Healthy Update is a bi-monthly electronic newsletter from HealthWorld Online providing you the latest information, news and resources from the world of natural health. All summaries in Healthy Update link to full articles or expanded resources and services in HealthWorld Online: http://www.healthy.net

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Antioxidant Vitamins May Counter Fat's Ill Effects
Consuming high doses of vitamins C and E may help counter fat's ill effects on the body, new findings suggest. These antioxidant vitamins may help keep blood vessels open, enabling healthy blood flow to the heart, according to lead researcher Dr. Gary Plotnick, a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. Plotnick suggested that the vitamins counter the effects of triglycerides--blood fats that hinder the release of nitric oxide, a substance that allows vessels to relax and widen.

National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Statement on Acupuncture
A high-visibility "consensus conference" at the National Institutes of Health, has provided additional validation for the use of acupuncture for a variety of pain-related conditions. Read the full text of the November 3-5, 1997 Consensus Report from the NIH.

Medicating Kids: A Pacifier for Childhood Depression
Last summer, the Clinton administration proposed some regulatory restraint on the skyrocketing use of antidepressant medications among children and adolescents. And with good reason. In 1997, nearly 600,000 U.S. youngsters, including 275,000 under age 12, were prescribed Prozac or another of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression, according to IMS America, a firm the collects pharmaceutical industry data. In rare instances, children as young as 3 are on antidepressants, all under 'off-label' protocols and without formal approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

News from the Village

Children's Health Update Coughing is a natural protective mechanism designed to clear bacteria, viruses, dust, and pollen out of the body. Coughing clears the lungs and throat of irritants and fluids. A productive cough forces sputum from the breathing tract, thereby clearing the air passages and allowing oxygen to reach the lungs. A cough is also a common symptom of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. Coughing may be related to a bacterial or viral infection of the respiratory tract, such as bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, or croup. A cough can also be caused by inhaling irritating substances, such as dust, chemical fumes, or cigarette smoke. Food sensitivities and environmental allergies can cause a cough, as can inhaling very cold or very hot air. If your child has a persistent cough, emotional stress is another important factor to consider.

In her article "Cough," excerpted from her book, Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, Dr. Janet Zand outlines a comprehensive program for helping to deal with your child's cough, including guidelines for conventional treatment, as well as dietary guidelines, recommended nutritional supplements, herbs, and homeopathic remedies.

Women's Health Update
Thirty percent of American women have fibrocystic breast disease, a benign (noncancerous) condition characterized by round lumps that move freely within the breast tissue. In her article Fibrocystic Breast Disease Susan M. Lark, M.D. discusses the causes and natural treatments for this condition, including dietary recommendations and vitamins and minerals which can help to prevent to alleviate breast cysts.

Natural Health Update
Everyone knows that eating too much sugar is associated with tooth decay and gaining weight. However, according to scientific research, sugar's health effects reach well beyond your teeth and belly. In her article " The Sour Side of Sugar: Breaking the Sugar Habit for Better Health," Lauri Aesoph, N.D. explains how too many sweets may increase your risk of Crohn's disease and heart disease, up uric acid levels (associated with gout), promote diabetes, jack up your appetite and could even take years off your life. There's also evidence that sugar greatly impacts one of the most important systems of your body--the immune system.

Fitness Update
Due to shorter days, less physical activity, and abundant holiday meals, winter is a time when most adults experience increasing bodyweight and decreasing fitness. The usual reduction in aerobic exercise results in lower functional capacity of the cardiovascular system, and the typical reduction in strength exercise results in both muscle and bone loss. Although those of you who ski or chop wood regularly are exceptions, many residents of colder climates succumb to the human equivalent of hibernation as far as physical activity is concerned during the cold-weather months. In his article, "Exercise For Better Health And Sports Performance," Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. outlines the numerous health benefits of both strength and endurance exercise during the winter months.

Natural Medicine Research Update - Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Yogurt Fights Cancer?
Over the centuries, countless cultures have learned to preserve milk by fermenting it with bacteria. The two most common bacteria used for fermentation are Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. It is well known that these bacteria can become normal components of intestinal microflora and can protect against the invasion from pathogenic organisms. We all know that destruction of these friendly microorganisms by antibiotics allows the establishment of potentially harmful microorganisms, which can cause gastrointestinal disorders.

What is less known, and studied, is that friendly microorganisms found within fermented milk products could potentially reduce the incidence of tumors. In this Natural Medicine Research Update, Dr. Sahelian reports on research studies which indicate a reduced risk of breast cancer in women who consume fermented milk products.

New Releases in our Bookstore
Particular sounds, tones and rhythms, especially the music of Mozart, Gregorian chant and some jazz, New Age, Latin, pop and even rock music, can strengthen the mind, unlock the creative spirit, and miraculously, even heal the body. This remarkable phenomenon is called the Mozart effect. In the stimulating, authoritative and often lyrical book, The Mozart Effect: Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen the Mind, and Unlock the Creative Spirit Don Campbell, Ph.D. offers dramatic accounts of how doctors, shamans, musicians, and healthcare professoinals use music to deal with everything from anxiety to cancer, high blood pressure, chronic pain, dyslexia, even mental illness.

Global Health Calendar -- Hot Picks
"Empowering Women Conference: A day long conference filled with inspiration and knowledge for women of all ages!", Houston, TX USA, February 28, 1998/ Contact: Hay House, Inc. - (800) 654-5126

Association Network -- Hot Pick
The Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine (FAIM) is dedicated to freedom of choice in health care and acts as a voice for Innovative medicine's consumers, providers and other supporters. FAIM offers consulting services to local groups that want assistance in initiating their own health freedom campaigns.

Visit The Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine.

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Editor, Healthy Update: James Strohecker

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