flickr photo credit: kelsey_lovefusionphoto

Many have pondered the answer to this question as they’ve physically felt like they were dying right after an emotional (or physical) situation.  Loss of a loved one, loss of a job, financial hardship, break-up/divorce are just a few major life events that have been known to cause a great deal of stress.  Some of us know couples where a significant other/spouse died, and the other died shortly after that.  In the absence of any preexisting medical conditions, one could intuitively come to the conclusion that stress could trigger a heart malfunction.

But, is there any science or a medical diagnosis that can quantitatively back this up?

In the early 1990s, Japanese doctors were the first to accurately describe what happens during a stress-induced episode.  It was initially named “Takotsubo cardiomyopathy” due to the similarities between the abnormal shape of a stress affected heart and a Japanese octopus trap.  In 2005, doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore confirmed what Japanese researchers discovered and published their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Referred to as stress-induced cardiomyopathy these days, this condition presents itself with all the symptoms of a heart attack.  But, that’s where the similarities end.  There is no blockage present in any of the arteries and there is little to no damage of the heart muscle tissue.   It usually affects older, post-menopausal women.  The cause is typically traced to some traumatic event (emotional or physical) which causes a sudden rush of stress chemicals such as adrenaline and epinephrine.  This leads to the characteristic abnormal shape of the heart and the symptoms that mimic an actual heart attack.  Fortunately, the vast majority of patients fully recover from broken heart syndrome with no adverse long term effects.

I firmly believe that there is a direct connection between how our body handles stress and its many physical manifestations.  This type of research that measures the biochemical effects of stress is finally starting to lend some credibility to this theory.  The old adage “an ounce of prevention…” is applicable to stress management as well.  A recent MSNBC article profiled a study that was published in the European Heart Journal. Researchers used a “happiness scale” to gauge future heart risk.  According to the study, “For every point on the happiness scale, people were 22 percent less likely to have a heart problem.”

Things will always happen to test our mettle, but the key is how we react to it.  Finding an effective coping mechanism is paramount to maintaining that good health you’ve worked so hard to attain.  The take home message is something that Bobby McFerrin might say - ”Don’t worry, be happy.”

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The person who is leading this investigation in Europe is Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg, a German-born physician and chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Health Committee.  Specifically, he is holding a hearing this week to ascertain if Big Pharma used its considerable global influence to convince the W.H.O. to lower the alarm threshold and essentially scare countries into buying absurd amounts of the vaccine (incidentally, these same countries are trying to sell of the surplus).  Apparently, this hearing is going to be held in secret for obvious reasons.  With billions of dollars in profits at stake and medical ethics in short supply for the five manufacturers (GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis and CSL Ltd.) of the poison vaccine, it’s easy to see how and why this could happen.  It’s a classic case of “problem, reaction, solution”.

Proving that the Big Drug Cartel and the W.H.O. colluded to propogate fear for vaccines will be a daunting task, to say the least.  Drug companies’ reach is far and wide, but their close ties with large media conglomorates is one of their most insidious connections.  According to a very in-depth article on Infowars (Sherry Kane), “PharmaMedia” will not let this investigation see the light of day.  James Murdoch (son of Rupert - CEO, News Corp.) is the chief executive of News Corp in Europe and Asia, and was appointed non-executive director at GlaxoSmithKline.  Thomas Glocer (CEO, Reuters) has been elected to Merck & Co.’s board of directors.  Admittedly, these loose associations are circumstantial, so the burden of proof falls on Dr. Wodarg.  However, I always say ‘follow the money trail.’  I wouldn’t be surprised if these guys made a significant amount of coin as the stocks of drug companies shot up.

Additionally, one need to look no further than local and national media coverage on this story.  Because of the hype surrounding swine flu, it’s only natural to think that similar attention would be given to allegations of this magnitude.  Real coverage has been relegated to Youtube and online radio.  Perhaps this story isn’t as important as following the “Jersey Shore” cast or Simon Cowell moving on to greener pastures.  In a fair world, everyone who was saturated with propaganda about the swine flu would be aware of the charges.  These days, it seems that whoever writes the check gets to decide what fair is.

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• Wash your hands – This is probably the easiest and most overlooked thing you can do.  Any respectable health provider agrees that thorough hand washing for about 20 seconds plays a large part in preventing bacteria and viruses from entering your body via eyes, nose, or mouth.  Skip antibacterial soaps and gels since numerous studies have shown that regular soap and water work just as well.  Triclosan is a chemical and the active ingredient in these soaps,  the long-term safety of which has not been determined.  An even larger concern is that bacteria may adapt to these chemicals and evolve into something that can’t be killed by current antibacterial drugs.  We’re well on our way given how doctors over-prescribe and patients over-consume antibiotics.  After all, bacteria (whose sole purpose is survival) has been around for a few billion years and counting, so I’d say they’re pretty adept at adapting.    But, I digress.

