But you don't look sick!

I started the Health Highway to keep track of links to articles that I thought were helpful and to share with others who understand my dreams for healthier communities focused on prevention. I truly believe we can get more leverage from combining mainstream and complimentary medical approaches and seriously weighing up what will give us the best results in any given case. Too often, people on both sides (prevention and treatment) dig their heels in and won't look at what the other offers. Lets get beyond that thinking and see what might be possible. Isn't that a win-win approach?

By happenstance I just came across Christine Miserandino who started a blog on Lupus called But You Don't Look Sick which has grown into a wonderful resource used by thousands of people managing chronic disease. She said "I realized that we can use technology to build a community, to learn from each other and support each other." This is my dream too. Having suffered myself from Chronic Fatigue, I love her "spoon" analogy. I certainly could have used that ten years ago! Thankfully I am now well, but I totally support what Christine is doing with her blog. I hope and dream that one day The Health Highway will impact just as many lives for the better. To life, to the ride and to fellow travellers!

The Well Workforce Initiative

One of my driving passions on the Health Highway (forgive the pun) is to see a healthier approach to people in the workforce. I believe we have a long way to go in this particular area of public health policy and if there is something I can do to change public thinking, organizational and government policy and of course the health experience of people in the workforce, then I want to do it! There are probably many avenues to explore with this. I am sure it will be a recurrent message on the blog as I develop an action plan to impact people's lives with a preventative approach.

Small changes are significant

Following on the discussion about Type 2 Diabetes, there is another interesting article to read about how small changes in diet and excercise can add up to a lot of impact on health and lifestyle. This article talks about the impact regular goal review and counselling between health practitioners and patients can have a very positive impact on managing this disease:
Physician Counseling May Promote Healthier Lifestyle in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Australian Study: Type 2 Diabetes

Research by The University of Queensland’s School of Population Health published in the Medical Journal of Australia on the 7th of January paints a frightening picture of the health of our population. Researchers found that by 2023, Type 2 Diabetes will dramatically increase, more than doubling over a 30 year period. This information is in line with an earlier post about the trend of a decrease in life expectancy.

Please look at some of the important things being said here - this is what my message at The Health Highway is all about, lets take a serious look at prevention in our own lives and transform the future that is ahead of all of us:

Several implications for policy are worth emphasising. All of the health risks examined here are amenable to modification through intervention and together explain a large proportion of health loss in Australia. ...diabetes is notable in that it is mostly due to increasing body mass. Given that current strategies have failed to mitigate this risk, new approaches are critical... most of the health loss from this condition continues to be explained by exposure to known health risks.

With the information on this blog, I hope to improve your own health experience and show you there are options for living a wonderful life which don't impact on your lifestyle. In fact, most people will notice their lifestyle improve dramatically as they implement very simple steps in their health regime. I would love to help you with your own health plan - contact me and we can get started straight away.

Is there more to Autism than genetics?

There were some new articles published in January this year about genetic links with Autism. I'm posting a link to Dr Mercola's take on these, as he points out, the genetic mutation is only present in 1% of kids with Autism and the other horrifying statistic that rates of Autism have increased 60 times since 1970. That's definitley my lifetime as I was born a few years before that. Remember that Autism covers a wide spectrum of disorders, ranging from what we label "ADHD" and "ADD" through Aspergers and Autism. It is worth reading Dr Mercola's recommended list for preventing and treating these disorders and protecting your children.

• Don't believe the hype

What's really in your food?

As a Mum with a child prone to asthma, food additives concern me. I constantly check labels and look for good consumer information that can help me make healthy choices for my family. A friend forwarded this website on to me - a wealth of information about food additives, the health dangers they pose and which countries they are banned in. Unfortunately many of these additives are not banned in Australia and continue to pose serious health risks for our population. Another case of "buyer beware"! I hope you find this as helpful as I do:

• http://www.additivealert.com.au/

Would you like Cancer with your Soft drink?

