My Anti-Cancer Lifestyle

An anti-cancer lifestyle is not a rigid set of rules to follow, but a safe space to be filled with your favorite ways of nourishing health and discouraging cancer. Since cancer thrives in a too-ordered situation, relax and let chaos give a hand now and then in the execution of your plan. I include all the following elements in my anti-cancer lifestyle. Were I to be diagnosed with cancer, I would continue to do these things in addition to any other remedies I might choose.

Stay in touch with my own daily and seasonal rhythms.

Sleep in total darkness or moonlight; get into the sun daily.

Eat one meal at the same time each day.

Have emotional outlets.

Choose friends who support me and my truth.

Have artistic outlets.

Receive lots of appreciation and approval (a.k.a. love).

Exercise one hour three times a week.

Get a massage once a month or more.

Do my yoga practice once a week or more.

Have sexual outlets.

Take a quiet time of beingness daily.

Make full use of all sources of joy available to me.

Eat a Mediterranean-style diet of mostly organically grown foods including daily use of cabbage family plants, raw and cooked greens, whole grains, beans, sunflower seeds, soy products, olive oil, garlic, seasonal fresh fruit, seaweed, yogurt and cheese, herbal infusions, herbal vinegars, and antioxidant seasonings. Plus, at least four times a month, seafood, nuts, mushrooms, dried fruit, and eggs; and, less than four times a month, meat, alcohol, white sugar, and coffee.

And I avoid: Vitamin/mineral supplements, chlorine, nitrates, tobacco, prescription hormones, TV, white flour, processed foods, and non-organic animal products.

Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Visit Susun Weed at The Wise Woman Center and Ash Tree Publishing

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Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America’s best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women’s health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at http://www.susunweed.com

Feline Asthma Investigation And Treatment

It is quite common for cats to present to veterinary clinics with a chronic cough or wheeze. The problem may be constant or just recur from time to time, and can range from mild to severe. Clinically the disease may resemble human asthma, but the term feline asthma can be misleading as there are a number of different possible causes. Here we look at what those underlying causes can be, and the different forms of treatment available to affected cats.

Cats usually present with one or all the following signs:

1.Coughing
2.Wheezing
3.Difficulty breathing

A minority of cases will have the classic human status asthmaticus, rapid onset breathing difficulty due to severe narrowing of the bronchi. Cats tend to be middle aged or older, and Siamese cats may be more prone than other breeds.

The Pathology

Little is known about the underlying causes or exacerbating factors in feline asthma. There may be an element of genetic predisposition. While chronic inhalation of airway irritants, such as smoking, has been shown to cause bronchitis in humans, this has not been studied in detail in cats. Likewise, allergens such as pollen, housedust mites, dander, fungal spores, dust and cat litter could all be implicated theoretically.

To return to the comparison with human asthma, when trying to understand the underlying causes it is important to differentiate between asthma (constriction of the bronchi), chronic bronchitis (oversecretion of mucus with a chronic cough) and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Asthma is reversible bronchial constriction caused by eosinophil cells, whereas COPD is irreversible bronchial constriction involving neutrophil cells.

The Differentials

There are a large number of possible diagnoses when a cat first presents with coughing or breathing difficulty. Here are some of the more important ones:

1. Pulmonary edema. Often due to severe heart disease.
2. Infectious bronchitis. This can be due to bacteria, viruses or parasites.
3. Pleural disease. Filling of the space between the lung and the chest wall with air or an effusion.
4. Cancer. This can be a primary lung tumor or metastatic spread.
5. Potassium bromide induced respiratory disease. A side effect from an anti-epileptic drug.
6. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Responds poorly to treatment.
7. Pulmonary thromboembolus. Lodging of a clot in a respiratory blood vessel causing sudden onset breathing difficulty.
8. Pulmonary hypertension. Usually secondary to other heart or respiratory disease.

Diagnosis

1. Clinical examination

The first step in the diagnostic protocol is a thorough clinical examination by a veterinarian. This should localize the origin of the disease to the upper airways, lower airways or pleural space. If the cat is found to have pleural disease, a needle may be inserted straight away to remove either air or a sample of the effusion for both diagnosis and short term treatment of the respiratory distress.

