Depression is a health issue the world over. The following statistics illustrate this fact:

• 1 in 5 women in America suffer from clinical depression
• Less than 30 percent of people report being “deeply happy”
• Of the thousands of thoughts that go through the mind daily, 80 percent of them are negative
• Everyone in the world will be affected by depression, whether they experience it themselves or through friends or family members
• The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease
• As of 2002, the rate of increase in depression among children is nearly 25 percent
• Among depressed African American men, 92 percent do not seek treatment

These statistics are enough to make anyone depressed. It’s a disease that affects all aspects of life—personal as well as professional. Reports claim that employers lose some $51 billion in lost productivity due to absenteeism and poor performance while on the job.

In an effort to relieve depression and its destructive symptoms, people often turn to antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft for treatment. While these medications work for some, they don’t work for everyone. In fact, according to the British Journal of Psychiatry, antidepressants help less than half of those treated. Further, according to a report from the Washington Post in 2004, they sometimes lead to suicide, brain tumors and psychosis.

With all this negative news it is with great relief that I report some positive news from the world of natural health with regards to the treatment of depression. Because according to a report released by Chinese Medical News, the bark from magnolia trees is an effective treatment for depression.

Historically as well as today, magnolias have been used for a wide range of medical maladies. For example, the key components found in magnolia bark—i.e. honokiol and magnolol—have been used to treat lung and intestinal disorders. They’ve also been used to treat stroke, headache and anxiety.

With this in mind, researchers from Nanjing University in China tested the serotonin levels of rats to see what impact honokiol and magnolol had on them. When the rats were fed these compounds, their serotonin levels increased. Serotonin is a hormone found in the brain that is linked to one’s mood. The higher the levels, the higher the mood.

These compounds have been found to do other amazing things as well. Not only do they serve as a natural antidepressant, but they have also been used as an effective treatment in mice with colorectal cancer by inhibiting tumor growth, as well as having anti-inflammatory properties in the treatment of atherosclerosis, a disease that affects the blood vessels.

Again, while magnolia may seem like a foreign treatment to us here in America, its holistic healing powers are well known at the international level. It’s well worth the time for consumers and researchers alike to further investigate magnolia in the hopes of making it more mainstream than it already is.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for more positive news on how best to treat depression naturally, as its deleterious effects are felt the world over.

Being a health-conscious consumer, you likely already know that peeling the skin off chicken and turkey—whether it’s before or after cooking—will save you from consuming the empty calories, and heart-clogging saturated fat that accompany our fine feathered friends.  But when it comes to fruits and vegetables, skin is “in!”

Fiber in fruits and vegetables—the stuff that keeps you “regular” and helps prevent various types of cancers and diabetes—comes primarily from the skin.  For instance, in potatoes, you get about two grams of fiber from a medium sized potato without the skin.  But if you eat the entire potato, you get about four grams of fiber.  The same is true for an apple.  Without the skin, you get about one and a half grams of fiber.  But with the skin, you get about three and a half grams of fiber.

If fiber content were the only good thing that came with eating the skin off an apple, that’d be enough.  There’s more, though—much more!  According to a new study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, apple skins contain chemical compounds that can actually help prevent cancer!

Researchers from Cornell University came to this conclusion after gathering 230 apples (Man, that’s a lot of apples) and extracted each and every compound out of the apple skins to see what impact they had on various kinds of cancer cells.  They identified 12 compounds called “triterpenoids.”  These fun-to-say compounds, the researchers found, actually prevented the growth of cancer cells that the researchers had cultured from previous studies.

“[Eating] five to twelve servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily is appropriate to reduce the risks of chronic diseases, including cancers, and to meet nutrient requirements for optimum health,” said Rui Hai Liu, one of the study’s researchers and an associate professor of food science at Cornell University.

Professor Liu restates what most of us already know—that eating several servings of fruits and vegetables daily is as essential to our long term health as regular exercise is, if not more so.  But this finding is particularly exciting for the apple lovers among us and gives new life to the age-old phrase of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Here are some other exciting healthful tidbits about apples and their contribution to our health:

• Cloudy apple juice (as opposed to the more common clear kind) is among the healthiest juices you can drink in terms of polyphenol, flavonoid and antioxidant content
• Studies indicate that the phenols in apple skins are a natural sunscreen, blocking out UV-B rays the sun emits (Braeburns and Granny Smith apples are the most protective)
• Studies indicate that the nutritional content of apples were the most beneficial in preventing various diseases and health conditions (i.e. cancer, asthma, type-2 diabetes) when compared to other fruits and vegetables

And that’s just the beginning.  So, if you were ever in doubt about the health benefits of apples in comparison to other fruits and vegetables, doubt no longer.  All hail the mighty apple!