As consumers we all too often assume that manufacturers know everything there is to know about chemical combinations in the products they sell to us and the possible impacts on our health. Here is an example. Benzene is a carcinogen which means it can cause cancer in humans. Benzene can be created by a chemical reaction between ingredients when manufacturers add Vitamin C to soft drinks. So here is a dilemma. As a consumer, you think a drink with added Vitamin C is going to be good for your health. The product may have been marketed to you with this benefit! But maybe the manufacturer simply did not know of the potential chemical cocktail they were creating. There are some interesting articles to read on this issue in particular:

• J Agric Food Chem December 12, 2007; 56 (2): 571–576
• Dr Mercola
• Science Daily January 7, 2008

Heart Disease greatest health care cost in US

2005 data shows that Heart Disease is the biggest drain on the US health care budget, closely followed by Trauma Disorders, Cancer and Mental Conditions (including depression). With Heart Disease and Cancer being two-thirds of the top 3 medical costs in the country, do you think prevention might be a great idea not only for the patients but for the economy?

In my business I hear so many success stories about preventative treatments. Last weekend I met a couple from central Queensland who talked about the success their father had with oral chelation therapy (let's call him Bill). After two heart attacks at 64, scans revealed Bill's arteries were 80% blocked. His Dr said the "usual" treatments could prolong his life a little but weren't intended to treat the blockage or solve the problem (even angioplasty was a very temporary solution). Bill asked about oral chelation therapy and the Dr said he could try it, it certainly wouldn't do any harm but was "unlikely to do much except waste your money". Bill tried it. 6 months later scans show his arteries as clear. I have some fabulous CD's by doctors and pharmacists who believe this option works. I'm willing to send you a copy if you think this information could help you or someone you love. Contact me directly for more information and lets work on reducing heart disease together.

Stroke recognition - save a life

I received an email recently with a simple exercise to check if someone has suffered a stroke. Remember STR, the first 3 letters of "stroke":
S = ask them to "smile" and then to stick out their tongue. Check for lopsidedness.
T = "talk", get them to repeat a sentence for you such as "it is sunny out today"
R = "raise" both arms.
Both of my parents-in-law died from strokes, so this information is valuable. Normally I focus on prevention and product-related information but thought I would record this useful tip for others.

Fibromyalgia

"Lyrica" is the first drug approved to treat Fibrymyalgia and there has been debate in a recent New York Times article about whether this condition is recognized as a disease - critics are concerned about potential harm from the drug. My recent post on Mexican Wild Yam cream contained a link to the work of Dr John R Lee and one of the articles listed speaks of the benefits of using Wild Yam cream as a natural treatment for Fibromyalgia. I know several people personally who have achieved wonderful results with this product - one man saved from a life of crippling pain and disability who was able to return to work within weeks of starting this natural treatment. I am a big fan of the wild yam cream. If you want access to the best brand on the market, please get in touch!

Absorption through the feet

A friend forwarded me an article today about a natural cure for children's night-time coughs. I have blogged previously on the dangers of over the counter cough medicines but her email reminded me to blog about a natural remedy I've been using. The product line I endorse contains a "Sports Rub" which is non-petroleum based but similar to more commonly known products rubbed on children's chests. Scientists at the Canada Research Council discovered that if you rub something on your feet the body quickly absorbs and utilizes it. It works 100% of the time - test it yourself with a bit of raw garlic (you will taste it in about 20 minutes). I've found using the Sports Rub has been extremely effective in managing coughs and colds and a bonus "side effect" has been that it fixed a fluid retention problem I've had in my ankles after years of sitting at an office desk! And because there are no petroleum-derived ingredients or propylene glycol in the rub, I don't need to worry about the associated health risks. Why avoid propylene glycol or petroleum derivates? There's lots of information about this, but the main reasons I avoid them are because propylene glycol has been linked to kidney and liver damage, respitory irritation and nausea. Petroleum-derived products have been linked to estogen dominance which affects hormonal balance, cancer risk and fertility. I will post specifically on these issues another time. I also found an interesting post about other potential dangers such as camphor absorption in young children, another reason to be very cautious about any over the counter remedy in babies and to check, check, check those labels!

