Salubrious Life

Six Nutrients Every Vegetarian Needs To Know

     Whether your reasons for becoming a vegetarian are for saving the animals, saving the environment, compassionate living, health, or spiritual practices, there are six nutrients you need to have in your diet to ensure adequate nutrition. 

     1.  Protein:   Protein is the basic building block of the human body.  Protein is made up of amino acids and they help repair muscles, build blood, skin, nails, hair, and internal organs.  Foods that are vegetarian protein sources include: almonds, black beans, brown rice, cashews, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, peanut butter, pinto beans, seitan, soybeans, soy milk, sunflower seeds, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and tofu.

     2.  Iron:  The most obvious function of iron is in hemoglobin where it permits production of this vital pigment and permits it to carry oxygen to the tissues.  Foods that are vegetarian iron sources include: black beans, bran flakes, cashews, cream of wheat, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, raisins, soybeans, soy milk, spinach, sunflower seeds, tofu, tomato juice, whole wheat bread, and dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, chard, and mustard greens.

     3.  Essential Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  These fatty acids are important for a variety of reasons, including maintaining a good heart and cardiovascular health.  It is important to have a reliable source.  Vegetarian foods with omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, ground flax seeds, flax oil, hempseed oil, canola oil, and supplements.

     4.  Calcium:  Calcium helps build and maintain healthy teeth and bones.  Calcium also keeps the heart beating steadily, the blood, nerves, and muscles working correctly.  Sources of calcium for a vegetarian include: almonds, black beans, broccoli, calcium-fortified orange juice, collard greens, great northern beans, kale, kidney beans, mustard greens, navy beans, orange juice, pinto beans, sesame seeds, soybeans, soy milk, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and tofu.

     5.  Vitamin B-12:  Vitamin B-12 is vital to the production of myelin, the fatty sheath that insulates nerve fibers, keeping electrical impulses moving through the body as they should.  It is also important for the production of red blood cells.  Vegetarians can take a common multiple vitamin or B-12 supplement, or enjoy fortified cereals or soy milk to get a reliable source of B-12.

     6.  Vitamin D:  Vitamin D is needed to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorous.  It aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones.  The body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun. Spending some time outdoors everyday without sunscreen and, during the winter months, eating vitamin D-fortified foods or taking a supplement is a good idea for anyone, vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

If you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian or you are one currently, consult a holistic health counselor to ensure you are obtaining the adequate nutrients to ensure proper nutrition.

Surgical Safari

I'm all about high productivity.  Multi-tasking is my mantra. This latest trend in travel is one I can really buy into.

Imagine getting your dream vacation in and returning from it not only looking rested - but looking different?   

The cost of medicine is sky high in the US.   In Asia you can get a facelift and a week's vacation for a tiny sliver of the US cost.   In South Africa, they'll throw in a full on Safari with a procedure.

Surgical travel packages are on the uptick and it's not just for cosmetic surgery.  Some procedures aren't available in the US, some medicines not FDA approved - with travel costs getting ever more approachable, why not make the world your medical universe?

Thailand's Bumrungrad Hospital has a stellar reputation. Last year this 550 bed hospital treated 360,000 international visitors.

South Africa boasts surgeons who's qualifications are like those here in the US and the UK. Why not see a Rhino before your Rhinoplasty? You can book with a company called Surgeon & Safari, a company that puts together the entire experience for you from procedure to full safari experience.

India is another hot spot for medical Tourism.  Targeting US populations who may not be able to afford lifesaving or cosmetic procedures at home, India hopes to replicate the Thai model for attracting international patients.  One company, Mediecsapes India is leading the way in promoting the country as a destination for procedures ranging from bone marrow transplants to lasik eye surgery.

Even Frommer's, the famed travel publishing company is now publishing reference books on the topic.

So next time you think you need more than a vacation, consider how much more - and weigh your options.

Eating Organic Reduces Pesticide Levels

Eating an organic diet reduces kids' exposure to pesticides from foods, new research shows.

