What's in your meat?

Many people may not realize it, but much of the meat we eat contains synthetic growth hormones and other chemicals that may be harmful to us. Why would cattle owners want to use growth hormones? It is all about money. Ranchers today want to produce more cattle in a shorter period. A rancher may only have about 14 months to get the calf from a small size, say 80 pounds, to a selling size (around 1,200 pounds). Growth hormones help the cattle put on weight to get them ready for slaughter in record time as well as reducing the amount of fat in the meat. Nitrates are a chemical compound that can also be found in meat today, being used to cure meat and give them a healthy color. Most notably, nitrates are found in hotdogs, giving them their red color.

The use of hormones in meat is nothing new. As far back as the 1930s, research shows that estrogen affected the growth rates in both cattle and poultry. By the 1950s, a synthetic (man made) estrogen, DES, was being used to increase cattle size. However, DES was found to cause cancer and is no longer used to "fatten" up cattle and chickens.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) current approves of five different types of hormones used in food production. Of these, testosterone and progesterone are produced naturally by the animals and zeranol and trenbolone acetate are synthetically made. These hormones are approved for use only in cattle and sheep. Poultry, such as chickens and turkeys, and pigs do not gain much weight when given these hormones, so they are not given them. Most of these hormones are given to the animal by inserting a pellet under the skin of the ear. The pellet releases the hormone and the ears of the animals are thrown away during slaughtered.

The concern of scientist and consumers both is that traces of the hormones and chemicals will remain in the meat and pose a potential hazard to humans who consume it. Have you noticed that girls today seem to be reaching puberty at a younger age? It is suspected that this may be due to the steroids found in today's meat. Unfortunately, studies done on the potentially harmful ingredients in meat have proved inconclusive and further studies are needed. One problem when conducting a study is that the animals produce some of the hormones naturally, therefore making it hard to determine how much is natural versus the pellet hormones. Also, the level of hormones produced naturally varies from animal to animal, another hurdle for researchers to overcome. The concern with nitrates, used to cure meats and give them a pink or red color, is that they can be converted into nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are believed to both cause and promote cancer. However, the FDA has no studies that decisively finds nitrates used in meats harmful, therefore continue to allow them to be used in processed foods.

What should you as a consumer do? One thing you can do is purchase organic meat. Organic meat comes from livestock raised without hormones or steroids. Also, the cattle are fed grains with no pesticides involved. In 2002, the United States Department of Agriculture developed a system whereas all organic foods (including meat) would be labeled as such. So when shopping, you should see a label on organic meat that signifies that it contains at least 95% organic ingredients. Some grocery stores carry organic meat, but if not, you may have to visit a butcher shop or health food store to find it. You can even buy organic meat through the Internet and have it delivered to your home. However, if you decided to purchase meat online, you may want to first order a small amount. That way, you can determine if it meets all your specifications for delivery time, freshness, etc. before buying a larger quantity.

Spring is in the air.....

It is that time of year again.....asthma sufferers beware! Here at Botanical Health Magazine our emails are overloaded this week with asthma questions, so we decided to do another Q &A with Dr. Judy Caporiccio. She calls this "Asthma for Dummies".

Q. Is All Asthma The Same?

A. Asthma is a chronic condition. This means that while it often looks like it goes away for awhile, the inflammation of the air passages remains present all the time. However, in some instances, this inflammation may go unnoticed for long periods of time. As long as the air passages are inflamed, asthma can flare up at any time. This is one of the reasons that an awareness of the triggers that cause the flare-ups is so important in preventing asthma episodes.

Allergic asthma - Allergic asthma is most common in children and adolescents. Usually, but not always, the allergies that cause the asthma appear before the age of 35. An asthma attack or episode occurs when a person comes into contact with something to which he or she has developed an allergy.

Nonallergic asthma - This type of asthma is most common in middle-aged adults. Asthma attacks may occur in response to triggers such as exercise, cold air, or respiratory infections. The allergic mechanism is not responsible for the asthmatic reaction.