Hormones, Hormones, Hormones

I've been talking to a few people recently about hormone imbalance and the benefits of natural therapies such as Mexican Wild Yam for women of all ages. I was just looking some information up and came across this website which has a wide range of information and refers a lot to the work of Dr John R Lee who is a world expert on hormonal imbalance. Worth a look!
http://vitanetonline.com/forums/1/Thread/454#Message655

Toxic chemicals in makeup

Here is the link that I mentioned yesterday on makeup concerns:
http://www.mercola.com/2002/apr/24/makeup_cancer.htm

Toxic chemicals in makeup can have a major impact on your health. Luckily, there are safe options and the Health Highway can help you in your selection of non-toxic cosmetics. Why should you be concerned? The above article covers many of the major problems with the cosmetic industry, including:
* the presence of hormone disrupting chemicals which can lower immunity and cause reproductive problems
* dioxins and petrochemicals pollute our bodies and environment
* roughly 900 of 3000 tested chemicals are known to be toxic to humans. But there are over 70,000 chemicals in use worldwide and its estimated that 1,000 are added each year
* cell structures can be slowly altered over decades of use
* the body often can't metabolize synthetic chemicals at all

I can show you sound, scientific articles on these issues and direct you to safe alternatives that are just as effective and enhance your beauty without any of the health concerns. Have you considered your options?

Health Danger in Cosmetics

I saw a great article today on Mercola's website which I will post tomorrow explaining the myriad dangers of off the shelf cosmetics. I promote and supply the most wonderful range of makeup which avoids all known harmful ingredients and would love to tell you about it if you email me!

Warning on use of cough medicine in babies

I've blogged on this before. So this is just another link to consider. The FDA have warned that parents should avoid using any over the counter cough or cold medicine in children under the age of 2 because they have not been proven safe for that age group. See the full article at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/568984?sssdmh=dm1.332663&src=nldne

The Health Highway Handbook

The Health Highway has three key areas of interest to keep you healthy, wealthy and wise. We want you to:

1. only use safe and effective products on yourself and around your home
2. use nutritional supplements that boost your health and immune systems and help your body rid itself of unavoidable toxins, and
3. have unlimited access to personal development opportunities so that your life can be truly abundant

As a special offer for Health Highway members, we will be establishing a Health Highway Handbook which will give you amazing tips on living a wonderful life. This will be exclusive to members and require a secure login. Didn't you always wish life came with a manual? I guarantee that the Health Highway will change your life. Come on board for a great ride!

Health Resources

There are some brilliant online resources to help us make better choices about our health and educate us back into living the kind of life we yearn for (happy, healthy and wealthy). Here are some of my favourites:

• Dig 4 Truth
• Credence
• Mercola Optimal Wellness Centre

Life expectancy to drop

I've been looking into this issue that I posted in December last year. The original article from the New England Journal of Medicine: March 17, 2005, vol 352, 1138–1145; 1135–1137 would be worth a read, but if you don't have access try a media report like this one: Life Expectancy to Drop for first time in 1000 years. It is mostly obesity and ill health associated with obesity which is to blame for the reduced life expectancy for future generations.

Still like your soft drinks?

I've never been a fan of soft drink, but the issues became even more real to me last year when my cousin started to develop "MS-like" symptoms. After months of investigation and lack of answers she eventually came across a Doctor who knew and understood "Apsartame disease". There is information on this in Phillip Day's book "The ABC's of Disease" (available to buy in Austalia, scroll this list). You may also wish to read the information on Dr Mercola's website What happens to your body within an hour of drinking Coke. Another article on Avoiding Sugar draws on Phillip Day and Dr Mercola sources.