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September 2005
 
 
The Holistic Dragonfly Newsletter

me

Dear Stephanie,
Thank you for subscribing to The Holistic Dragonfly Newsletter. It seems we're going to spend some time together learning about Holistic Living. It is a journey of much practice and patience. I am glad to have you along.

In the Spotlight, News, Ask the Consultant, Holistic Well-Being and Common Health Problems, and Herb 101 will feature accurate articles, facts, and opinions of readers, the news, and latest studies on Alternative Therapies. Feel free to offer suggestions, articles, and thoughts. Enjoy the read!


Your Holistic Well-Being Consultant, Stephanie Plyler

In the Spotlight
Japanese Mushrooms and Cancer Treatment
AHCC (active hexose correlated compound), is an extract prepared from several species of Basidiomycete mushroom (shiitake - Lentinus Edodes) found in Japan. Extracted through hot water followed by an enzyme pretreatment, the AHCC has a powerful immune increasing ability able to increase our defense against cancer and disorders related to oxidative stresses. Dr. David Williams of ALTERNATIVES, states the immune enhancing ability is perhaps "one of the most powerful human immune boosters ever tested."

AHCC has been used by Japanese for over 10 years without toxic affects. Always do your own research before trying any products. Following are studies, informational sites, and clinical trials on AHCC.

News
September 1, 2005 On Sept. 1, every child in San Luis Obispo County will be eligible for health insurance - regardless their family's income or immigration status. (New Times San Luis Obispo)

August 30, 2005 The Holistic Dragonfly completes its product label and site logo.

August 9, 2005 State OKs alternative-health insurer (Pacific Business News)

Ask the Consultant
Q & A
Q: How much sleep does my teenager really need?

A: We can all relate to the morning urges of breaking the alarm clock beyond repair. According to the National Sleep Foundation, "the average weekday sleep is 6.9 hours, while on weekends, the average is 7.5 hours." Prior to the invention of the light bulb, people got on average of 10 hours of sleep. So how much sleep should we be getting?

The amount of sleep we need varies on the person and the stage of their development. As many as 70% of people suffer from sleep deprivation.

Newborns sleep 15-18 hours per day and remain awake for as little as 1 to 3 hours at a time.

Infants need up to 12 hours of sleep

Teens may need as much as 10-12 hours

Adult needs vary between 7-9 hours.

Our bodies operate on a 24 hour clock scientists call circadian rhythms (circa dies - 'about one day' in Latin). Ever notice how tired you get between 1- 3pm? It's not coincidence. Our clock is most affected between 2-4am and 1-3pm. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "illnesses also are affected by circadian rhythms; for example, heart attacks occur more frequently in the morning while asthma attacks occur more often at night."

Disruptions in our biological clock can lead to stress, illness, and even disorders such as manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder. Sleep is still not fully understood; however, scientists compare it to our 'download' period, so to speak. Like a computer during its restart or backup phase, our bodies need a time when we sort, store, replace chemicals, and solve problems. We become cranky after missing one night sleep; we have trouble solving problems after two nights missed; and after as little as 5 days without sleep, we will begin to hallucinate and our immunity to illness has been greatly reduced.

Sleep plays a huge part in our well-being. We should get to sleep early enough that we're able to wake without an alarm clock, feel alert, and ready to start our day. If you think you haven’t had enough sleep by the time your alarm clock chimes, try a week of getting to bed earlier. By the end of that week, you might even notice your circadian clock is able to wake you even before your alarm would have.

The following are some important links about sleep and our biological clock;

Holistic Well-Being and Common Health Problems
Headache

An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Now that's a phrase we've all heard before. The sweet green apples such as Granny Smith have properties known to reduce stress, lessen the severity of the common cold, and its sweet smell and tangy taste may help all types of headaches.

Food allergies, additives, caffine/caffine withdrawal, and Tyramine, a component found in aged cheese, wine, yeast and liver, are a few common causes of headaches. Stress, anxiety, and fatigue are also common causes for tension related headaches.

Cold Sores

Lysine rich foods and Lysine supplements are a fabulous, natural way to prevent and/or lessen the severity of your cold sore outbreaks. Lysine is one of the 9 essential amino acids and is known for its growth and tissue repairing abilities. The body is unable to produce Lysine on its own so it is necessary to obtain this essential acid through foods and/or supplementation.