A new research study on walking has found that only 30 minutes of walking per day, five days per week can help prevent colds throughout the year. Walking has been found to be one of the most successful forms of exercise because it can be done at the perfect level of intensity, not too much and not too little. It is important to remember that over-working out can actually weaken your immune system and bring more colds your way without you realizing it.

This study shows that walking 30 minutes a day actually raises your white blood cell count and these are the blood cells which are fighting the diseases and colds. Therefore by exercising daily you are temporarily raising your white blood cell count that will help fight the many colds and viruses floating around you everyday. Of course it is important to create a healthy balance between good hygiene and daily exercise such as walking. By washing your hands frequently you are taking an active stand against the colds trying to infect your immune system.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

I’ve been advocating the importance of daily walks since I began my mission in alternative health. Walking is a simple exercise which has the capability to maintain your fitness level and do so many other things. Some of the most common benefits of walking include controlling your blood pressure, decreasing risk of heart attack, protecting you against hip fractures and can boost good cholesterol. This is just a very small taste of the different health benefits walking can produce for those who use it on a steady basis. You cannot expect to see results when you walk 5 days a week one week and only one the next and maybe only 3 the week after that. This is not a steady focus on your health and you will see no results from this method. You have to make a commitment to your health and maintain a walking routine of 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week and this is at the low end of the scale. You can choose to do more if you like but make sure to keep the intensity level the same throughout each of your walks. 

Choosing to walk with a partner is a great way to keep your motivation high and your routine on a steady basis. That’s what I do. This way you can have someone to chat with during your walks and you both can help increase your health status on a day to day basis. During the winter months, walking through your neighborhood may not seem as inviting and for this time of year community centers and gyms are the perfect place for you. These places are not only for those who choose an intense workout, the treadmills and even walking through the building itself are great options for those looking to maintain their routine when the weather is not cooperating.

Consider this study when you are thinking of skipping your daily walk, there are so many ailments that can come your way as you get older, why not make the effort to avoid them as much as you can, with such an easy exercise?

A European based study has recently been released stating that increased intake of Vitamin C along with large dosages of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis offered significant benefits to the men and women of this study. Strokes occur when blood clots or an artery bursts in the brain, which therefore interrupts the blood flow to the brain. According to the Stroke Alliance of Europe, about 575,000 deaths are related to stroke in Europe every year. In the USA, a person will experience a stroke every 45 seconds according to the American Stroke Association. Both of these statistics are out of control.

This study found that the patients with higher blood level of vitamin C were 42% less likely to have a stroke than the patients with lower levels of vitamin C in their blood. During their study they monitored these patients for 9.5 years and witnessed 448 strokes. This study states that whether you are taking a vitamin C supplement or eating the proper foods to get your vitamin C intake up, the results are near the same.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

There are so many different benefits when it comes to daily intake of vitamin C and the proper dosages which can achieve the benefits you are looking for. The current RDA of Vitamin C is 90mg and that’s just ridiculous! This is not nearly enough vitamin C to experience any health benefits. I personally consume daily doses totaling at least 3,000mg of vitamin C to simply maintain good health. I spread it throughout the day evenly, which consists of partly supplements and partly dietary choices.

Vitamin C has many different benefits that we may not even realize anymore. Benefits such as a healing aid for viruses, aids in the formation of liver bile and basically does everything it can to keep you healthy as well as your immune system. These are simple healing aids but ones everyone needs to remain healthy on a day to day basis. To further use vitamin C as a healing aid for preventing stroke a higher daily intake is needed and this can be done very easily.

Bioflavonoid is the natural pigment in fruits and vegetables and a very important supplement which must be taken in collaboration with your vitamin C. It is important to note there are many reports that suggest that vitamin C needs bioflavonoid in order to deliver the results it has on a person’s health and their immune system. You will find that you are getting the natural amount of both when eating fruits and vegetables but if you choose a supplement rely on a naturopathic doctor to help you find the best of both for you and your health.