2. Radiography

The next test performed is usually thoracic radiography. This is best performed under general anesthetic so there is lee chance for motion blur, though in acute situations this is not possible. This is where the most meaningful information can be gained.

3. Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy allows visualization of the larger airways, and assessment for increased mucus and inflammation.

4. Tracheal wash

This involves injecting a small amount of saline into the trachea and immediately withdrawing it, and then examining the cells and debris harvested under a microscope.

5. Bronchoalveolar lavage

This is similar to the technique described above, but the catheter is inserted all the way into a lower airway before the saline is injected and withdrawn. This is therefore a good test for lower airway disease.

6. Lung biopsy

This is an invasive procedure that carries a significant risk to the patient. It is only indicated where diffuse cancer or extensive fibrosis is suspected, or in severe disease that responds poorly to treatment.

Treatment

The aims of treatment are as follows.

1. Eliminate any suspected infectious agents. This may be a sufficiently long course of antibiotics if bacterial infection is suspected, or a wormer such as fenbendazole if lungworm is suspected.

2. Remove or avoid airway irritants. The most obvious one is ensuring the cat has no contact with cigarette smoke, and purchasing dust free cat litter.

3. Removal or avoidance of potential allergens. House dust mite allergy must be excluded by spraying the house with an acaricidal product.

4. Chronic therapy for the underlying condition. For long term treatment of cats with feline asthma, a combination of steroids and bronchodilators are a popular choice. Steroids reduce the inflammation and lower mucus production, and can limit long term consequences such as fibrosis. Bronchodilators are most useful when there is airway spasm. Traditionally, medication has been given orally via tablets, but over the last few years, metered dose inhalers such as the ones used for human asthma have come on the market.

Aerosol therapy has the advantage that the maximum concentration of drug is delivered to the target site. This means that lower overall doses can be used, and the cat is less likely to suffer the negative side effects of steroids. Various inhalers can be used in both cats and dogs, but they tend to be designed for humans. As a result, higher doses are given compared with human medicine, as humans can be instructed to breathe deeply whereas cats will breathe normally at best.

Glucocorticoid drugs (steroids) used in inhalers include Beclometasone, Fluticasone and Budesonide. Beclometasone is cheap, but is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream when you want it to hang around in the area where it applied. Fluticasone is more expensive, but tends to stay where you want it to. Budesonide is relatively inexpensive and though it is easily absorbed into the bloodstream, it tends to be removed the first time it goes through the liver.

Bronchodilator drugs used in inhalers include Salbutamol and Salmeterol. Salbutamol is very fast acting and therefore useful in a crisis caused by spasm of the bronchi. However, it only lasts for about 30 minutes and is therefore unsuitable for chronic therapy as frequent dosing is required. Salmeterol on the other hand is longer acting, and lasts for about 12 hours so twice daily dosing is possible. Salmeterol is better for long term control of mild to moderate asthma while Salbutamol is better for relief of acute bronchospasm.

The Seretide Evohaler is useful for cats requiring both steroid and bronchodilator therapy. It contains salbutamol and fluticasone, a combination allowing minimal dosing frequency.

Spacer devices

A spacer device consists of a chamber into which the aerosol drug is released at one end, with a mask at the other end which fits snugly over the cats mouth and nose. Human baby spacer devices (e.g. Babyhaler) can be easily adapted for cats. Alternatively, veterinary spacers specifically designed for cats are now on the market (e.g. Aerokat). The spacer should be held over the cats nose and mouth for about 30 seconds to ensure complete delivery of the drugs. It should be remembered that aerosol steroid therapy can take up to 2 weeks to reach full effect, and if the cat has been on oral steroids previously, these should be phased out slowly during these initial 2 weeks.

Is treatment lifelong?

Generally yes. Doses can often be reduced gradually once clinical remission has been achieved. As with many chronic conditions, complete control might not always be possible and an acceptable quality of life is the main aim of the treatment.

Importance Of Health And Safety Management Guidelines Within The Workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued voluntary protection program management guidelines to encourage employers to do more than just comply with regulations to prevent occupational injuries and illnesses. Although compliance with the law, including specific OSHA standards, is an important objective, an effective corporate safety program looks beyond specific requirements of law to address all hazards. It seeks to prevent injuries and illnesses, whether or not compliance is an issue.

