Changes in breathing patterns and muscle tension are two of the more obvious physical responses to stress. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that mindful breathing and stretching are two of the best ways of counteracting the impact of anxious feelings. Several recent studies confirm this truism. But, the breadth of health benefits imparted by breathing exercises and stretching go much further than you might imagine.

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Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that asthma rates are on the rise although pollution and second hand smoke exposure is declining. According to data collected in 2009, approximately 25 million Americans are now living with this inflammatory lung condition which causes coughing fits, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest and wheezing. What’s more, no age or ethnic group is immune to this trend. However, those without medical insurance are more at risk because the typical price tag associated with conventional asthma treatment rings in at over $3,200 per person/year. This explains why roughly 40% of uninsured asthma patients report that they’re unable to buy the prescription medications needed to address their symptoms. (1) Read more »

I have a confession to make. Even after many years of using and working with natural medicine, I still have an underlying fear of chiropractors. Not the men and women who make up the profession. But the actual process of getting an adjustment. I’ve just never gotten used to the cracking and popping sounds brought about by manual adjustments. However my concerns are often at odds with some of the positive evidence that exists about this widely utilized holistic technique. The most recent figures published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine estimate that upwards of $4 billion a year is spent on “chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation” in the US alone. It appears that many health conscious consumers do not share my reservations about visiting their friendly, neighborhood chiropractor.
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A client just asked me about a column she read in the New York Times. It dealt with the advisability of using coffee to manage asthma symptoms. Home remedies such as coffee and tea contain naturally occurring chemicals known as methylxanthines which act as bronchodilators. According to a recent summary article in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, caffeine can also reduce “respiratory muscle fatigue”. However, the noted benefits for asthmatics tend to be rather short lived with improvements of airway function lasting four hours at best. In my opinion, there are better ways of dealing with the chronic issues that affect patients with asthma. (1,2)
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Staying physical active is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. But there are numerous reasons why some people avoid exercise altogether. Chief among them is a lack of conviction. At times this is a result of over-rationalization. “I just saw on the news that so-and-so died. He was an avid runner. That just goes to show you that we’re all going to die anyway.” Another common excuse is the belief that exercise has to be complicated. Spend some time at a book store or watching infomercials late at night and you may get the impression that you need to buy a best-selling training manual, a trendy DVD or take a specialized course in order to “do it right”. The truth is that for the vast majority of people, getting healthier is as simple as moving around more. However, it never hurts to peer into the scientific literature from time-to-time to see what’s new in the world of exercise research. That’s where the real advancements are presented. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is to stay active while staying informed to get the most out of your work-out routine.
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The topic of breastfeeding and infant formula has been on my mind lately. Perhaps it’s because a colleague and friend recently had a baby. My brother-in-law and his wife are also expecting. With all of the contradictory information out there about prenatal nutrition, I wonder how they and other parents-to-be decide on what’s best for the babies. Thankfully, it seems that at least one area of prenatal care isn’t widely contested – breastfeeding. If a mother is healthy and capable of providing adequate breast milk, it is generally considered the optimal source of nourishment. But much like infant formula, the quality of breast milk is largely dependent upon what ingredients it contains. This is why what a mother eats and supplements with during pregnancy and while breastfeeding is vitally important. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is for expectant mothers to discuss essential fatty acid supplementation with their physicians.
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I have a confession to make. Even after many years of using and working with natural medicine, I still have an underlying fear of chiropractors. Not the men and women who make up the profession. But the actual process of getting an adjustment. I’ve just never gotten used to the cracking and popping sounds brought about by manual adjustments. However my concerns are often at odds with some of the positive evidence that exists about this widely utilized holistic technique. The most recent figures published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine estimate that upwards of $4 billion a year is spent on “chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation” in the US alone. It appears that many health conscious consumers do not share my reservations about visiting their friendly, neighborhood chiropractor. Read more »

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked has do with which supplements are the most essential. Many people who inquire are already taking a multivitamin. It’s not always the best multivitamin, but at least it provides the basic nutrients that are often lacking in the modern diet. However, there are certain minerals that are never provided in adequate amounts in a standard one-a-day supplement. They’re simply too bulky to be contained in a single capsule or even a large tablet. Read more »

If you took a poll that asked people to identify the most popular vitamin in the world, you’d likely find that Vitamin C tops the list. But if you posed that same question to researchers who are currently conducting scientific studies, their answer would almost certainly be Vitamin D – and I’m not just referring to researchers in the field of nutritional science. Specialists from all over the medical map are expressing an interest in the role that the “sunshine vitamin” may play in conditions ranging from asthma to cardiovascular disease to diabetes, and even lesser known conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These days, the scientific literature is simply lit up with references to ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3).
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Many of the health benefits attributed to natural therapies are actually brought about by re-establishing practices that ought to come naturally to the body and mind. There is nothing more basic and essential than breathing. But there’s a difference between breathing to live and breathing with the goal of improving and/or maintaining good health. The difference between these practices generally has to do with two factors: the conscious act of breathing properly and how deeply air is inhaled and exhaled via the diaphragm and lungs. Read more »

In the field of nutritional science, there is no hotter nutrient than Vitamin D. Scientists are steadfastly studying the effects of D on everything from arthritis to cardiovascular disease and even psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. One area of particular interest is that of Vitamin D deficiency and pulmonary health. There is a desperate need to identify preventive measures and safe treatments for lung conditions because of the shockingly large number of people who are affected by them. It is estimated that approximately 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma alone, and that number is growing at a staggering pace.
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