When you experience a heart attack the absolute first thing you think of is calling an ambulance and getting to the hospital as soon as you can. Unfortunately, this is an option that may no longer save you as it once did. A study released in the New England Journal of Medicine states that hospitals may no longer be the safest places to be. This study states that the hospital staffs are slow to respond to cardiac arrest cases, which are increasing the risk of brain damage and death.

Unfortunately, the reaction of hospital staffs in real life are not the same as the reactions you see when you are watching ER on television and this can mean deadly consequences for anyone suffering from a heart attack. When you get defibrillation within the first 2 minues of a heart attack your chance of survival is 40%. If you get defibrillation any time after 2 minutes your chances of survival radically drops to 22%. You can see how just a few seconds and minutes can change the fate of your life. This study shows that when 6,789 cardiac arrests cases where reviewed at 369 hospitals the staff took longer than 2 minutes to respond 1/3 of the time.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

The time of day and which day of the week you go to the hospital can make a big difference in the care you receive and the size of the hospital as well. The defibrillation tools in hospitals today require a doctor to use them and this could be part of the reason response is so slow based on the shortage of doctors. This study is actually stating that a person may have a better chance of survival if they experience a heart attack in a hotel or a casino because these establishments are using digital defibrillation tools that decide when to shock and for how long, which means anyone can use them.

The absolute best way to stay out of this situation is to do everything you can to prevent a heart attack the natural way before you enter a situation as life threatening as this. By creating a daily routine of exercise and consuming a substantial amount of vegetables in your diet, you could prevent heart problems in your future.

Coenzyme Q10 is a natural supplement which if taken daily can greatly decrease your risks of heart attacks. Although the benefits of this supplement may take several months to be seen, the results are worth it. Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant which is found in virtually every cell of the body and can be a great aid to preserve Vitamin E, a powerful factor in heart health.

In regards to a large intake of vegetables in your daily diet, a study was published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2006 which stated that mice fed a rich diet of vegetables daily were less likely to develop fatty deposits in their arteries. This is what can lead to heart attack and stroke and vegetables are such a natural way to avoid this terrible fate.

Take control of your future and prevent heart problems before they start by creating a healthy diet and an exercise routine to keep your heart strong.

The anemia drugs Aranesp, Epogen, and Procrit are under close watch by the FDA as there are studies and reports stating they may be causing cancer. These drugs are erythropoiesis, which are stimulating agents (ESAs). They are meant to boost the production of red blood cells and the FDA already has out a black box warning out for these types of drugs due to the high risk of cancer.

The anemia drugs Aranesp, Epogen, and Procrit are under close watch by the FDA as there are studies and reports stating they may be causing cancer. These drugs are erythropoiesis, which are stimulating agents (ESAs). They are meant to boost the production of red blood cells and the FDA already has out a black box warning out for these types of drugs due to the high risk of cancer.

Although these types of drugs have not yet been banned from the market, the FDA is advising doctors and patients to  carefully review the risks of ESAs and what harm versus what good they can do. The studies the FDA are reviewing, eight in total from the creators of the ESAs, is that tumors grow much faster and their survival rates are much lower for patients suffering from breast, cervical, lung cancers and more taking ESAs.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

It will be several months or even a year before the FDA makes a decision on the production and distribution of anemia drugs so in the meantime it is important to make the right decision on your own. If you and your doctor are deciding whether or not anemia drugs are right for you, you need to consider these studies. Is it worth it to possibly develop cancer from this drug? The answer is no.

There are some natural alternatives for anemia which are just as effective and far less dangerous options. Iron supplementation can be prescribed by a naturopathic doctor. Dietary sources of iron and Vitamin C are very important healing alternatives for anemia and these can be included in your daily dieting habits. You can find high levels of iron in kidney beans, pinto beans, blackstrap molasses, almonds, leafy greens and more. You should take Vitamin C in a natural health supplement in doses of 250-500mg to aid in the absorption of iron.

The blackstrap molasses is a great source of iron and a natural herb supplement, which has been known to have many healing properties. It can be taken in the form of an herbal tea. All you need is 1tsp per day in boiling hot water. It is extremely important to maintain a high dosage of Vitamin C through your diet with citrus fruits and by taking a supplement to properly distribute and absorb the high amounts of iron being put in your body.