This is precisely what some of the best workplace safety consulting firms are doing. Health and safety management system standards/guidelines are important for corporate safety and health consultants to establish. These safety management practices are compiled, applied, and finally advocated by safety and health professionals and consultants representing corporations, professional associations, and labor unions. As a result, these guidelines are used to promote workplace safety through the use of effective and comprehensive safety audits.

The health and safety management guidelines call for systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of general workplace hazards, specific job hazards, and potential hazards which may arise from foreseeable conditions. Additionally, the extent to which a safety management system’s program is described in writing is less important than how effective it is in practice. As the size of a worksite or the complexity of a hazardous operation increases, however, the need for written guidance increases to ensure clear communication of policies and priorities and consistent and fair application of rules. For this reason, it is vital for organizations to seek the guidance of an industrial occupational health and safety firm. By relying on a safety organization’s expertise, a company can effectively prepare for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Since safety consulting firms conduct comprehensive audits with an emphasis on solutions-oriented recommendations for program improvement, companies become more aware of specific factors that put their employees health and safety at risk as well as the actions that need to be taken to promote a safer work environment.

Major elements of an effective occupational safety and health program include:

Management Commitment and Employee Involvement. This calls for:

“A worksite policy on safe and healthful work and working conditions clearly stated so that all personnel with responsibility at the site and personnel at other locations with responsibility for the site understand the priority of safety and health protection in relation to other organizational values.
“A clear goal for the safety and health program and objectives for meeting that goal so that all members of the organization understand the results desired and the measures planned for achieving them.
“Top management involvement in implementing the program so that all will understand that management’s commitment is serious.
Employee involvement in the structure and operation of the program and in decisions that affect their safety and health, to make full use of their insight and energy.
“Assignment of responsibilities for all aspects of the program, so that managers, supervisors, and employees in all parts of the organization know what performance is expected of them.
“Provision of adequate authority and resources to responsible parties, so that assigned responsibilities can be met.
“Holding managers, supervisors, and employees accountable for meeting their responsibilities, so that essential tasks will be performed.
“Annual reviews of program operations to evaluate their success in meeting the goal and objectives, so that deficiencies can be identified and the program and/or the objectives can be revised when the goal and objectives are not met.

Worksite Analysis. This includes:

“Identification of all hazards by conducting baseline worksite surveys for safety and health as well as periodic comprehensive update surveys. Also included would be an analysis of planned and new facilities, processes, materials, and equipment; and another of routine job hazards.
“Regular site safety and health inspections, so that new and/or previously missed failures in hazard controls are identified.
“A reliable system to encourage employees, without fear of reprisal, to notify management personnel about conditions that appear hazardous and to receive timely and appropriate responses. Investigation of accidents and “near miss” incidents, so that their causes and means for prevention are identified.
“Analysis of injury and illness trends over extended periods so that patterns with common causes can be identified and prevented.

Hazard Prevention and Control. This calls for:

“Procedures that ensure that all current and potential hazards are corrected in a timely manner through engineering techniques where appropriate; safe work practices understood and followed by all parties; provision of personal protective equipment; and administrative controls, such as reducing the duration of exposure.

Safety and Health Training. This includes training to:

“Ensure that all employees understand the hazards to which they may be exposed and how to prevent harm to themselves and others.
“Confirm that supervisors and managers understand their responsibilities and the reasons for them so they can carry out their responsibilities effectively.

The most effective workplace safety specialists help companies (internationally, nationally, and locally) continuously improve their safety management systems through comprehensive auditing where a team of highly qualified/certified safety and health professionals review the clients’ organization in terms of OSHA compliance, safety programs, training systems, etc and recommend corrective action and management process improvements as they relate to occupational safety and health.

Eczema Cure – Eliminate it Naturally

Now, let me first start by suggesting that if you haven’t been to a doctor and have not yet been diagnosed with eczema, you want to seek the advice of a medical professional right away. If you currently suffer from eczema, you already know how painful the skin disorder can be. It is a disorder that is just as common in children as it is adults, and many people don’t realize just how common eczema is.

Although it is a common skin disorder, it can be one tough thing to cure. And if you’ve been suffering from eczema for a long period of time, I know your life mostly consists of prescription creams and over the counter medicines. It doesn’t have to be that way though, and I’ll tell you why.

