Salubrious Life

Study Finds Echinacea Ineffective Against Colds

Echinacea, the herbal supplement made from purple coneflower and used by millions of Americans to prevent or treat colds, neither prevented colds nor eased cold symptoms in a large and rigorous study.

The study, being published today in The New England Journal of Medicine, involved 437 people who volunteered to have cold viruses dripped into their noses. Some swallowed echinacea for a week beforehand, others a placebo. Still others took echinacea or a placebo at the time they were infected.

Then the subjects were secluded in hotel rooms for five days while scientists examined them for symptoms and took nasal washings to look for the virus and for an immune system protein, interleukin-8. Some had hypothesized that interleukin-8 was stimulated by echinacea, enabling the herb to stop colds.

But the investigators found that those who took echinacea fared no differently from those who took a placebo: they were just as likely to catch a cold, their symptoms were just as severe, they had just as much virus in their nasal secretions, and they made no more interleukin-8.

"This paper says it will not pre-empt a common cold, and it stands on top of prior studies saying it doesn't treat an established cold," he said, adding, "We've got to stop attributing any efficacy to echinacea."

"It's a product with remarkable traction," Dr. Straus said. "It has that traction because of the combination of folklore, myth and word of mouth which is much more than the science has borne out."

"The study's findings were striking, said Dr. Ronald B. Turner of the University of Virginia, the leader of the research team.

see full story in the New York Times

Thich Nhat Hanh coming to Boston!

Please visit http://www.greenmountaincenter.org/tnhtour/tourcalendar05.htm
to learn more about the Boston events in August and more about this incredible living Zen master:

Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967 by Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. and is one of the world's foremost spiritual teachers, will tour North America following a historic trip to his native Vietnam after nearly forty years of exile.

During his time in the United States and Canada, Thich Nhat Hanh will lead six mindfulness retreats, including one for people of color, four public talks and a peace walk. The internationally-known Zen Master is no stranger to North America. The New York Times has written, "Among Buddhist leaders influential in the West, Thich Nhat Hanh ranks second only to the Dalai Lama."

He is the author of over 100 books on how individuals, families and communities can transform violence and suffering to create peace and joy. His best-known books include The New York Times bestseller Anger and Creating True Peace. His books have sold over a million copies.

Please visit http://www.greenmountaincenter.org/tnhtour/tourcalendar05.htm
to learn more about the events and more this living Zen master.

More Magazine

I was in denial when I grabbed my first issue of More Magazine from a newsstand a little more than two years ago.  You see, More is self described as "Celebrating women 40+"  Sure I was in this age bracket, but the overt action of purchasing reading material for the "the older woman" scared me. What next??  The Seniors discount?  Depends Panty Protectors?  Skulking up to the counter, I turned the magazine front cover down and put a fresh copy of Glamour on top of it  - just to make my denial complete. 

All it took was one issue -   one read cover to cover and I realized with relief that there was not a huge difference between this publication targeted to an older market and the younger skewed ones.   In fact,  I felt that there was definitely something more meaty and grounded about More in comparison.

More Magazine has a similar look and feel to my old reads.  Similar editorial line-up (fashion, beauty, relationships)  But adds content I'm really more interested in (health, business, adventure travel, finance and personal stories from women just like me)

And here's the thing I love most about the magazine.  While the editorial line up may be similar on the surface - it's much more relevant to me.   Despite my inner Peter Pan screaming I'm still a kid.........I am not.   I always love reading about new products and beauty tips, but I need to know about beauty tips for skin over 40.  I want to read about women who are doing great things in the world - not what Brittney Spears feels about being pregnant. Yes I want to know what jeans look great on a bum...........but a 40+ bottom.........not Paris Hilton's or bloody Lindsay Lohans' derriere.

We women over 40 have other things to be interested in as well.  Health issues,  financial planning, juggling career/motherhood/love relationships as well as the spiritual journey many of us embark on when we finally begin to see the world with wiser eyes.  More gets at all of this.

For those of you who read Salubrious Life regularly, you might recall that I did the More Marathon in New York City this past April.   As the sponsor, More provided all registrants with a goody bag and the April/May issue of the magazine.   My two team-mates were More Virgins.     I fondly recall all three of us curling up on various sofa's chairs and beds in our hotel suite and tucking into our issue's of the magazine.  We exchanged comments and nods of agreement as we read articles on men, aging and kids.  It hit home with them too. 