The effect was "dramatic and immediate," write Chensheng "Alex" Lu, PhD, MS, and colleagues. Lu is an assistant professor in the environmental and occupational health department of Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta.

Lu's team studied malathion and chlorpyrifos, two pesticides commonly used in conventional agricultural production. Organic foods aren't treated with any synthetic pesticides. Pesticides derived from natural sources (e.g. biological pesticides) may be used in producing organically grown food, says the EPA.

The study, which was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recently appeared in the online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives.

Pesticides are strong chemicals. According to the EPA web site, "By their very nature, most pesticides create some risk of harm. Pesticides can cause harm to humans, animals, or the environment because they are designed to kill or otherwise adversely affect living organisms. At the same time, pesticides are useful to society. Pesticides can kill potential disease-causing organisms and control insects, weeds, and other pests."

Direct exposure to the type of pesticides studied by Lu can overstimulate the nervous system, causing nausea, dizziness, and confusion. Very high exposures (such as accidents or major spills), can paralyze breathing or even be fatal, states the EPA's web site.

But foods treated with malathion and chlorpyrifos are safe to eat, according to the EPA.

Cervical Cancer Vaccine On The Way

A vaccine that might potentially put an end to cervical cancer comes too late for my friend Mary, who at 32 years old succumbed to this disease.

She was a victim of of a mis-diagnosis which ended up taking her life. And now, there may be a way to prevent the virus that is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer -  human papillomavirus (HPV).   It's bittersweet news for those of us who've lost people to a disease that may actually be eradicated over the next decade.



A genetically-engineered vaccine against cervical cancer is on its way, marking another major step in the battle against the disease, the World Health Organisation has said.

It would be the second vaccine against a major human cancer, following a hepatitis B vaccine that prevents primary liver cancer.

If successful, it could pave the way to defeat for the second most prevalent cancer among women. Breast cancer is the first.

WHO scientists were meeting this week in Geneva to take stock of developments. On Friday they said there are several candidates for such a vaccine.

Tackling a global problem

There are 500,000 new cases of cervical cancer each year, and nearly 300,000 deaths annually, according to the WHO.

Eighty 80 per cent of these occur in developing countries.

Scientists believe that essentially all cervical cancer is caused by infection with a few types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

Scientists looking to develop a vaccine have approached the problem from different angles, but have mainly focussed on genetically-engineered VLPs (virus-like particles).

These are not infectious and cannot cause cancer because they contain no DNA.

Some of the research groups are looking at creating a vaccine that prevents the cancer developing at all.

Others are developing vaccines that would prevent recurrence of cancer or tackle it once it has developed.

Hurdles before the finishing post

The scientists said they all faced "huge obstacles".

Part of the reason for this is that their experimentation is limited, because fully infectious HPVs are harmful.

The meeting agreed that a preventive vaccine should have priority.

Ideally this could be targeted at a young population that is not yet sexually active, although older people may also benefit from such a vaccine, they said.

The WHO said the vaccine trials must include representative groups "to ensure global relevance".

Botanically Based Products on the Rise for Pets

Now it's not just people who are using premium shampoos, therapeutic skin care, and products featuring botanical ingredients. According to "Market Trends: Pet Grooming and Spa Products," a new report from market research publisher Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, consumers are increasingly treating their pets to similar items, but they're not going to supermarkets to purchase them.

Pet specialty stores such as Petco and Petsmart are driving this current growth by building out their services and product offerings, the report says, while traditional retailers, among them supermarkets, drug stores, and mass merchandisers, are losing out.

And it's a big market: U.S. retail sales of pet-grooming items reached $165 million in 2004, reflecting yearly average growth of 5.3 percent since 2000 and relatively steady annual percentage increases.

"Pet grooming products tie into two of the most important trends driving the overall market for pet products -- the 'humanization' of pets and the related trend of pet pampering," noted Packaged Facts publisher Don Montuori in a statement. "Products that have been 'humanized' to appeal to people -- e.g., shampoos with gentler formulations and pleasing botanical scents, brushes with more comfortable grips, spa/gift-style products, etc. -- are at the forefront of this market.

