HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

This is the year of the DRAGON. Make it the best year ever for you!

Do You Have Indigestion?

What happens to the following foods when left undigested inside the body?

1.  Carbohydrates

2.  Proteins

3.  Fats
Possible symptoms of Digestive System Malfunction:

1.  Lack of energy

2.  Loss of appetite or excessive appetite

3.  Body odor and /or bad breath

4.  Belching after meals

5.  Coughing or clearing mucus after a meal

6.  Difficulty digesting certain foods

7.  Food allergies

8.  bloated, distended upper abdomen

9.  Feeling tired after eating

10. Insulin resistance

11. Hearburn, over acid stomach

12.  Nervous system problems

13.  Liver problems

Are You Ready to Jump Start Your Health?

Have you decided to put your health on the top of the list this year? Do you know what to do everyday to get healthy? There are reasons why your body “feels” sluggish, depressed, heavy, and moody.

Now is the best time to jump start your health for the rest of the year! Cleansing and nourishing the Body at cell level is like giving your body a “NEW” beginning. No matter what health issues you may have, such as Weight Loss, Depression, Bloating, Hormones, or Insomnia, taking the 90 Day Challenge may change your life!

Please join me for a free class to learn how to prevent and reverse any health issues with simple steps. Take a 90-day challenge to cleanse your mind and body from the stress and junk food of the holidays. Are you ready to make 2012 your healthiest year ever?

Date: Monday, 1/16/2012 Time: 1 – 2pm

Location: The Central Exchange South, 6201 College Blvd., Ste. 245, Overland Park, KS 66211

Phone: 913-253-0900

You’re welcome to invite your friends. Limited seating! Please RSVP to Helen at 913-400-2021 or helen@HelenFu.com.

New Year, New You!

What’s your New Year’s Resolution?

Do You Get Enough of This GOOD Fat?

New research shows that healthy young people who consumed more omega-3 fats showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and anxiety. Omega-3′s such as EPA and DHA have long been considered positive additives to the diet.

According to Eurekalert:

“[P]sychological surveys clearly showed an important change in anxiety among the students: Those receiving the omega-3 showed a 20 percent reduction in anxiety compared to the placebo group.”

The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA  play an important role in your emotional well-being. The Brain Behavior and Immunity study showed a dramatic 20 percent reduction in anxiety among med students taking omega-3, while past research has shown omega-3 fats such as those found in krill oil work just as well as antidepressants in preventing the signs of depression, but without any of the side effects. Low plasma concentrations of DHA is associated with low concentrations of brain serotonin, which may be associated with depression and suicide.

In fact, inadequate intake of omega-3 fats is known to change the levels and functioning of both serotonin and dopamine (which plays a role in feelings of pleasure), as well as compromise the blood-brain barrier, which normally protects your brain from unwanted matter gaining access. Omega-3 deficiency can also decrease normal blood flow to your brain, an interesting finding given that studies show people with depression have compromised blood flow to a number of brain regions.

Finally, omega-3 deficiency also causes a 35 percent reduction in brain phosphatidylserine (PS) levels, which is relevant considering that PS has documented antidepressant activity in humans. Interestingly, omega-3 fats have even been known to help reduce violent behavior and aggression, and even improve the ability to concentrate in people with ADHD, so the impact on your brain health is quite significant.

 

-Dr. Mercola

Is Your Indoor Air Safe?

Most people spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors. But indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health.

For example, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), poor indoor air quality can cause or exacerbate:

• Asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems
• Headaches
• Eye and skin irritations
• Sore throat, colds and flu
• Memory loss, dizziness, fatigue and depression

Long-term effects from exposure to toxic airborne particles include heart disease, respiratory disease, reproductive disorders, sterility and even cancer.

Tips for Healthier Indoor Air

In The Daily Green, the American Lung Association offers 25 tips on how to keep the air in your home healthy, such as:

Don’t Allow Smoking Indoors:  Each year, second hand smoke sends up to 15,000 children to the hospital.