Q. What makes my breathing passages so sensitive to triggers?

A. The underlying cause of the sensitivity in the airways is inflammation. Inflamed airways are highly reactive to triggers. In other words, they are easily irritated and respond by contracting, swelling, and filling with thick mucus. Some of the breathing passages don't have much supporting cartilage in their walls the way the windpipe does. As a result, they are not very "stiff" and are easily squeezed closed. Think of them as tiny tubes with thin muscle fibers wrapped around them like "rubber bands." If the "rubber bands" (airway muscle) tighten, the thin-walled passages are more easily choked off, making you short of breath.

Here are some of the natural remedies that I recommend to my patients:

*Quercetin - Quercetin is a phytochemical that is part of the coloring found in the skins of apples and red onions. It's powerful antihistamine action may help to relieve allergic symptoms and asthma symptoms.

*Salmon Omega - A higher intake of omega-6 fatty acids causes cell-signaling processes that result in inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids shift the processes in the body away from inflammation. In this way, omega-3 fatty acids can help to modulate a component of the asthmatic mechanism.

*Aller-C - is a potent combination formula used to moderate the inflammatory response.

*Cromolyn - Cromolyn sodium (also called sodium cromoglycate) is a mast cell stabilizing drug. It is available as a nasal spray to treat allergic rhinitis, and as an inhaler to treat asthma.

Breath In.....Breath Out.....

This just in from the APA:

With the looming IRS tax deadline, more Americans are experiencing financial stressors and may be dealing with them in unhealthy ways, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Stress related to tax deadlines can increase reliance on the unhealthy behaviors many people already use to cope with everyday stressors related to money, work, personal and family health matters, and raising children. APA warns that increased reliance on unhealthy behaviors to manage stress can lead to long-term, serious health problems.“People who cope with stress in unhealthy ways may alleviate symptoms of stress in the short term, but end up creating significant personal health problems over time, and, ironically, more stress,” says psychologist Russ Newman, PhD, JD, APA executive director for professional practice. “Research shows that stA 2006 APA survey found that money is the top source of stress for adults. Nearly 60 percent of people attribute their stress to money and work, interrelated issues that are emphasized for many during the tax-filing process. The survey also found that, overall, people are engaging in unhealthy behaviors, such as eating to alleviate stress, making poor diet choices, smoking, drinking, and being inactive to manage financial and other life stressors.

Stress, and the unhealthy behaviors people use to manage it, contribute to some of our country’s biggest health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. So it’s imperative that people take steps to address issues like financial stressors in healthier ways.”

Botanical Health Magazine is here to help!

Excessive stress robs the body of nutrients, harms the cardiovascular system, and lowers the effectiveness of the immune system.
Psychologically, stress can induce depression, anxiety, anger, fear, and other negative patterns. How well do you deal with stress? What can you do?
Herbs can reduce or even eliminate some of the negative effects that stress can cause. Some herbs are the best treatment for physical ailments, while others work better for psychological problems. Managing your emotions and mastering your reactions to stress will be the necessary steps you must take to "cure" stress, but meanwhile, herbs can definitely help.
For example, if you are under pressure and you feel your heart racing while your breathing becomes more rapid, you may feel better quickly with the use of Hawthorne berries and Linden flowers in capsules or as teas.
If the stress affects your digestive system, try Chamomile or Peppermint. For tight shoulders, use Valerian, which will also help with occasional insomnia. Feverfew and Willow bark will help with tension headaches and stress-related migraines. If your nervous system has been stretched to the limit, use Oats. As a food or in the form of oatstraw tea, oats will nourish the nervous system.
Herbs that will help the body achieve balance are said to have adaptogenic properties. For example, Ginseng can help strengthen the body's systems for handling stress. The result is that you can train up to handle stress better next time, while a stimulant only gets you over a hurdle for the short term.
No amount of medicine is going to make the stress events different in our lives, but we can usually handle the physical effects of stress better with the intelligent use of herbal supplements.
If these tips don't work well enough to help in your particular pressure-cooker of a life, do work with an experienced Naturopathic Physician to get things understood and changed for the better. Ask if a good Magnesium and Vitamin B supplement would help.
Modern science is validating our older natural medicines as being just as effective today, and they usually turn out to be safer than modern drugs. Head your problems off with gentle natural medicines before they rob you and your family of a good quality of life.