Packaged Facts estimates that grooming preparations, including shampoos, conditioners, and wipes, account for more than two-thirds (69 percent) of the market, followed by manual grooming tools at 17 percent, and electric grooming tools -- mostly clippers -- at 14 percent.

Color Trends for Beauty Product Packaging

Promotion & Packaging - these two elements move a product off the shelf faster than the actual ingredients you are buying.  So.... are you interested to know how your beauty products will be packaged over the next two years?

New York based company,Ampacet has unveiled the 16 colors for plastics beauty packaging that it believes will set the trend for cosmetic and toiletry products during the course of the next two years - and it is orange that looks set to make it big.

The New York-based company says the palette has been derived from a broad research into color influences, preferences and trends.

And according to that research, the big color in 2006 and beyond is going to be orange, which will put up stiff competition with the ever-popular red. ”Orange is present in the 2007 palette in a range of values from high chroma to pale-blush peach. Purple in all its variants is also coming front and center as a strong influence.”

The demands for niche packaging is yielding colors that express personalization and strength. Again orange, backed up by gold undertones, becomes an important part of this category, something the company calls its Sunkissed Orange.

Backing up Ampacet's theory that orange is going to become increasingly important in the future is the recent launch of L'Oreal Men's Expert range of skin care products. The packaging, which is highlighted with bold orange trim and detail, has helped to make the line a tremendous success, despite early reservations by some about the color choice.

Did you ever notice the color of Salubrious Life...........eerie huh?????

Watsu aquatic Body Work - latest in spa treatments

I am no stranger to spa treatments.  I've tried so many because I think part of the fun is seeing how various kinds of treatments and styles can affect the mind and body.

Here's one I have yet to try but am intrigued by:

Watsu, like reflexology, employs ancient principles used to unblock the free flow of energy through the body. Watsu combines water and shiatsu, a form of Japanese "finger pressure" massage applied to the meridians of chi.

 

Floating in a heated salt water and supported by the Watsu practitioner, the Watsu receiver passes into a state of complete relaxation as gentle stretching is applied to specific points. More than just a massage, Watsu involves a series of free-flowing movements that increase flexibility and strengthen muscles.

The buoyancy of the water takes the weight off the vertebrae, facilitating movement in ways not possible on land. Watsu's gentle stretching and pulling promote flexibility and suppleness of the spine.  Pregnant women benefit greatly from Watsu; as do athletes, those suffering from sore muscles and joints, and conditions such as fibromyalgia (chronic pain in muscles and soft tissues surrounding joints) and multiple sclerosis.

Watsu is said to be calming and may even take you to relaxation states so great as to unlock childhood memories.

Watsu waiting for?  Jump in with both feet.......(oh...and let me know how it was....I'm kind of against cradling myself and regressing with a total stranger)

Natural Remedies for Stress

Because of the side effects associated with antidepressants and benzodiazepines, a growing number of health care professionals advocate the use of dietary supplements instead. Relora, L-theanine and phosphatidylserine are among the latest substances that Tcan be used to replace these prescription-based products.

Relora
Relora is a patent-pending substance that contains extracts of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense. Next Pharmaceuticals, based in Irvine, Calif., began marketing Relora in 2001. “The extracts in Relora contain compounds that act on some of the same benzodiazepine receptors that many of the prescription drugs for anxiety do, but not on the ones that cause sedation,” says Chief Executive Bob Garrison. “The combination of extracts used in Relora complement each other to make a more complete anti-anxiety agent than either one alone.”

A study published in 2001 in Psychopharmacology found that Relora had nonsedating, anxiolytic activity in eight-day-old chicks following a separation stress procedure. The study concluded that Relora “may be useful in modulating anxiety states.”

L-theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. It is believed to be a nonsedating relaxant that works by stimulating the brain’s production of alpha waves and other calming amino acids (dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and tryptophan). Alpha brain waves are associated with a state of relaxed alertness, and studies show that people who produce more alpha brain waves have less anxiety.

“A cup of green tea might give you 10 or 20 mg of theanine,” says Talbott, “but as a really effective relaxation agent, you need 50 to 200 mg, so supplemental theanine is your best option.”