There is absolutely no reason to take anemia drugs which could potentially cause you to develop a life threatening case of cancer. With so many natural and easily accessible alternatives which you simply include in your diet on a daily basis, there are no risks and better results.

A study was published recently in the online version of Journal Neurology stating that moderate walking and average exercise daily can help decrease the risks of vascular dementia greatly. This is the second most common neurological disorder next to Alzheimer’s disease.   A group of 749 adults over the age of 65 volunteered for this study. The researchers found that those in the group who walked regularly or participated in other types of exercise regularly were less likely to develop forms of vascular dementia over the next four years. Vascular dementia is

caused by an impaired blood flow to the brain. This could mean blockages which prevent blood flow to the brain or complete blockages that can cause a stroke. People with conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure are also at a great risk of vascular dementia.

Basically what this study has discovered is that the same exercises which are good for the heart, healthy diet and exercise may be good for an aging brain as well. Over the four years during the study, 86 patients were diagnosed with dementia and 27 with vascular dementia. The study found that patients who walked at least 30 minutes a day, everyday, were 73% less likely to be diagnosed with this disease. Also, patients who took part in other activities such as yoga, or biking were 76% less likely to be diagnosed as well.

Frank Mangano’s Commentary:

It may be the simple blood flow to the brain during exercise and it may also stimulate the release key of chemicals into the brain to develop new brain cells. By keeping the brain stimulated and active, people over the age of 65 can be preventing vascular dementia as well as maintaining a healthy body.

Walking and other forms of moderate exercising is something everyone should be including in their everyday routines. This is not the only study which has shown the benefits of walking can be incredibly beneficial for not only your physical health but your mental health as well. Walking can manage your weight adequately, decrease the risk of heart attack, lower your risk of stroke and lower cholesterol levels, reduce risk of breast cancer and the list can go on and on. Walking is the ultimate natural way to keep you in good physical condition but many people are not aware of their mental conditions. Walking is a moderate exercise that provides results in more ways than one.

By including a 30-minute walk in your everyday routine you are keeping your brain stimulated in a relaxed manner and keeping your physical appearance and health in strong form for your older years. As studies have shown that a brisk walk can actually increase your lifespan, it is definitely something you should be doing. Now go for a walk!

Everyone knows that yoga induces a feeling of well-being in healthy people, what you may not already know is that yoga has been proven to reverse the clinical changes associated with metabolic syndrome. These are results of studies recorded in Sweden and India. Metabolic syndrome is the combination of heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity and high blood sugar.

Dr. R.P. Agrawal, of the SP Medical College, Bikaner, India and fellow colleagues took 101 volunteers and evaluated the beneficial effects of yoga on these metabolic syndrome sufferers. With three months of regular yoga treatment, meditation and Raja yoga, the patients showed signs of lowered cholesterol, decrease in waist circumference and lower blood pressure as well.

A second study was completed by Dr. Anette Kjellgren from the University Of Karlstad, Sweden where the evaluation of yoga-like breathing exercises was used on patients. Fifty-five adults spent six days a week for six weeks practicing slow and long cycles of breathing as well as rapid breathing patterns as well. At the end of this study period the patients found themselves feeling less anxiety and stress and their levels of optimism were significantly higher.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

These two studies show that yoga induces relaxation in people of any age and can prevent lifestyle diseases as well. It is important to note here that yoga not only has the ability to prevent lifestyle diseases but gives people a strong and relaxing way to deal with diseases when diagnosed. Yoga is a powerful therapy that can be a great workout for the mind, body and soul as a whole and there are not many other therapies which exist today, quite like the practice of yoga.

Many people do not recognize yoga as the natural solution to many lifestyle problems. It is not only a fitness regime that has become so popular, it is also an age old therapy and this is the feature people tend to forget about. Yoga is the number one relaxation method as is it combines specific stretches which allow you to release tension throughout the body in a gentle and relaxing fashion. Yoga also works well in relieving stress in the mind. During yoga class you will find your mind is completely clear and the thoughts that are constantly cluttering your mind will disappear the minute the class begins.

Yoga is a great holistic experience for men and women of any age. It is a great opportunity for elderly people to improve their flexibility, joint movement and even bone density which can prevent broken bones in old age. With so many natural benefits of yoga, there is absolutely no reason not to try this therapy and see what it can do for you.