What's That Ringing In My Ear?

This is something that I have experienced myself, but didn't know the extent of irritation that this can cause people. In a recent email from a reader they asked if we were familiar with any natural remedies for this very aggravating disorder.

What is Tinnitus?

The symptoms of tinnitus include ringing noises in the ears or hearing sounds that seem to be coming from inside your head. The sounds of tinnitus may be varied and sufferers report the noise as ringing, buzzing, whistling, beating or roaring. The noise may be continuous, may come and go, be heard in one ear or in both. Tinnitus is sometimes associated with hearing loss. For some, tinnitus may be nothing but an annoying little sound they hear every now and then, but for the unlucky ones, tinnitus can reduce the ability to concentrate or hear outside noises and may become completely debilitating - preventing the sufferer from leading a normal life.

What Causes Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is usually caused by damage to the microscopic hairs that line the auditory cells in the ear. These hairs usually move in response to sound waves detected, producing a brainwave that is experienced as sound. When damaged, these hairs become bent or broken and move randomly in a constant state of irritation, producing “sound” impulses in the brain.
Degenerative damage in people of advancing age is a common cause of tinnitus and usually paired with hearing loss. In younger sufferers exposure to loud noise is probably the leading culprit.
Other causes of tinnitus may be as benign as a small plug of wax in the ear that is easily removed. Tinnitus may also occur as a result of head and neck injury, stiffening of the bones in the middle-ear or as a side-effect of prescription drugs.
Sometimes tinnitus may be caused by an actual sound produced in your body that becomes audible due to disease or proximity to the ear (Objective tinnitus). Circulation problems such as high blood pressure and atherosclerosis can cause the sound of blood flow in vessels close to the ear to become more forceful, or turbulent - allowing your ear to detect the sound. Malformation or narrowing of blood vessels in the head and neck can have the same effect. More rarely, tinnitus is a symptom of a tumor in the head or neck.
Most tinnitus comes from damage to the inner ear, specifically the cochlea. Tinnitus can also arise from damage to the nerve between the ear and brain (8th nerve, also called the vestibular nerve); from injury to the brainstem and, rarely, to the brain itself.
Pulsatile tinnitus (tinnitus that beats with your pulse) can be caused by aneurysms, increased pressure in the head (hydrocephalus), and hardening of the arteries. Anything that increases blood flow or turbulence such as hyperthyroidism, low blood viscosity (for example, anaemia), or tortuous blood vessels may cause pulsatile tinnitus. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in tinnitus patients.
Many medications can cause tinnitus. Generally this is thought to arise from their effect on the cochlea (ear). The following is a list of some common medications that may contribute to tinnitus:

*Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as naproxen
*Aspirin and other salicylates
*Frusemide and other "loop" diuretics
*Antibiotics ending in - mycin (such as erythromycin)
*Quinine and related drugs
Chemotherapy

What is the usual treatment for Tinnitus?

Conventional treatment of tinnitus is based on the underlying cause if one is found. For example, if impacted wax is the culprit, it is easily removed or, if a medication is causing the tinnitus, you would need to discontinue the medication or ask your health care provider to prescribe an alternative drug.
In cases where tinnitus is caused by ear damage due to noise exposure or advancing age, very little is available in terms of medical treatment. Treatments that are available are generally used on a trial and error basis as different drugs may help different people.

Dr. Caporiccio recommends....Ginkgo Biloba. It is an extremely effective herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and derived from one of the oldest trees on earth. Its medicinal properties have only been discovered by the West during the last 20 years, where clinical studies have indicated its effectiveness in restoring the functioning of the circulatory system and treating conditions caused by degenerative changes of ageing. Ginkgo is excellent for a number of cerebral and circulatory disorders. It is probably the most widely-used herb for tinnitus and many sufferers swear by this natural ingredient.

New Year's Resolutions In Full Swing.....