There are several different alternatives to prescription creams and medications to cure eczema. In fact, most of the medicines out there only treat the symptoms of eczema, and don’t actually cure the eczema completely. Yes, they do provide temporary relief, but only for a short period of time before another episode of your eczema begins to eventually flare up again.

While some people are lucky and eventually grow out of their eczema (which is something that began in their childhood), others aren’t as lucky. Stop paying for high priced medications and start looking for alternatives to not just treat your eczema, but cure your eczema altogether! I know you might be thinking that finding a cure is nearly impossible, but let me be the first to tell you that it isn’t!

See, I was an eczema sufferer for years, wasting money on all sorts of medicines, creams and treatments, until I finally found a cure. The best part? It was all natural. Learn more about how to cure your eczema at Cure Eczema.

Another related article: Treat Eczema Naturally

Dentist Huntersville NC The Primitive Stages of Dental Braces

Dental braces are gadgets that many of us in these modern times, take for granted ever so often.If in case you no longer know very well what they may be, they are usually the stainless steel bands and cords that is attached to the teeth within your lower and upper jaw in order to correct the displacement, alignment along with the position of your own teeth, palate and as well as your individual jaw.With the help of this device, common jaw and tooth problems such as over bites, cross bites as well as any crookedness or imperfections in your jaw and teeth can be corrected over time.

With the help of these devices, your jaw can be adjusted and modified in order to accommodate properly the growing number of teeth in your gums. These are generally very helpful and appealing accessories and so they can make a big difference when it concerns to the overall appearance of one’s facial area or your appearance.Outwardly, enjoying a suitable jaw sections and owning a perfectly rowed couple of teeth is critical aside from maintaining zero oral cavities and shiny pearly white teeth.th.

Recently, a lot of scientists have discovered that the developments of these dental devices are not that entirely new with regards to its development and discovery.It is not rare to find mummified remains of ancient people who have metal bands on their jaw in order to preserve the jaws and the teeth formations of their loved ones ad in fact, there are also evidences that ancient people knew how to fill gaps on their teeth and even were able to develop ways with which they could straighten their teeth over time through hand massage.

In the early 18th century, numerous experts and scholars immersed themselves employing the analysis of teeth and obtaining information on how it could be possible for their day to indulge in significantly more healthy and more likable teeth.In the past, oral cleanliness was not much of a basic need and a lot of folks would have problems with over bites and teeth irregularities all their life due to the absence or unavailability of appropriate medical attention and technology that would improve them.

The French scientist, Pierre Fauchard was able to develop dental techniques and procedures that could help straighten teeth, he was also able to publish a book entitled, the Surgeon Dentist.He was able to develop a dental instrument that is definitely thought to be a primitive precursor to our contemporary dental brace which he called a Bandeau; this device was a horseshoe carved device which was created from hard metals.

During the succeeding years and decades, many other scientists were able to accomplish other breakthroughs such as the wire crib, the gum elastics and many more.Although the pulling off of teeth were common some time past and were employed in order to better accommodate the rise of other teeth, the unclean techniques of such surgical treatments concluded in many infections.The 1st book on orthodontics was first published by Normal Kingsley which resulted in more improvement and accomplishment of methods that have been useful to correct oral deformities.

To get additional advice or to make an appointment simply click this link: Dentist Huntersville

If you need a great dentist in the Huntersville area we are here to help.

Commodity Future

Future trading is the most notable feature of business activity on the commodity exchange. In fact the commodity exchanges are organized mainly for futures contracts. The futures contracts are made for distinct purposes: speculation and hedging. Accordingly they are either speculative or hedging contracts. Speculative activity is such an important part of the working of the commodity exchanges that commodity exchanges are sometimes referred to as the speculative market.

In the context of a commodity exchange, speculation refers to an attempt to estimate the future trend of prices and proceed on that basis in such a manner that it may result in profit. Commodities may be bought at the current price in the hope (based on an intelligent estimate of the trend of prices) of selling them at a higher price in future, or vice versa. The opportunities for reaping such gains will arise only if there are changes in prices. Thus speculation is possible only when change in prices or value can be expected and reasonably predicted. Speculation consists of buying and selling commodities or securities in the hope of a profit from anticipated changes of value.