Unlike valerian and kava, which depress the central nervous system and have a mildly tranquilizing effect, L-theanine is nonsedating. New York-based physician and nutritionist Fred Pescatore uses L-theanine in his practice. “It can stop an anxiety attack and can also work on the underlying neurotransmitter issues associated with chronic stress,” he says.

Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid found in concentrated amounts in brain cells. PS is believed to play structural and functional roles in muscle metabolism and immune system function. “PS may have a long-term ability to modulate cortisol levels and overall exposure to stress,” Talbott says, “but it’s not something that people are going to take and feel immediate effects from.”

Originally, supplemental PS was derived from the brains of cows, but concerns about mad cow disease have prompted manufacturers to use soy sources instead. Supplemental PS can be found in tablet, softgel or capsule form and is recommended in two daily doses of 100 mg each.

Next Pharmaceutical’s Garrison says there has been a consumer misperception that dietary supplements are ineffective in treating the symptoms of stress and anxiety. “Consumers need to know that there are some well-researched products out there that can really help treat the symptoms of anxiety.”

The Beligerance of a BMI

In September of this year I seemed inundated with the concept of Body Mass Index or BMI.   I had three of 'em giving me trouble.  More trouble than the Dow or NASDAQ.

It would seem that my 4 year old has a BMI slightly higher than it should be.   I too, after a summer of indulgence am a couple points higher than I should be - and my dog too. WHAT? my dog?   It would appear that bmi can also be applied to our canine friends and mine seems to have one a few points North from perfect.

So how does bmi differ from other means of identifying weight problems?

Body mass index, or BMI, is a new term to most people. However, it is the measurement of choice for many physicians and researchers studying obesity. BMI uses a mathematical formula that takes into account both a person's height and weight. BMI equals a person's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. (BMI=kg/m²).

Rather than using weight as a measurement, we are talking about measuring the amount of fat on a person's frame instead.

With children BMI is used differently than it is for adults.  It is referred to as BMI- for age. In the case of my 4 year old, it's not that he's fat, but a higher than normal BMI at this stage can set the scene for obesity later in life. You really want to keep them at a normal level as systems set themselves for the long haul........or so I am told.   Since September, after replacing juices with water, chips and salsa with carrots and dip - he's exactly where he should be.As for my dog Charlotte (looking deflated after learning of her elevated BMI) is now two weeks into a serious "no human food consumption" rule is already right where she should be.

Good news on the first two index issues - the third one.....well......that's not so easily remedied.  No 18 month old canine or 4 year old kiddie am I.  It will take a while, but I'll get it down to where it should be and when I do........I'll post a picture of myself along side Charlotte the dog.

Goth Icon Marilyn Manson to Launch Cosmetics Line

Flamboyant goth rock star Marilyn Manson says he is in final negotiations with a major cosmetics company to launch his own perfume brand, which he hopes to follow up with a cosmetics line.

The controversial star, who is known for his heavy make-up that helps to create an image that continues to influence a generation of angst-ridden teenagers, told Women's Wear Daily that following the launch of the fragrance, he his hoping that a full range, including lipsticks, powder and foundation will be launched.

If the negotiations are successful the launch is expected to take place by the end of the year, probably in key European and US markets.

Colour make-up has become a key part of Manson's image, featuring heavy mascara and heaps of foundation and powder to produce a look that has come to characterise the gothic image that many young adult aspire to.

In adopting this look, make-up has become a key part of being a loyal follower of both Manson and the gothic style. It is also a cross-gender phenomenom, with almost as many boys wearing make-up as girls.

Manson is hoping that by endorsing his own cosmetic line, it will make it easier for his fans to adopt his image, which often uses colours and shades that can otherwise be hard to get hold of.

An indication of what the cosmetic line is easy to gauge from Manson's image, but knowing what the fragrance will smell like is more difficult to tell. Either way, fashionists and fans alike are expecting something quite unique. 

Now......tell me.......that black lipstick.........is it chemical free and does it come in a matt??