• Reduce (or eliminate) processed carbs – Ideally, it would behoove you to eliminate processed carbs altogether but that’s virtually impossible these days.  In addition the chronic inflammation, a diet high in processed carbs can compromise your immune system.  Sugar, snacks, deserts, sodas, juices, breads, etc. are all metabolized by your body the same way…insulin levels spike, then fall precipitously.  Over time, this roller coaster leads to inflammation, which not only depresses your immune function, but increases your risk factors for diseases like hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer and myriad of other autoimmune disorders.

• Build your diet around whole foods (no, not the supermarket) -  Contrary to washing your hands, this one is probably the hardest for most people to implement if it’s not already part of your lifestyle.  Whole foods include fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish.  Organic, locally-grown produce and wild, free-range, hormone-free fish/meat is optimal.  Take baby steps first though.  If you can, try to eat all your produce fresh since cooking denatures (kills the nutrients and enzymes) it.  Instead of trying to figure out all the benefits of eating fresh vegetables and fruits, keep it simple.  Eat a variety of colors as these colors mean that each vegetable/fruit contains certain polyphenols, flavonoids and phytochemicals.  They’re rich in antioxidants as well, which help to mitigate free radicals (which cause cancer).  Fruit is not inherently a bad choice, but vegetables are a better option since many fruits can spike your insulin as well.

• Supplementation – As you know, I’m a proponent of letting food be your medicine.  However, if you need to supplement your diet, there’s a plethora of options available.  Some my favorites are Vitamin D, Zinc, Oregano Oil, Astragalus, Echinacea, and Black Elderberry.  I’ll write a more detailed article about these and more later, but they have served my family and I well over the years.  All of the ones I mentioned have a good mix of antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.  Everyone is different, so experiment a little until you find a regimen that works for you.

• Exercise – Studies continue to find strong links between consistent, moderate exercise and a strong immune system.  By moderate exercise, I mean a brisk walk (or light jog if you’re in shape).  These moderate bouts of activity increase blood flow and help your body distribute immune cells more quickly.  In turn, this enables your body to lessen symptoms and decrease the frequency with which you get sick.

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• It does not offer effective viral protection- Numerous studies (independent of pharmaceutical cartel influence) have been conducted regarding the efficacy of flu vaccines and the consensus is that they are largely ineffective in children, adults and the elderly.  There are two types of flu vaccines: trivalent inactivated (injectable, needle) and live attenuated (intranasal, FluMist).  The shot is “inactivated” because it does not contain the live virus.  An attenuated nosespray essentially contains a very weak flu antigen.  Both versions basically fool the body into thinking that the actual virus is present.  In response to this, your body produces antibodies for future protection.  According to the CDC, the seasonal flu shot is effective “in about 70%-90% of healthy persons younger than 65 years.”  This is somewhat misleading.  I’ll address exactly what “healthy” means in a minute, but if you parse this data, one can clearly see that the vaccine is effective in people who most likely have a very strong immune system already and would probably be  better off without it.  Folks with compromised (sickly, elderly) or undeveloped (infants, children)  immune systems have the highest risk of succumbing to the secondary complications of the flu, but this demographic is curiously not cited in the CDC statistics.

• The vaccine is not as safe as officials claim - Earlier this year, the W.H.O. declared a worldwide H1N1 pandemic.  Fears about a more severe outbreak prompted drug manufacturers to rush production of a new vaccine (operative word – rush) in anticipation of the fall and winter seasons.  Not only were the untested vaccines pushed through to the marketplace, but the dangerous preservative thimerosal has been included in most versions of the vaccine (read more about the dangers of thimerosal).  Other jeopardous components include squalene and aluminum.  Even the well tested and supposedly safe seasonal flu vaccine can lead to serious health problems: click here and here.  Knowing that the H1N1 vaccine hasn’t been as rigorously tested, are you willing to take the risk?

• H1N1 is not more deadly than seasonal flu- On average, the seasonal flu kills approximately 36,000 people nationwide each year.  This is obviously a lot of deaths that largely go unreported or buried under “Balloon Boy” and “Jon and Kate” headlines.  H1N1 isn’t more deadly per se, but since the last outbreak occurred in 1976, most young people have not been exposed, and subsequently don’t have the antibodies in their immune system to mount a defense.  The next logical question is – why are these deaths even happening?  A largely unknown (and unnecessary) fact about influenza is that the vast majority of deaths are not from the actual virus, but from secondary complications (eg – pneumonia).  So, a person with a fully functioning immune system should be able to fight the flu without a vaccine.  And don’t be fooled by medical personnel saying that “healthy” people are now dying from H1N1.  I’ve discovered that the status “healthy” is used very loosely, and often times,  it does not necessarily equal a heathy immune system.  In general terms, ”healthy” is used by medical professionals to describe someone who has basic health indicators in a normal range (blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, etc.), so take it with a grain of salt when you hear it.