Here's the upshot:  We women in our 40's are long past needing books and magazines to tell us who we should be.  We know who we are,  we like who we are and we have big plans for where we are going. More really does live up to it's tag line.   This is a magazine that celebrates women and encourages by sharing stories of others who are using this phase of their lives to live dreams.

Jet-Lag - Just Walk It Off

The allure of far off places and dreamy visions of arriving in exotic locals can often be met with the reality of jet lag. You know that never ending feeling of dislocation, exhaustion and at times, downright depression. How can your arrival in a time zone far off yours be met with such detestable effects?  Let's face it, you get up at 4AM to crank on that report with no difficulty, stay out way to late with great friends and let's not forget the sleep deprivation that comes with childbirth and newborns.  Jet-Lag is not all about sleep deprivation. So what really is jetlag?  Technically called desynchronosis, the causes of jetlag lie in disruption of circadian rhythms–the natural internal clocks that tell us to be awake during the day and to sleep at night. Normally, these rhythms ebb and flow even without external cues like sun or darkness. But when we switch time zones, and change the time of day that we're supposed to go to sleep–even by an hour or two–those rhythms jumbled. The more time zones we pass through, the worse the effects. I am just back from a month long trip to Asia. Taking advice from researchers who say that the key to kicking jetlag is to get yourself outdoors - I made sure that as soon as we arrived in our first destination of Hong Kong the entire family took a walk outside. Natural light gives your body and brain the clues they need to synch up with the local time zone. Getting outdoors for about 30 minutes when you reach your destination is one trick, the other (and more difficult one) is to head for bed when the locals do. I've tried the Ambien, melatonin and other sleep aids meant to make easing into a new time zone pain free.  The simple truth is:  Nature will reset you faster, more effectively and with less bodily disruption than the pharmacy will.  What's a little pleasure without a little pain anyway?

Road To Health Paved with Cobblestones

PORTLAND, Ore. - The path to better health and lower blood pressure may be paved with cobblestones. When people over 60 walked on smooth, rounded cobblestones for just a half-hour a day over four months, they significantly lowered their blood pressure and improved their balance, a study showed.

Behavioral researchers from the Oregon Research Institute investigated the health effects of cobblestones after observing people exercising and walking back and forth over traditional stone paths in China.

"We noticed in several cities we visited that people were walking on cobblestone paths, and people were standing on them, and sometimes dancing on them, doing weight-shifting," said John Fisher, who led the study at the institute in Eugene.

"The results surprised Fisher and his fellow researchers, who expected to see some general improvement in health but also saw blood pressure drop measurably among the volunteers during the 16-week study.

""If they had done it over two years and lost 10 pounds I might be less surprised," Ellison said. "To do it that quickly — it's certainly dramatic."

The researchers in Eugene simulated the rounded, river rock cobblestones with a specially designed mat that was 6 feet long and 1 1/2 feet wide. Some of the test subjects walked in their bare feet, others wore socks.

They were compared with a control group who simply walked for an hour, three times per week. The results were published recently in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Nearly all the 108 volunteers in the study said they felt better after the exercise. But only the half who walked the cobblestones showed significant improvement in balance, measures of mobility and blood pressure, Fisher said.

He said the cobblestone walking paths are common in China, where traditional medicine teaches that the uneven surface of the stones stimulate "acupoints" on the soles of the feet. The theory is much like acupuncture, suggesting that distant and unrelated areas of the body are linked together at certain points and can be stimulated to improve physical and mental health.

Although cobblestone-walking is rooted in centuries of Chinese tradition, no controlled scientific studies had been done to evaluate its potential benefits and effectiveness until recently, Fisher noted.

Fay Horak, an Oregon Health & Science University neurophysiologist who specializes in balance, said the study is evidence that finding ways to maintain mobility and balance can delay and even prevent the effects of aging.

The body relies on two complex methods to maintain balance — the vestibular system in the inner ear and the somatosensory system that connects skin and muscles, Horak said.

Normally, people depend on the somatosensory system for about 70 percent of their balance control, and 30 percent on the inner ear.

But when the surface is uneven or unstable, the body switches reliance to the vestibular system and relies on it for about 70 percent of balance control, Horak said.