There is no safe level of secondhand smoke; never let anyone smoke inside your home.

Don’t Idle the Car in the Garage: Carbon monoxide exposure can lead to weakness, nausea, disorientation, unconsciousness and even death. Fumes from cars or lawnmowers left running in enclosed spaces can endanger your health.

Use Low-VOC Paints:  Paints release VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, for months after application. VOCs can include highly toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.  Use low-VOC or no-VOC paints, varnishes, and waxes.

Clean Your Air Conditioner and Dehumidifier:  Standing water and high humidity encourage the growth of dust mites, mold and mildew. All of these can worsen asthma.  Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner when needed, and clean both regularly.

Beware of Dry Cleaning Chemicals:  Dry cleaning solvents can be toxic to breathe. Let dry cleaned items “air out” outdoors before bringing them inside.

Avoid Toxic Household Products: Hair and nail products, cleaning products, and art and hobby supplies can increase the levels of VOCs in your home. Some of the VOCs in these products have been linked to cancer, headaches, eye and throat irritation and worsened asthma.

Merry Christmas!

Holiday season is the happiest time for many people but could be the toughest time for others. It’s actually the time of the year with the highest suicide rate. You might have had a tough year, lost your job or a loved one. It might be hard to celebrate the holidays with a truly happy heart. But maybe you can still find things that you are grateful for, enjoy simple comforts,  and take some time for yourself. Light a candle of hope for the new year to come.

Never lose hope!

Feeling SAD (seasonal affective disorder )?

Everyone feels a little melancholy when the days are short and cold. For some people, seasonal change brings with it something more serious than the blues: seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that can be debilitating.

And daylight savings time may not help, since darker mornings in the fall or spring are particularly difficult for those with SAD.

Mild forms of SAD are believed to affect as many as 20% of people in the United States. If you think you might be one of them, view this slideshow to learn more about the signs of this disorder.

Sadness

SAD is a form of depression, and it shares most of the same symptoms. The two most common symptoms of depression are feelings of sadness and hopelessness, and losing interest in activities such as socializing that you normally find pleasurable.

If you experience these symptoms every day for at least two weeks, it’s a sign of depression. If you feel this way only during the fall and winter, and if these symptoms disappear during the rest of the year, it may be a sign of SAD.

Sleepiness and fatigue

People with SAD tend to feel the need to sleep more during the wintertime sometimes a lot more. In one study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research in 1994, patients at a SAD clinic averaged about 7.5 hours of sleep in the summer, 8.5 hours in the spring and fall, and nearly 10 hours in the winter.

Just because you’re sleeping more doesn’t mean you’ll feel rested, however. Other research has shown that people with SAD experience more insomnia and sleep disturbances, and are more prone to nodding off at work.

Irritability

Anger and irritability are common yet often overlooked symptoms of depression and SAD. Research suggests that people with SAD are significantly more irritable than healthy individuals. They may also be more prone to anger than people with regular (nonseasonal) depression.

A 2006 study that compared groups of people with active SAD and regular depression found that more than 40% of the people in the SAD group experienced sudden fits of inappropriate anger, compared to just 29% in the other group. Those with SAD experienced 19 of these “anger attacks” a month, on average.

Increased appetite

Like depression in general, SAD can increase appetite in some people. Sixty-five percent of people with the disorder report being hungrier during the colder, darker months.

The voracious appetite that sometimes accompanies SAD may be a biological response to a seasonal drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s associated with mood and helps to control hunger.

Though it can help you feel better temporarily, eating more and being cooped up during the winter can really pack on the pounds: Nearly 75% of people with SAD gain weight.

Carb cravings

One of the reasons that people with SAD tend to gain weight is that the disorder can produce a strong craving for complex carbohydrates such as bread and pasta. In fact, 7 out of 10 people with SAD experience this symptom.