• Vaccination is not your only option- If you’ve read some of my other articles, you know my approach to wellness and prevention is to let food be your medicine, exercising, reducing your toxic load (drugs, chemicals, etc.) and avoiding unnecessarily invasive medical procedures.  Our bodies, down to the cellular level, have a symbiotic relationship with the environment around us.  Consequently, if you feed those cells the right nutrients, you will thrive on many different levels.  Your immune system stands to gain the most from this mindset.  When you provide your immune system with proper nutrients, it will thrive.  To this end, the first thing you must do is drastically reduce or eliminate junk food from your diet.  Organic vegetables (and to a lesser extent some fruits), spices (garlic, oregano), clean water, lean meats (wild, free-range, hormone-free) are good starter options.  Supplements like Vitamin C and D3 (avoid synthetic D2), herbs like astragalus, echinacea, oregano oil, and especially black elderberry all have a tremendous effect on your immune system, when used in conjunction with a whole-food based diet.  Online scams abound these days with dubious cures, inferior supplements and dangerous herbs.  So, do your research and make sure to buy from a reputable manufacturer.  Read more about boosting your immune system here.

Don’t be fooled by the rampant fear-mongering perpetuated by the profit-drive pharmaceutical industry.  The media get their information from doctors and health officials who inevitably get their information from the drug companies (or biased studies funded by them).  There’s a lot of money at stake, so there’s a vested interest in keeping the public in the dark about natural ways to fight illness.  Do yourself and your family a favor, and educate yourself about all the options available before you blindly subject yourself to the vaccine (or any, for that matter).  If, after all your due diligence, you still decide to go with the vaccine, at the very least you made an informed decision.

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The FCC uses a measurement called specific absorption rate (SAR) to determine the potential risk for human tissues.  Following recommendations from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the FCC allows 20 times more radiation to the head than the average amount allowed for rest of the body.  Even more insidious is the fact that cell phone manufacturers conduct cell phone testing themselves or contract it out to a third party, which is an obvious conflict of interest in light of the cancer concerns.  To make matters worse, cell phone manufacturers vehemently protested the release of SAR data until 2000.

Because these flawed guidelines take into account adult SAR limits only, children have not even been considered.  And scientists have discovered that children are even more susceptible to tumors since they absorb significantly more radiation than adults.  The primary reasons for this is because childrens’ skulls are thinner and their tissues have a higher water content, increasing their absorption rate.  These statistics need to be made available to the buyer at the point of sale.

Headsets and Other Wireless Devices

What about popular bluetooth earpieces?  In the U.S., bluetooth technology falls under the list of “low-power, non-licensed radio frequency devices.”  This essentially means that no one really knows the potential effects they may have.  However, research suggests that using bluetooth headsets may decrease the overall levels of SAR exposure to the head.  And according to the American Cancer Society, using a corded headset is one of the easiest methods to limit your SAR exposure.  One caveat though, using bluetooth or wired headsets does not decrease the amount of radiation emitted from the phone itself.  So, it my behoove you to do some due diligence by not only selecting a phone with low SAR numbers but keeping the phone away from your body as well.  Cordless telephones use the same radio frequency that cell phones use, so caution needs to be exercised there as well.

Other devices such as wireless routers, game controllers, baby monitors, etc emit some radiation; however, research in this area is in its infancy.  And at this point, it seems that cell phones are the primary culprit for excess absorption radiation exposure.  With cancer on the rise, I would recommend that you educate yourself regarding the different wireless devices you use day-today and use your own discretion when making a purchase.  For example, I use my laptop daily and I always use a laptop pad, pillow, table or any similar buffer in between my body and the laptop.  I turn my cell phone off during the day and leave it one the table in the evening since the signal from the cell tower is continuous.  These may not be practical for you, so feel free to come up with strategies that fit your lifestyle and limit your exposure.

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Source: CNN

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I first read about BPA a couple of years ago, right around the time my daughter was born.  So needless to say, my wife and I made the easy decision to purchase all BPA-free bottles.  Our daughter was breastfed, so it was important for us to keep her milk as pure as possible since it needed to be heated sometimes.

BPA isn’t exclusive to baby bottles and cups.  It exists in virtually all plastic containers, which is why I use my own bottle (glass or Sigg) to transport my water.  And I’d recommend that you do the same.  Because we are constantly bombarded with dangerous toxins daily in our food, air, cosmetics, building materials, it’s imperative that we limit our exposure whenever possible.  The American Chemical Council as well as other industry groups continue to deny that this problem exists, but it’s painfully obvious that their loyalties lie with manufacturers, not consumer health.  However, science supports the adverse health affects of BPA and it’s good to see that local governments and municipalities aren’t waiting for the sluggish and bureaucratic FDA to ban BPA nationwide.

According to a recent evaluation by the National Institutes of Health ⁽²⁾, to reduce yours and your infants exposure:

• Don’t microwave plastic bottles and containers as BPA can break down and leach into the contents
• Polycarbonate containers that contain BPA usually have a #7 on the bottom
• Reduce your use of canned foods (the resin on the inside of the can containers BPA)
• Use glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, especially for hot food or liquids
• Use baby bottles that are BPA free

You can be proactive about your health and not have to wait for any governing body to govern what goes into your body.  So, make a conscious decision for you and your family to limit your toxic exposure.  Saying ‘No’ to BPA is a good start.

References:

⁽¹⁾ http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/300.11.1353

⁽²⁾ http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/media/questions/sya-bpa.cfm

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