A speculator who is attempting to make a profit merely out of an anticipated change in price may sometimes be disappointed, for things may not move according to his calculations. In such circumstances he will obviously be suffering a loss. Speculation is thus a risky activity, and the speculator is one who assumes the risks incidental to change in the price of the commodity under consideration.

The futures markets are organized and used not only for speculation but also for hedging which is a method of eliminating risks arising from fluctuations in prices. Hedging may be referred to as the practice of covering the risks attaching to transactions in the cash market by contra-transactions in the futures market. If a commodity is purchased for delivery after three months in the cash market, where the actual commodity is handled, the trader may hedge the purchase by selling it for delivery after the same period in the futures market.

Comparing Vita Mix, Blendtec, Waring, And The Health Master Blender

First of all, this comparison is not entirely fair because obviously a 3 hp and even 3.5 hp blenders are much stronger than 2 hp blenders. The Health Master is advertised as a 2 hp blender and it is not even a 1.75 hp blender.

The more power and torque (AMP) a blender has the better the results of the smoothies and raw ingredient soups could be assumed. In our research we have found that a 2 hp blender does exactly the same job as a 3 hp blender or a 3.5 hp blender. But the 2 hp blender takes a little bid longer.

Then, not only time is an issue with blending raw, but also the torque and noise as well. Because the noise level of a 2 hp blender is just about the same as a 3 hp or 3.5 hp blender, the blending cycle is often cut short to minimize the noisy torture. Ok, it is true, that sound enclosures nowadays in the below $ 80 range can help with noise reduction.

The torque is rather critical with blending. Although a 3.5 hp or 3 hp blender may not necessarily yield in its true motor’s abilities, up to the AMP and Watt limitations, the motor is still what it is. It is a 2 hp, a 3 hp, or a 3.5 hp motor. Logically it yields in longevity and durability. The watts and the AMP’s act like a throttle.

The company that sells the Health Master Blender is called Tristar and it is a marketing company which sells kitchen appliances that are custom labeled such as with the name Montel or Jack Lalanne, etc… Maybe Oprah will have a blender too some day, who knows. While Waring, Blendtec, and Vita Mix have dealer programs, the Health Master according to the customer service department is only for sale through Tristar, aka Health Master(TM).

The Montel Williams Health Master blender is nearly (it is not) a 2 hp blender with 1100 watts and torque of 10 AMP’s in its base configuration. The base model costs $ 200. This price is a lure. You need to spend $ 30.00 shipping, which takes about 3 to 4 weeks according to the distribution center.

You can upgrade the Health Master blender to a 1200 watts model with 11 AMP’s for $ 40.00. While the warranty is only a 90 days warranty in the base model you can upgrade for $15.00 to a 3 years warranty or for $ 35 to a 7 years warranty. The total upgraded Health Master blender with a 1 week’s accelerated delivery time, which is about normal for all other blenders, costs about $330.

The Montel Blender advertising says the motor has a 100 years limited warranty. Reading the disclaimers about limitations, a vague abuse or misuse note basically voids the warranty, which is not much different with any of the other manufacturers. So, that is why we are really not putting too much weight on the warranty issue anyway. But still, the Health Master is a new production while Blendtec, Waring, and Vita Mix Corporations have proven themselves for 30 years, 60 years, and 80 years.

The Health Master blender has an electronic push-button operating system with 8 variable speeds. The Blendtec 3 hp blender has already been seen for as low as $359 including shipping and 3 years warranty. It is equipped with an electronic master-computer system featuring 25 blending cycles pre-programmed.

The Vita Mix blenders have generally a manual operating system with the exception of some commercial “Touch and Go” models. The Vita Mix 5200 and Vita Mix 3 hp commercial version (Vita Prep 1005/3) have both a variable speed knob and the 4500 Turbo Blender has just the manual on/off switch and low/fast speed option. With some exceptions, the commercial version like the Waring MX1200XT, for example, is very similar to the Vita Mix system, with on/off switch, variable speed knob and an override pulse switch for extra fast. Waring has several other 3.5 hp commercial blender models with few operating variations.