"It could be very helpful for people who are older because it's common as we age to lose receptors in the vestibular system," she said. "But by challenging people with an unstable surface, they use the remaining vestibular system and probably improve its function."

Ellison, the hypertension expert, said he would like to see a larger study to compare results but called the initial findings were promising.

"It certainly suggests there is something real about the cobblestones," Ellison said.

___

Men's Skincare Market ready to hit Phase 2

Sales of men's skincare products are up 13%, more than twice that of the total skincare market and total women's skincare market in 2004 according to The NPD Group, a sales and marketing information company. Total sales for the year were $59 million vs. $52 million in 2003. Annual 2004 marked the second consecutive year that men's skincare growth outpaced women's.

According to NPD, the top five men's prestige skincare brands in 2004 based on dollars sold were: Skin Supplies, Lab Series, Zirh, Clarins Men and Anthony Logistics.

So what is it that I refer to as Phase 2?

As men get more comfortable purchasing product specifically designed to treat their type of skin I predict the next phase of this trend will be having them follow the "green trend". Once hooked on skincare, men will become more demanding just as women have and will look toward product which offers all the benefits of custom designed skin treatment with no chemicals to irritate skin.   One problem men face which women rarely do is sensitized facial skin due to shaving.  This more than any other factor requires that product without chemical additives and preservatives be available.

One such company dedicated to preparing men's shaving products without chemical is aMENity.  Check them out at http://www.getamenity.com

I've given this product to several men I know and all who use it claim to have had the best shave ever.  In addition to clean product, aMENity brings back the traditional badger brush to apply shave cream evenly and with calming effect.  In addition (and not to be under estimated) aMENity has struck a chord with men in terms of simplified marketing messages and packaging.  It's real, honest and straight forward. Just like we prefer our men.

Aromatherapy for your Dog?

HOTdog Fruits & Passion is a new line of natural pet care products designed for dogs. The collection has been built around an aromatherapy and deodorizing fragrance designed to appeal to a dog’s sense of smell. The line consists of fragrances & shampoo's

I don't see any indication on their site that the formulations for their products are free of chemicals or preservatives. I suspect that like too many marketers of "Natural" products - the 'natural' is found in one or two organic herbs or flowers in the formulations rather than the entire product.

No where in their information for example do they indicate just what is in the product and how that attracts a dog's specific sense of smell. Cute packaging - but a gimmick more than anything in my opinion.

More information: Website:
www.fruits-passion.com

Mental_floss

I like to think of Mental_Floss Magazine as "McNuggets for the mind".

Incredibly easy and fun to read, Mental_Floss takes a deprecating and irreverent look at history, culture and ideas, picking up all sorts of interesting topics, often with an eye toward debunking them.  I've been reading it for the past 4 issues and now await each with anticipation.

Mental Floss was founded a couple years ago by five Duke University undergraduates, who enjoyed sitting around shooting the breeze about all kinds of stuff. Many of Mental Floss's contributors are the authors of books in the popular "For Dummies" series. These guys know how to make learning fun. They also enjoy skewering sacred cows.

The July/August 2005 issue cover story looks at Secrets. From secret societies, to the secret of Shakespeare's success, to the not-so-secret method of filling a Twinkies - some of the secrets un-veiled are fun and all true. You'll also find a piece on the Muppet's creator Jim Henson.  Did you know he rolled up to his high school graduation in a Rolls? Then there's the "I Can't Believe We're Doing An Article About Stamps" article.  Trading stamps for high profit margins and risky business. How about the great sadist, Ncolae Ceausescu?  An irreverent and off-beat look at the deranged dictator. Also in this issue: Romania, the fifty cent tour and Romania "cheat sheet",  6 pre-Madonna Prima Donnas, 10 famous people with missing body parts and "the_dead guy interview" with Walt Disney.

The Yin & Yang of Food Cravings

The idea of balance and harmony of life forces (the yin and the yang) is central to the Chinese healing methods that use food and herbs as medicine.  The body strives to maintain balance.

The most frequent reason for a craving is an immediate reaction of your body to achieve balance with a food you just ate.  An example would be craving liquids or sweets after eating a salty meal.  The second most frequent cause of a food craving is your body calling for a needed nutrient.  Most cravings for chocolate are usually do to low levels of magnesium in your diet. 