A recent study by a research team from UCLA has concluded that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may play a large role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. This group of scientists found that the omega-3 fatty acid Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) increases the levels of LR11 which are found at low levels in Alzheimer’s patients. LR11 is a protein which is meant to destroy the plaques created by the disease in the brain, but cannot do so effectively when it is at such reduced levels.

These plaques mentioned by the scientists are actually a build up of protein called amyloid which can be toxic to the brain. A higher level of LR11 can help reduce the amounts of build ups in the brain and therefore researchers are concluding that without the omega-3 fatty acids to help raise the levels of LR11, more and more people will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

Alzheimer’s is a debilitating disease which is degenerative causing memory loss, onset of dementia, personality change and unfortunately, in the end death. Currently, the Alzheimer’s Association states that over 5.1 million Americans are suffering from Alzheimer’s. The estimations for the future are an increase of between 11 million and 16 million by 2050. These statistics are absolutely astounding as Alzheimer’s is a disease no one wants to experience…or has to either.

Some tests were conducted on rats to help prove the scientist’s theories and it showed that even small doses of DHA from fish oils, helped improve the level of LR11 to therefore help reduce the protein build ups in the brain. The fatty acids which are found in omega-3 are considered essential fats because the body cannot produce these acids, they must be received through diet.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

There are many simple ways to include fish oil in your diet and this is only one of the benefits fish oil can produce for the society of today. There are 6 more great benefits and reasons to include omega-3 or fish in your diet.

1. Lowers blood triglycerides, which are factors related to cardiovascular diseases
2. Helps reduce the likelihood of blood clots
3. Lowers blood pressure
4. Reduces depression rates and symptoms
5. Improves immune system function
6. Reduces inflammation from arthritis

These are incredibly common symptoms and problems in many Americans today and there are natural ways to ease the pain and even prevent these diseases from happening to you. By taking small doses of omega-3 fatty acids or including fish in your diet you can help lower the symptoms and risks of the above diseases in your life.

For those who don’t like fish you have several options of supplements to choose from, the most popular and highly recommended by yours truly being Carlson’s Liquid Fish and Cod Liver Oil. This supplement contains adequate amounts of DHA, which you need and a nice lemon flavor that goes with any meal!

Knowledge is a powerful thing. The exhibition of that knowledge can get teens into prestigious universities; land job hunters dream jobs and make game show contestants oodles of money. In short, knowledge is the guide to the all-American dream.    There’s a specific kind of knowledge that can do much more than that—it can literally save your life. No, it’s not knowing how to survive a 50 story fall, wrestle an alligator or avoid a shark attack (though such knowledge, I imagine, would save your life). It’s much simpler: health knowledge.

According to a study recently published in Archives of Internal Medicine, people who are moderately to highly health literate live longer than those who are health illiterate.
 
Researchers came to this conclusion after conducting interviews, and poring over archived demographic information on nearly 3300 people over the age of 64.  These 3300 patients were then given a test to determine their health literacy.  The questions weren’t dissimilar from your standard SAT test, as they included several math questions to solve and reading exercises to comprehend.  All of the questions were health-related.  Out of 100 points, the 3300 seniors were given grades of “inadequate health literacy” if they scored below a 55; “adequate health literacy” for scores between 56 and 66; and “adequate health literacy” if they scored a 67 and above. 

Nearly six years later, researchers searched the National Death Index to see if any of the participating patients had died in the intervening years.  The correlation they found was truly illuminating.  Approximately one fourth of the patients had died, but more interestingly, 39 percent of the decedents had received scores of “poor health literacy” in their testing results—more than double the rate of those who had died but scored well in their testing.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

Could the results be a coincidence?  I suppose anything is possible, but the fact that almost half of the health “illiterate” folks died while nary a fifth of the health literate died seems too coincidental to be due to chance.

Becoming health literate is a worthy endeavor.  Researchers believe that those who died likely could have prolonged their lives had they the knowledge of how best to manage various illnesses.  One of the best things about health literacy, though, is that it can help prevent illnesses from ever rearing its ugly head.  It won’t make you impenetrable to disease, but it will arm you with the sword of stamina and the “sinews of better living” to borrow a phrase from the late labor leader Samuel Pollock.

In short, if you hear that blueberries are good for you, find out why they’re good for you.  If you hear that omega 3s promote a healthy heart, find out how much is enough.  Knowledge is power, but it’s also a life saver!