The dimensions of the Health Master are very similar to the Waring size, but Waring with its nearly 17 pound weight, outweighs the Health Master by about 4 pounds. The Vita Mix 5200 weighs just about the same, with the Blendtec 3 hp blender leading as the lightest model at 9 pounds. Weight may be an issue for some consumers. The Blendtec appears little flimsy when on full power, kind of moving back and forth. It never falls over, of course, but appearance is an issue to some, while the Blendtec HP3A certainly has huge travel advantages. Nobody wants to haul a 17 + pound blender around.

The Vita Mix 2 hp 5200, the Vita Mix 2 hp 4500 Turbo Blender, and the Blendtec HP3A 3 hp blender come with a BPA Free 64 oz / 2 liters container while the Health Master makes no mention about this Bi-Phenol issue. Whether Bi-Phenol is really a hazard is in question. Of course, the company that manufactures Bi-Phenol says it is not a hazard, if we can sell you on that. Anyway, Waring blenders, and the Vita Mix 3 hp commercial blenders, as well as many of the Blendtec Commercial versions are packaged with containers that are not BPA-Free.

The BPA-Free issue may not be even a valid matter since we put in question why both Blendtec and Vita Mix are still making regular Polycarbonate containers started with Bi-Phenol when there is apparently a health threat? We think it may be just a marketing stunt, perhaps… Anyway, the FDA and EPA have not issued any concerns about the level of Bi-Phenol in the regular Polycarbonate containers.

The Montel Health Master Blender comes with an intriguing safety feature. The blender does not work until all, the cap on the lid, the lid on the container, and the container on the base have been put in place and locked-in properly. A safety contact system is built in. When hearing it clicking into place, the user can turn on the blender.

The Montel master piece also comes with a tamper as well as does the Vita Mix series. Blendtec and Waring are firm contra-Vita-Mix believers and won’t have anything to do with a tamper. Although, you can’t kid yourself; you still need a tamper anyway.

We were shocked about the Montel Blender disclaimer that you should not use the tamper in place for more than 25 seconds because it could cause overheating. The 2 hp Vita Mix 5200 or 4500 Turbo Blenders don’t have this limitation at all. And the 3 hp Vita Mix Blender basically can live with its tamper during the entire 5 minutes of soup making. Another big shocker was the section where the Montel manual states that consumers should not blend peanut butter more than 2 minutes because it could overheat the motor.

These concerns, however, do not mean that the Montel blender is bad. Remember, compared to the Vita Mix 4500, it is about 20$ cheaper, and about $70 cheaper than the Vita Mix 2 hp commercial blender Vita Prep 2. Of course, the Vita Mix Vita Prep 1005 / 3 hp blender is about $ 500 and the Waring MX1200XT costs about $470, there are some purchasing cost differences. Other Waring 3.5 hp blenders are for example the MX1050XT which can be bought for $350. It is really similar to the MX1200XT but is a slightly different operating system.

So, is it true that you get what you are paying for? When consumers reported to us that the 2 hp Montel Williams Health Master Blender costs $200, a closer look really has revealed that compared to its former and highly proven competitors, it is really only little less costly (about 3% less). We learned, the motor is only nearly a 2 hp motor while all Vita Mix motors are at least 2 hp + peak and higher.

The Waring commercial blenders are 3.5 hp blenders, which are starting at about $20 more than the Health Master. We appraised and accounted for the slight differences in these high performance blenders and their pros and cons in features respectively. The apple put against an equal apple, the Montel Blender really costs only about $20 to $30 less than the proven flag ships of Blendtec and Vita Mix Blenders.

Time and consumer feedback is perhaps the best judge and evaluator of which blender is better over time. To be fair, of course, a 3 hp blender and the 3.5 hp Waring blenders have been found to outperform the Montel Williams Health Master Blender, but they also cost significantly more money, while of course the witty Blendtec 3 hp HP3A blender is only $30 bucks more and you get a 3 hp motor.

Although a 3 hp motor with these heavy duty high performance blenders does not yield truly 3 hp, the torque is there, and the motor will outlast the 2 hp motor by a long time. The Waring commercial eXtreme blenders with its 3.5 hp motors are featuring 13 amps and 1500 watts, the Blendtec HP3A and Total Blenders have also a 3 hp motor, 13 amps, 1500 watts, the Vita Mix 3 hp blender comes with 12.5 amps and 1500 watts, and Vita Mix 2 hp blenders 11.5 amps with 1300 watts.

