Antibiotics not only kill harmful bacteria that are making you sick, they also destroy the beneficial flora in your gut, and can promote the development of resistant organisms in your body. To restore the helpful organisms, be sure to take supplemental probiotics while you're on antibiotics. Acidophilus is the general name for dried or liquid cultures of the living lactobacillus bacteria that aid digestion. Always check the expiration date to help ensure that the acidophilus product you choose is still viable. Take one tablespoon of the liquid culture or one to two capsules after meals, unless the label directs otherwise. I recommend taking acidophilus to restore "friendly" cultures even when on antibiotics for just a few days. And I particularly recommend products containing lactobacillus GG or bacillus coagulans 30 (BC-30), two strains proven to survive passage through the strong acid in the stomach.
Help for Bowel Irregularity
Constipation and irregular bowel movements can be relieved with a diet rich in fiber and antioxidants, a regular exercise routine and stress-reduction techniques. Support your efforts with Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor - mag-glycinate and triphala help to keep your body running smoothly. Visit today and take 20% off your first order!
Resveratrol May Prevent Breast Cancer
It’s still much too soon to say for sure, but new research suggests that resveratrol, the antioxidant found in red wine, the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries and cranberries, may have a role to play in breast cancer prevention. Laboratory studies indicate that resveratrol can slow the formation of abnormal cells that leads to most types of breast cancer. Breast cancer often begins when estrogen interacts with DNA molecules to set a process of cell transformation in motion, which eventually leads to the disease. Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center measured the effect of different doses of resveratrol and found that even amounts as low as you would get in a glass of wine did the trick. In addition to its effect on abnormal cell formation, resveratrol increased production of an enzyme that inactivates dangerous estrogen metabolites, possibly further decreasing breast cancer risk. So far, all of this has happened only in the test-tube. No one knows if resveratrol will have similar effect in humans. The study was published in the July 2008 issue of Cancer Prevention Research.
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Irregular Eating Affects Health Risks
Irregular eating - and not just the kind of foods you consume - can affect your risk of metabolic syndrome, which in turn can lead to diabetes and heart disease. Having three of the following abnormalities can indicate metabolic syndrome: high blood pressure, low HDL ("good") cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and abdominal obesity. The surprising finding about irregular eating came from researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet after a survey, medical examinations and lab tests of 3,607 men and women in their sixties. Those participants who reported that they rarely ate a regular meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner – were, on average, more likely to have bigger waists and higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels than people who ate more regularly. The irregular eaters also tended to have more signs of insulin resistance, believed to be an underlying cause of metabolic syndrome. The researchers concluded that medical advice on eating regular meals might be worthwhile for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. The study was published in the June 2008 issue of Obesity.
Need Eating Guidance?
Sometimes all it takes is a little sound advice to find the path to optimum health. Use the eating tips, recipes, and shopping lists on Dr. Weil’s My Optimum Health Plan to help get your diet on the right track. Visit today!
Red Pepper Vinaigrette
This salad dressing is nothing like your basic vinaigrette formula - but you'll soon want to use it nearly every day. The classic vinaigrette is made with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. As you can see, this version has no oil in it at all, making it extremely low in calories. But don't worry - it's very high in flavor. Once you've tried this and our Creamy Salad Dressing, they're likely to become your basic everyday staples for salad. And you can never eat too much salad!
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Healthy Aging Tip
Courtesy of Dr.Weil on Healthy Aging
Ways to Meet Others: Go to Events. Make it a goal to do something new at least once per week. Your local papers are a great resource for free, weekly events: complimentary admission to the art museum, wine tastings, movies in the park, gallery openings and more. And if free isn’t always an option, ask about discounted “senior” rates. Where there are events, there are new people and new experiences.
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Healthy Aging Workshop with Andrew Weil, M.D.
October 26 - 29, 2008, Tucson, Ariz.
During this three-day workshop you'll learn techniques that will help you thrive in every stage of your life. Join Dr. Weil and his personally selected group of experts from various fields (nutrition, fitness, movement and more) pertaining to healthy aging. There are a limited number of openings for this extraordinary opportunity to meet and learn from Dr. Weil himself, the founder of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. For more information, or to register visit Miraval's Web site.
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