Medical Review Newsletter - is extolling the benefits of locally grown food today. In 1973 conventional medicine was not interested in diet and nutrition, let alone where our food came from. I bet they will be talking organic in the years to come!

The Harvard Medical school recommends massage and meditation!

"A growing body of evidence suggests that psychological factors are — literally — heartfelt, and can contribute to cardiac risk.



Stress-easing strategies
While you can’t change the world around you, the following lifestyle changes can help you minimize your stress level:

• Get enough sleep. Lack of sound sleep can affect your mood, mental alertness, energy level, and physical health.
• Exercise. Physical activity alleviates stress and reduces your risk of becoming depressed — and it is good for your all-around health.
• Learn relaxation techniques. Meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, deep breathing exercises, and yoga are mainstays of stress relief. Your local hospital or community center may offer meditation or yoga classes, or you can learn about these techniques from books or videos.
• Learn time-management skills. These skills can help you juggle work and family demands.
• Confront stressful situations head-on. Don’t let stressful situations fester. Hold family problem-solving sessions and use negotiation skills at work.
• Nurture yourself. Treat yourself to a massage. Truly savor an experience: eat slowly, focusing on each bite of that orange, or soak up the warm rays of the sun or the scent of blooming flowers during a walk outdoors. Take a nap. Enjoy the sounds of music you find calming."

HEALTHbeat Extra: Reduce your stress to protect your heart

Harvard Medical School [healthbeat@mail.health.harvard.edu]