Studies have shown that in order for the herpes virus to grow, the virus needs Arginine, also a common amino acid. Lysine and Arginine play a tug-of-war by competing for absorption and entry into tissue cells. When Lysine is present, it inhibits the growth of HSV by knocking out the Arginine.

Foods high in Arginine: chocolate, peanuts, almonds, seeds, cereal grains, gelatin, and raisins

Foods high in Lysine: Many foods supply Lysine, but the richest sources are red meats, fish, and dairy products (milk, eggs, cheese). Vegetables, on the other hand, are generally a poor source of lysine, with the exception of legumes (beans, peas, lentils).

*During an outbreak, take 1000mg three times a day while sore is present and drink lots of fluids but avoid milk.

*As a maintenance plan, take 1000-1500mg per day.

*If flare-ups still occur while taking Lysine, the sores will be much milder and last as short as half the duration of those sores without treatment of Lysine.

Please note the advice provided on this site is not meant to disregard that of your Healthcare Practitioner. If you have recurrent symptoms of the listed conditions, you may need to be seen in person by a provider to fully treat the underlying causes of these symptoms.

HERBS 101
Calendula officinalis (marigold)
Herb 101 Calendula flowers are helpful in reducing inflammation, wound healing, and as an antiseptic. Calendula can treat various skin conditions such as eczema and even ulcerations. Internally, calendula offers soothing affects for stomach ulcers and inflammation.

HerbMed offers further information on clinical trials, contraindications, types of use, and historial records.

The Holistic Dragonfly

mind.body.spirit

here for your well-being


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November 2005
 
 
The Holistic Dragonfly Newsletter
Volume 2

me

Dear Stephanie,
Thank you for subscribing to The Holistic Dragonfly Newsletter. It seems we're going to spend some time together learning about Holistic Living. It is a journey of much practice and patience. I am glad to have you along.

In the Spotlight, News, Ask the Consultant, Holistic Well-Being and Common Health Problems, and Herb 101 will feature accurate articles, facts, and opinions of readers, the news, and latest studies on Alternative Therapies. Feel free to offer suggestions, articles, and thoughts. Enjoy the read!

Tribal
Your Holistic Well-Being Consultant, Stephanie Plyler

In the Spotlight
Apple Cider Vinegar: Keeping you healthy
A warm cup of apple cider vinegar, water, and honey makes for a miracle in a cup. The not-so-tasty drink can soothe a sore throat, prevent a cold, detoxify the body, and help with insomnia. ACV is also up for those tough jobs such as lowering cholesterol, fighting asthma, liver and kidney problems, and even helps with weight loss.

News
November 5, 2005

"Nature is the largest, incompletely catalogued library on earth," said Dr. Karesh, director of WCS's Field Veterinary Program. "This is just one more example of the value of protecting the diversity of life on our planet, and how monitoring the health of wild species serves not only to protect them, but also can have huge payoffs for humankind."

November 3, 2005

Studies show todays method of testing the Body Mass Index (BMI) for risks of heart attack is not as effective as a Hip to Waist ratio comparison. The BMI test takes no consideration of the exercise and tone of the patients body.

Want to know More? Science Daily News November 4, 2005

October 6, 2005

This Thursday, Merck & Co. announced 100% effectiveness on a new vaccine for cervical cancer linked to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). According to Merck statistics, Cervical cancer, one of the leading cancers among women, results in approximately 290,000 deaths worldwide each year.

Want to know more? ABC News November 1, 2005

October 6, 2005

With the use of complimentary medicine, the report commissioned by the Prince shows a 30% drop in the number of consultations with GP (General Practitioners) and a saving of prescription drug bills of 50 per cent.

Ask the Consultant
Q: What are the affects of fluoride and if its so bad for me, why are doctors prescribing it to infants?

A: Fluoride is found in some communitys tap and drinking water, toothpaste, liquid drops for infants, and is used in the dentist office after a cleaning. Fluoride is used to strengthen tooth enamel thereby reducing the frequency of cavities. In small doses, fluoride is said to be helpful. However, the adverse affects of fluoride might outweigh its benefits for some.

A most common adverse affect is a condition called fluorosis, whereby the teeth become mottled and begin to yellow. Over time, the excessive intake of fluoride can lead to hypothyroidism and cause brittling of the bones and teeth (Wikipedia Encyclopedia, Fluoride). Proctor and Gamble, the maker of Crest, has acknowledged a family-sized tube of toothpaste theoretically contains enough fluoride to kill a small child and the FDA has labeled all toothpaste containing fluoride with the following warning since 1997, Keep out of the reach of children under six. If more than a pea size amount is swallowed contact your poison control center immediately."