So, once again, it is all about balance.  The yin and yang forces of life.  If you are anxious, your body will want to calm itself.  If you are fatigue, your body will want to re-energize.  That is what is happening when you reach for that Hershey's bar or mocha latte at 3pm or 4pm.  Most cravings are caused by too much yang food.  Yang foods are warm and contractive type foods.  They include salt, eggs, meat, cheese,caffeine, sugar, cigarettes, and animal foods.  Yin foods are cool and expansive type foods.  They include vegetables, dark leafy vegetables, water, and whole grains. 

Changing your diet to better balance the yin and yang foods as well as adding appropriate spices to satisfy the taste-buds on your tongue will limit the amount of cravings that you experience.  The tastebuds on the tongue represent food qualities as well.  These qualities being sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, salty, and astringent.  We want to satisfy our tastes without sacrificing our health.  Food is the giver of life and it should be enjoyed.  For more details on how to stop your cravings contact Anita.

Major Marketers hoping to send new messages

After years of telling us we can attain the ideal body, boyfriend, job or indeed life (if only we would purchase their products)  at least two health and beauty marketers are trying to send a message about body image that many parents have tried to teach their daughters for years: Be happy with who you are.

		Dove's 'Campaign for Real Beauty sets a more realistic standard for attractiveness.

Unilever's Dove brand and retailer Bath & Body Works, in a deal with American Girl, are ditching the traditional "aspirational" marketing messages that tell women and girls that if they buy a particular health or beauty product, they can look like the supermodel in the ad.

Instead of images of long locks, longer legs and incredibly lean bodies, the two companies are promoting their products with a message of "real beauty" by encouraging women and girls to celebrate themselves as they are — while using the products, of course.

It's a marketing risk: The "real beauty" ads still need to sell women on the idea that they need these products to become even better.

"Any change in the culture of advertising that allows for a broader definition of beauty and encourages women to be more accepting and comfortable with their natural appearance is a step in the right direction," says psychologist and author Mary Pipher. "But embedded within this is a contradiction. They are still saying you have to use this product to be beautiful."

Pipher — whose seven books include Hunger Pains (about female body image) and Reviving Ophelia (about teen girls' sense of self) adds, however: "It's better than what we've had in the past."

Bath & Body Works is hoping to catch teens and pre-teens before they are immersed in today's celebrity-obsessed culture.

Next month, it launches a line of shampoos and lotions under the licensed brand name "American Girl realbeauty Inside and Out." The retailer hopes to leverage the popularity of the Mattel-owned American Girl brand of historical books, dolls and other merchandise — and its inspirational philosophy.

"If you look at the messages in mass marketing today and TV programs, the emphasis is on outer beauty, cosmetics and extreme makeovers," says Rick Ruffolo, vice president, new ventures for Bath & Body Works. "This is to some degree a counter movement or a coming back to the more traditional values around the whole person."

Unilever has led the way with a global ad effort and Web site (http://campaignforrealbeauty.com) for its Dove brand. It tries to reach — and reassure — women who might be self-conscious about their bodies.

Print and TV ads in the campaign that just went national in the USA feature candid and confident images of curvy, full-bodied, real women — not traditional models. The ads promote Dove skin products such as Intensive Firming Cream, Intensive Firming Lotion and Firming Body Wash. Containing blends of glycerin, seaweed extract and elastin peptides, they claim to have skin-firming properties and to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

In the ads, the six real women appear in panties and bras in their natural, unretouched glory. Unilever has been using a similar campaign in the United Kingdom.

"We wanted to debunk the stereotypical beauty stereotype that exists. We are recognizing that beauty comes in different sizes, shapes and ages," says Philippe Harousseau, Dove marketing director. Dove recently surveyed 18-to-65-year-olds in 10 countries about perceptions of beauty, and the results "seemed to be incredibly and increasingly narrow," he says.

I'm all for real marketing, just as I'm for real products. I do wonder though if after all of the years of aspirational marketing whether these new kinds of messages will have people flocking to stores. Parents of children will most certainly be picking up on the messages and reinforcing the good news to their growing girls.  But what about us adults?  Do we... will we purchase products that will leave us pudgy, with cellulite and age marks?  Are we able to give up on the unrealistic dream of perfection long enough to understand it was all a hoax anyway?