We all have our character flaws to be sure. I will put mine out there.....procrastination. I always get the job done, but for some reason I am a glutton for punishment and I save everything to the last minute. My excuse being, "I work better under pressure". Well, that is true, but completely unnecessary! So that is my New Year's Resolution this year.....death to procrastination. Now that I have aired my dirty laundry, I am putting out a request to all of our faithful and wonderful readers to do the same. I so enjoy all of the emails that I receive with questions pertaining to anything from herbs to hemorrhoids. This year Botanical Health Magazine would like to prove that we are here for you by addressing your questions directly. Please email any questions or concerns to us and we will post the answers right here in our weekly magazine. Thanks for your support and we look forward to making 2009 the best year ever!

Kat Torres
Editor

Happy New Year!

Happy New year from all of us here at Botanical Health Magazine! Thank you to all of our readers, who keep us motivated to provide helpful information and tips about your health, and all things botanical. We look forward to serving you in 2009 and welcome your comments and questions.

Wishing you a prosperous, healthy, and peaceful new year.


Kat Torres
Editor

Let's Talk About Menopause.....

A woman is said to have completed natural menopause when she has not had a period for 12 consecutive months. For American women, this typically happens at around age 51 or 52. Menopause occurs immediately if the uterus or both ovaries are surgically removed, or if the ovaries are damaged in cancer treatment with radiation therapy or certain drugs.

COMMON SYMPTONS DURING MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION

Some symptoms that women experience are related to menopause and decreased activity of the ovaries. Others may be related to aging in general.

Scientific evidence of a link to menopause is strongest for the following symptoms:

*Hot flashes and night sweats (also called vasomotor symptoms, because they involve the expansion of the blood vessels)
*Sleep difficulties
*Vaginal dryness, which can lead to painful intercourse and other sexual problems.

It is not certain whether the following symptoms are due to menopause, other factors that can come with aging, or a combination of menopause and these factors:

*Problems in thinking or in remembering things
*Urinary incontinence
*Physical complaints, such as tiredness and stiff or painful joints
*Changes in mood, such as depression, anxiety, and/or irritability.

The expert panel assembled for the NIH State-of-the-Science conference noted that menopause is a normal part of women's aging and advised that menopause should not be "medicalized" (or viewed as a disease).

WHAT SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT HERBAL THERAPIES FOR MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS

The NIH State-of-the-Science conference panel discussed the evidence on several CAM therapies:

Six botanicals—black cohosh, dong quai root, ginseng, kava, red clover, and soy.

Very little well-designed research has been done on CAM therapies for menopausal symptoms. A small number of studies have been published, but they have had limitations (such as the way the research was done or treatment periods that may not have been long enough). As a result, the findings from these studies are not strong enough for scientists to draw any conclusions. Also, many studies of botanicals have not used a standardized product (i.e., one that is chemically consistent). The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is sponsoring a number of studies on botanicals using products that are both well characterized (i.e., their ingredients have been carefully studied) and well standardized and on other CAM therapies that have shown possible promise for reducing menopausal symptoms.
Because CAM products used for menopausal symptoms can have side effects and can interact with other botanicals or supplements or with drugs, research in this area is addressing safety as well as efficacy. Some findings from this research are highlighted below.

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa). This herb has received more scientific attention for its possible effects on menopausal symptoms than have other botanicals. Studies of its effectiveness in reducing hot flashes have had mixed results. A study funded by NCCAM and the National Institute on Aging found that black cohosh, whether used alone or with other botanicals, failed to relieve hot flashes and night sweats in postmenopausal women or those approaching menopause. Other research suggests that black cohosh does not act like estrogen, as once was thought. Black cohosh has had a good safety record over a number of years. Some concerns have been raised about whether it may cause liver problems, but an association has not been proven.

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis). Only one randomized clinical study of dong quai has been done. The researchers did not find it to be useful in reducing hot flashes. Dong quai is known to interact with, and increase the activity in the body of, the blood-thinning medicine warfarin. This can lead to bleeding complications in women who take this medicine.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng or Panax quinquefolius). The panel concluded that ginseng may help with some menopausal symptoms, such as mood symptoms and sleep disturbances, and with one's overall sense of well-being. However, it has not been found helpful for hot flashes