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

To subscribe to email version of Healthy Update, send email to: [email protected] and type just the word "subscribe" in the body text of the email.

Tai Chi an Ideal Workout for Senior Citizens
East is meeting West Palm Beach in Century Village these days. Tai chi -- "the grand ultimate" in Mandarin -- is a Chinese martial arts technique at least 1,000 years old. When practiced as an exercise, its slow movements and graceful postures, one flowing smoothly into the next, is an ideal workout for senior citizens. "People think exercise has to be fast to be effective," explains Jerry Ziffer, 43, a professional massage therapist whose tai chi class in this mile-wide retirement community is 1 year old this month. "I compare tai chi to a microwave oven as opposed to a conventional oven. A microwave cooks from the inside out. It massages and develops circulation in all your organs."

How to Avoid "Vacation Fatigue"
The beach was great....The mountain hike was just what you needed... Then why do you feel so out of sorts? Perhaps you've got a bad case of the back-to-work blues. July and August are prime times for this malady, as many workers drag in from vacation with that droopy-eyed "why do I have to be here?" look on Mondays. Read some tips on how to cope with the back to work blues.

Elderly Find the Internet Can Be a Remedy for Isolation
E-mail is a great way to keep up with the grandkids, but that's just one benefit senior cybersurfers are discovering as they venture on line in growing numbers, experts told a Senate committee last Thursday. "We are currently faced with two world-wide revolutions -- the convergence of aging or longevity and the explosion in technology -- both of which are driving the transformation of society," explained Craig Spiezle, Microsoft's director of market development. "People over the age of 60 represent the fastest-growing segment of computer and Internet users."

Dr. Galland's Integrated Medicine
Despite great advances in the treatment of infectious epidemics, trauma and critical care, modern medicine is failing in its mission. Childhood mortality rates around the world are rising and the major medical challenge of the twenty-first century--decreasing the burden of chronic illness and disability--is not being met. The reason lies in the faulty blueprint used to guide contemporary health care, according to Dr. Leo Galland in his latest column, The Foundation for Integrated Medicine Supporting Health Care for the Twenty-First Century

Natural Medicine Research Update
The relationship between eating different types of meals and fatigue has been evaluated for a long time and finally some answers are becoming available. Several studies have shown that eating a pure carbohydrate meal can induce fatigue. The mechanism for this involves the neurotransmitter systems, particularly serotonin. As you already know, raising tryptophan converts into 5-hydroxytryptophan, and then on to serotonin. In his column, Food and Fatigue Dr. Ray Sahelian fills us in on research on the type of meals which will temporarily raise brain levels of tryptophan, and hence serotonin.

The Healer Within
Every original culture on the planet earth has a system of "hands on" healing. In western cultures this is generally called massage. As the movement toward alternatives to drugs and surgery progresses massage will emerge as one of our primary new, while actually ancient, therapeutic modalities. Hospitals, and even corporations, are hiring massage therapists to help with healing and to prevent the negative impacts of stress. In this column, Self-Applied Massage Dr. Roger Jahnke explains how to effectively perform self-applied massage.

Keeping Fit with Dr. Wayne Westcott
Although all athletic activities carry some risk of injury, spring sports seem to be particularly problematic with respect to injury potential, says Dr. Wayne Westcott in his latest column, Enjoying The Spring Sports Season. This is partly due to the abrupt action components of the most popular spring sports such as golf, softball and tennis, and partly due to insufficient levels of physical conditioning.

Children's Health Update
Janet Zand, OMD, LAc provides an indepth exploration of both the conventional and alternative approaches to childhood allergies in Allergies excerpted from her critically acclaimed book, Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child. Dr. Zand covers dietary guidelines, nutritional supplements, herbs, homeopathic remedies, and acupressure for allergies as well as prevention, general guidelines and emergency treatment.

Association Network -- Hot Pick
The American Institute for Preventive Medicine is an international developer and provider of health promotion programs, self-help kits, and self-care publications. The Institute's services are in the areas of medical self-care, smoking cessation, weight control, stress management, self-esteem enhancement, nutrition, fitness, back care, wise health consumerism, and EAP.

Visit the American Institute for Preventive Medicine.

Global Health Calendar -- Hot Picks

The Health Show: Maximizing Your Longevity and Quality of Life
Learn the natural healing benefits of homeopathy, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and more! Get the best medical advice from an impressive team of integrated health care professionals - only at The Health Show - Austin Premiere. Three day conference, August 14-16, 1998. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Andrew Weil. Renaissance Austin Hotel. Austin, Texas. Presented by InterShow - The Health Show - (800) 226-0323

The Healing Summit: Humanitarians coming together as peers to pool their talents and skills to co-create the healing of the planet. August 25-30, 1998, Glastonbury, Somerset, England United Kingdom -- Creative Health Network, USA (650) 493-1373

An Integrative Approach to Chronic Illnesses and Successful Aging: Third Annual Conference on Integrative East-West Medicine. August 28-29, 1998, Los Angeles, CA -- presented by UCLA Center for East-West Medicine - (310) 206-1876

Free Medline Search

Professional Referral Network

Alternative Medicine Center

Disease Center

HealthWorld Online Vision and Mission

HealthWorld Online Advisory Board

Editor, Healthy Update: James Strohecker

Suggestions & Comments: We welcome your suggestions and comments to help us provide the highest quality service. If you are aware of late-breaking news or information that would be useful to our subscribers, please contact us at: [email protected]

To subscribe to email version of Healthy Update, send email to: [email protected] and type just the word "subscribe" in the body text of the email.