Gorging on carbohydrates causes the levels of an amino acid called tryptophan to rise in the brain. This in turn causes the release of serotonin, which boosts mood. In effect, people with SAD use carbohydrates as a kind of medication and a bigger waistline is a common side effect.

Difficulty concentrating

Depression can make you feel sad and alone, but it also compromises how well your brain works. The condition has been shown to affect a range of mental processes, including concentration, speaking ability, and memory.

A 2007 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that this so-called cognitive impairment can be every bit as bad in people with SAD as it is in people with nonseasonal depression. One woman who participated in the study whose symptoms qualified for SAD, but not major depression reported that she was having difficulty remembering names and appointments, and was easily distracted.

Loss of interest in sex

Depression doesn’t exactly make you feel sexy. A loss of interest in sex is a common symptom among people with SAD and depression alike.

But this only tends to be true among people who experience SAD in the fall and winter. If the disorder appears in the spring and summer a much rarer condition sometimes called “summer depression” or “reverse SAD”—some of the symptoms tend to be the opposite of winter SAD. And one of the hallmarks of summer depression is an increased sex drive.

-MSN Health

Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

Just as the seasons change to fall and winter, the flu season begins while our bodies go into immune-battle mode to fight germs and stay healthy. Almost invariably we begin searching for the best cold and flu remedies as many of us catch a cold and experience sore throat, stuffy nose and coughing.

Out of all the natural remedies I’ve used with my kids and clients, the following three are my favorite:

1. Zinc Cold & Flu homeopathic lozenges  dissolve quickly and are easy for children to take. The mineral zinc is an effective cold and flu treatment because it boosts the immune system. It also coats the mouth and throat, preventing some germs from taking up residence there. When unwanted invaders can’t get a strong foothold in the mouth or throat, they often struggle to proliferate, and you come off conqueror. For best results, use at the first signs of cold and flu symptoms to help reduce duration, severity and minor discomfort of cold symptoms.

2. Silver Shield with Aqua Sol Technology is antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial. It disables the specific enzyme that many unwanted microorganisms need to metabolize oxygen (breathe). When this enzyme becomes disabled, the microorganisms cannot thrive. Silver Shield is processed by the kidneys and does not affect populations of beneficial bacteria in the colon. It’s very safe and effective against any cold and Flu.

3. VS-C is a traditional Chinese herbal formula that is highly effective against any type of virus. I’ve used it treating clients with Swine Flu, Chickenpox, HIV, HPV, Hepatitis B, regular cold and Flu, or unknown virus…This is one of my favorite herbs that I always keep in my medicine cabinet and travel with.

Remember 95% of cold and Flu are caused by virus, and antibiotics DO NOT work against virus! They actually cause more harm than good.

Violent Video Games Damage Brain

The Wall Street Journal : Is your child spending hours in front of a videogame shooting down demons or slaying bad guys? It could be affecting that part of her/his brain that plays a crucial role in controlling behaviour and in developing memory, emotion and learning.

The finding is crucial for India, where the gaming market that is estimated to be about Rs 900 crore is likely to grow by 53% to Rs 2,125 crore.

A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis of long-term effects of violent videogame play on the brain has found changes in regions associated with cognitive function and emotional control in young adult men after one week of playing videogames . The results of the study were presented on Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

The controversy over whether violent video games are potentially harmful to users has raged for many years. But there has been little scientific evidence demonstrating that games have a prolonged negative neurological effect. “For the first time, we have found that a sample of randomly assigned young adults showed less activation in certain frontal brain regions following a week of playing violent videogames at home,” said Yang Wang, assistant research professor a department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences in Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.

“These brain regions are important for controlling emotion and aggressive behaviour,” he added.

For the study, 22 healthy adult males, aged between 18 and 29, with low past exposure to violent videogames were randomly assigned to two groups of 11 each. “The findings indicated that violent videogame play has a long-term effect on brain functioning,” Wang said.