Click here for a thorough list of Scientific Facts on the Biological Effects of Fluorides including

  • Fluoride stimulates granule formation and oxygen consumption in white blood cells, but inhibits these processes when the white blood cell is challenged by a foreign agent in the blood. (Robert A. Clark, "Neutrophil Iodination Reaction Induced by Fluoride: Implications for Degranulation and Metabolic Activation," Blood, Vol. 57, pp. 913-921 (1981)).
  • Fluoride inhibits antibody formation in the blood. (S. K. Jain and A. K. Susheela, "Effect of Sodium Fluoride on Antibody Formation in Rabbits," Environmental Research, Vol. 44, pp. 117-125 (1987)).

So what can you do to avoid the prolonged affects of fluoride?

  • There are many natural toothpastes available online and at Natural Food Stores that boast the exclusion of fluoride. Theyre made in wonderful flavors with different methods of application such as flakes, liquids, powders, and gels.
  • Check with your city on the levels of added Fluoride in the tap water. If possible, use bottled water over tap water and make sure it has no added Fluoride.
  • Brush and Floss your teeth, avoid carbonated drinks and heavy amounts of sugars and visit your dentist often for fluoride free cleanings!
Below are some links for further research on the affects of Fluoride:

Holistic Well-Being and Common Health Problems
Acne

Acne has many possible causes such as diet, hygiene, environment, and hormonal changes. Many prescription medications have adverse affects such as reddening of the face, swelling, dry skin, and scaling. Below are some natural remedies for acne but above all, make sure youre eating a balanced diet. The skin is the bodys billboard. It announces how healthy the internal body is by signs such as acne, redness, rashes, scaling, itching, etc.

  • Tea Tree Oil is a natural antibiotic and antiseptic and can be applied topically to affected area.
  • Vitamin B3 improves circulation and helps repair skin conditions.
  • Acidophilus helps re-build the bodys good bacteria thereby aiding in reducing acne breakouts.
  • Colloidal Silver is a natural antibiotic and can be used topically and taken internally.
  • Essential Fatty Acids are all-around good for you. The EFAs helps keep skin smooth, repairs tissue, and dissolves fatty deposits that block pores.
  • Potassium and Zinc helps heal tissue and prevent scaring. Take with Vitamin C to help absorption.
  • Garlic is simply terrific for so many things. It improves blood circulation, destroys bacteria, and enhances immune function.

Diaper Rash

First let me promote Cloth Diapering, which could save you many headaches from diaper rash! Cloth diapering, using natural materials are not only better on the environment but easier on your babys bum!

Imagine yourself wearing plastic underwear all day long! Even though you, as adults, are no longer urinating on yourself, natural moisture occurs throughout the day. Imagine wearing a material that didnt breathe. Imagine this material with chemicals and bleach and BLECH, I cant go on! Do your research on Cloth Diapering because that alone may end baby bum rashes!

However, if your baby is suffering from diaper rashes, disposable or no, there are many natural alternatives that will soothe your babys bum. There are so many products available online that work terrific and what many of them have in common are essential oils, witch hazel, Calendula, Beeswax, and Jojoba Oil. Lavender, Tea Tree, and chamomile essential oils are popular choices as they offer terrific scents and medicinal properties. The beeswax is a natural way to apply the creams and the jojoba oil doesnt go rancid quickly like many other oils and doesnt clog pores. Witch hazel is astringent, decreases inflammation, and soothes irritated skin.

  • In between changes, try using plain old cornstarch instead of the fancy baby powders.
  • Change your baby immediately when wet (generally every 2-3 hours for younger babies)
Below are some links to great products on the natural market:

HERBS 101
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Garlic is a powerful antioxidant, lowers blood pressure, antimicrobial, antiseptic, fights infections such as vaginitis and yeast, and can act as a natural bug repellent. Mince one clove of garlic, cover with honey, and swallow. The honey covers the rather pungent taste of garlic and offers its own medicinal properties too.

HerbMed offers further information on clinical trials, contraindications, types of use, and historical records.

Please note the advice provided on this site is not meant to disregard that of your Healthcare Practitioner. If you have recurrent symptoms of the listed conditions, you may need to be seen in person by a provider to fully treat the underlying causes of these symptoms.


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