Our advice is to always read about the blenders as much as you can before buying. And if you buy one, make sure you are dealing with a company that has a history of good and honest customer service which will allow you to return the blender if not satisfied. You probably should always ask yourself the question, why is a blender more expensive or less expensive than another one?

Nothing is for free, and usually the statement “you get what you pay for” is true. And hopefully our purchase cost calculation of the Montel Williams “nearly” 2 hp Health Master blender makes sense to you. To us it does. It is a fine blender, very much so being competitively priced with the Vita Mix 2 hp Blender group in respect to power and features, with certainly some pros and cons on each side.

Still, the Blendtec HP3A with its 3 hp motor and selling for only about $30 more than the Montel Blender, leaves us breathless. And frankly, if you only have $230 to spend for a good blender, a nearly 2 hp blender with 1100 watts and a 90 days warranty may just have to do to get your raw food cooking to the next level.

Cardiovascular Center Innovative Trials And Screening For Advanced Heart Disease

Directed by Kenneth L. Baughman, MD, the Advanced Heart Disease Program part of the Cardiovascular Center is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of leading specialists dedicated to the care of patients with congestive heart failure and other severe cardiac conditions. New clinical trials at the Program include:

Jarvik 2000 Heart Assist System Gregory S. Couper, MD, and James Fang, MD, are directing this trial assessing a new ventricular assist device (VAD) that is quieter, smaller, and more durable compared with older generation VADs. Patients with end-stage congestive heart failure who are failing medical therapy and considered appropriate candidates for cardiac transplantation may qualify for this clinical trial. (For more information, please call Gregory S. Couper, MD, at 617-732- 7678 or email .)

OPCAT For patients with diastolic heart failure, this National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-sponsored, international multicenter trial is testing the efficacy of an aldosterone antagonist in the treatment of heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. Patients 50 years of age or younger with a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than or equal to 45 percent and signs and symptoms of heart failure with either a heart failure hospitalization in the past 12 months or elevated brain natriuretic peptide levels are eligible for the study. TOPCAT is led internationally by Brigham and Womens Hospital senior cardiologist Marc A. Pfeffer, MD, PhD, and locally at Brigham and Womens Hospital by Dr. Fang, along with Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH, Scott D. Solomon, MD, and Akshay S. Desai, MD. This trial is only the second major trial that has offered a medical therapeutic option for patients with diastolic heart failure. (For more information, please contact Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH, at 617-525-7057 or , or James Fang, MD, at 617-732-7367 or .)

HF-ACTION (Heart Failure A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training) Sponsored by the NHLBI, this randomized, controlled, multicenter trial is designed to evaluate the impact of exercise on advanced heart disease, including its effects on mortality, morbidity, hospitalizations, and over- (continued on page 6) all quality-of-life. Class II, III, and IV systolic heart failure patients with ejection fraction less than or equal to 35 percent may qualify for participation in this trial, that is overseen locally in three locations by Brigham and Womens Hospital specialist Daniel E. Forman, MD. (For more information, please call Research Study Coordinator Maria M. Lopez, MA, at 617-525-7638 or .)

Milestones in Transplantation
Adding to a long history of accomplishments in organ transplantation at Brigham and Womens Hospital, specialists completed the Cardiovascular Centers 500th heart transplant in December 2005 more than any other center in New England. Brigham and Womens Hospital physicians performed the first heart transplant in New England more than 20 years ago and the worlds first successful human organ transplant in 1954.

Cardiovascular Genetics Center
The Cardiovascular Genetics Center also part of the Cardiovascular Center offers comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and management for individuals and families with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), inherited aortic aneurysms, inherited arrhythmias (including QT syndrome), and Marfan syndrome. Center Director Christine E. Seidman, MD, and Medical Director Carolyn Ho, MD, along with other Center clinicians, provide:

Individual genetic screening with clinically approved DNA analysis;

Family screening;

Genetic counseling;

Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death.

Disease-specific experts carefully monitor patients with genetic mutations for cardiac disease, and early medical intervention is available to delay the onset of disease. Careful longitudinal evaluation may also prevent or minimize the incidence of high risk cardiac events and sudden death. The Center is currently evaluating patients with pre-symptomatic hypertrophic myopathy in an effort to avoid development of the disease.

Information and Referrals
To refer a patient to the Cardiovascular Center at Brigham and Womens Hospital, please call a Referral Coordinator at (617) 732-9894.

Cure Eczema Naturally Silencing Eczema’s Symptoms

Eczema brings a lot of discomfort to anyone who’s afflicted. It causes mind-numbing hours of fervent scratching, and in some cases, the affected areas are sore and inflamed. Treatments for eczema are numerous; in fact, you get a hold of an effective remedy at home. What you should work on, first, is keeping it from getting aggravated.

Avoid Eczema Irritants

Curing eczema becomes increasingly tough if you keep the red blotches exposed to irritants. The soreness and itchiness may subside, but the inflamed regions will only make a comeback eventually. While you cure eczema naturally, make sure to avoid these:

Corrosive Metals – Some metals, when mixed with sweat, form an abrasive solution that worsens the symptoms of eczema. For instance, if your watch makes your eczema sore, don’t wear it until the condition has been fully treated. Strong Detergents – There are detergents that are particularly tough on bacteria, eliminating unwanted odors and stains. Unfortunately, they irritate eczema. Red Meat – Red meat isn’t exactly the easiest thing to digest and can bring certain toxins to the body. These toxins indirectly aggravate eczema, so better stick to healthier dietary options.

Natural Treatments for Eczema

Normally, a steroidal ointment will do the job, but for severe cases, you’ll be using expensive medication for extended periods. You might as well not hurt your budget in the process. Natural treatments for eczema are abundant. They can be procured at home, pharmacies or herbal stores.

Neem Oil – Neem oil, by all means, is a wonder drug. Not only does it relieve the symptoms of eczema, it also removes cold sores, acne and ringworm. Apply it on the sore regions, and they should heal, gradually. Shea Butter – Bath soaps, especially the ones with strong formulations, can aggravate eczema. You should keep things natural, and use shea butter, oatmeal soap and other soaps with natural ingredients. Red Clover – Red Clover is a blood thinner with surprising effects against the skin condition. You can cure eczema naturally by applying it on the irritated areas. Aloe Vera – Aloe vera is one of the most ideal treatments for eczema. It relieves the sore areas and revitalizes the skin.

Treatments for eczema are easily secured or purchased. Finding the best one for your condition is the tricky part. You can consult your dermatologist on the best remedies on the market, then you’ll get to cure eczema naturally.

Steve Winton is an author, blogger and an authority on eczema solutions. Discover how he completely eliminated eczema naturally Cure Eczema Naturally

Herbal Remedies vs. Conventional Medicine

Many conventional drugs used today to treat various illnesses originated from the natural healing properties found in herbs. A good example is aspirin, which was originally derived from willow bark for its salicylic content. Through the years, scientists found ways to isolate beneficial compounds found in medicinal plants and create them synthetically in a lab. This was done for multiple reasons. It was more cost effective, as plants vary in potency depending on where they are grown, as well as the growing conditions, which, when these compounds are simplified and copied, can be controlled. With synthetic production, risk of contamination from wrongly identified plant specimen or even contamination from pesticides and other conditions can also be eliminated. And most important, it was economically advantageous to isolate and patent individual components of the medicinal herbs seen as beneficial to combating illness.

However, with the introduction and predominant use of synthetic drugs on the market, other unforeseen issues cropped up. The main drawback to these synthetics is its very unpleasant and frequently dangerous side effects that range from mild allergic reactions to poisoning the bodys systems to the point of shutdown. The culprit is usually the result of synthetic medicines using potent compounds that were initially isolated from plants, but were not copied over in entirety. (Remember the patent approach). A simplified example is vitamin C, which has only recently been found to work incompletely within the body because, among other things, was missing flavonoids. Scientists still are far from having a complete understanding of the human body, and as a result, synthetic medicine can have unforeseen and long-lasting destruction on the body. The best that medicine can be expected to do at this time is manage the effects of disease and illness, with the hope that enough of the negative cells and bacteria are eliminated before the whole body system collapses.

The holistic approach centers on prevention and identifying at-risk areas of health before it becomes a problem. Conventional medicine has become little more than disease management. Conventional medicine may be beneficial for acute injuries, such as a car accident, broken bones, heat stroke, frostbite, and the like; however chronic conditions such as the flu, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer can all benefit from a more holistic approach that incorporates herbal remedies into a regimen of care.