A Natural Environmental Health Facts Ezine

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"A NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FACTS Ezine" Here to Inform and Help You Become Healthier and Happier while Achieving Quality Longevity!

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Email Lena
928-636-9425
Friday July 6, 2007
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=> IN THIS ISSUE!
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==> Editors' Ranting & or Warnings
==> Something To Think About
==> Health Thought for the day!
==> Showcase Health Spotlight
==> Monthly Spotlight Ads
==> Today's Health Tip
==> Health Today
==> Environmental Report
==> Life Changing Information

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More heat in our area and seems to be in the whole of the west coast! That means your body can dehydrate and before you know it your are feeling tired, weak and nauseous and if you are close to heat stroke the mind will start to play tricks on you or your heart will start to pain or become very erratic, so be sure and drink plenty of water if you are in the heated area of the world! BUT when doing so you should definitely be supplementing with minerals as dehydration drains the body of minerals creating seious heart problems or death! Another thing; the weekend is upon us did you do all you could to assure a healthy body? If you have no idea what to do check out Dr. Garland's 10 Commandments of Health...

Take charge of your family's health before it takes charge of you!
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Something To Think About
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The European Ramazzini Foundation (EFP) studied aspartame's affect on the health of rats in 2005 and again this year. Although these two studies have linked it to cancer, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is not recommending any changes in the use of aspartameThe FDA released a statement saying, "These data do not provide evidence to alter FDA's conclusion that the use of aspartame is safe."

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Consuming Sodas Causes Osteoporosis in Teenagers

Teenagers who drink a lot of soda have now been documented as being more prone to bone fractures and osteoporosis than those who do not drink much soda pop.

A questionnaire was given to 460 girls in the 9th and 10th grades, asking them about their diet and exercise habits, along with any history of fractures. The study results showed that girls who drank soft drinks were more than three times more likely to have a bone fracture. And physically active girls who drank Cola were nearly five times more likely to have had a bone fracture.

Studies have linked mineral loss before to Cola consumption, but finally some one thought to check out teenager's consumption and how it might affect them. The conclusion was that drinking soda pop causes osteoporosis in teenagers.

Between 40% to 60% of peak bone mass is built during the teenage years. Consumption of soft drinks affects both boys and girls. The acidic nature of the phosphoric acid in the drink causes the body to pull minerals such as calcium out of the bones to buffer the acid.

Many teens are very active in sports. Note how much more likely drinkers of the soft drinks were likely to have a bone fracture? Thirty to fifty percent!! Is your teenager in sports and drinking soft drinks? Colas?

I offer Nutritional work ups and mineral assays, using hair analysis. Teenagers I see in my practice today, more than ever before, are not eating many fruits and vegetables. These are needed to provide the minerals to build strong bones. Add to this the consumption of soda pop and these teenagers are setting themselves up for conditions such as osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones have become more porous and therefore more fragile and prone to breaking. It is thought to be a problem for older people, however this study shows that teenagers may be the newest group to suffer.

How does your teen score in soda consumption? How does (s)he score in eating plenty of green vegetables? Or other food choices such as yogurt, small amounts of cheese, Beans, Salmon and other things with high calcium/mineral content?

And how much water is (s)he drinking? Your teenager may not like water after drinking all the flavored and sugared soft drinks. However water consumption is vitally important for health and electrical conductivity of the body.

As a health practitioner, I suggest one quart of water for every 50 pounds of weight. So if your teenager weighs one hundred pounds, (s)he would need to drink two quarts of water a day. As an added incentive, tell them it will help clear up the bad skin problems.

Educate yourself and more importantly your teenager about the use of soft drinks and the consequences. Educate them about a better diet. This concept of how to eat better will last them a lifetime and build better health, which they will notice more, the older they get.

Remember, Prevention is the best measure! Help them to understand the importance of eating their fruits and vegetables and drinking purified water. This way, they may avoid osteoporosis.
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Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac. has worked with both people and pet's nutrition Learn more about what to do with health challenges today. Solutions, Tips, Research, Nutrition and products discussed in the Newsletter Healthy Living. To Subscribe visit her alternative health site. http://www.health-doc.com/

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FOOD OF THE WEEK
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Citrullis lanatus!

My husband's favorite summer time fruit that you will find in our refrigerator at the first hint of warm weather until the first hint of fall? Found at road side stands, in gardens and stores in abundance this time of the year? What is Citrullis Lanatus? Watermelon!

As a child around Phoenix, where melon fields were once abundant but is now houses, we use to walk to a field and pick a couple of melons, throw them in the canal then run home and wait to pick them out of the water and have them nice and cool, serving two purposes? Didn't have to carry them and they were cool enough to eat when we pulled them from the water?

Green on the outside and red or yellow on the inside! Nothing says summer like this subtly crunch, thirst quenching fruit. A nutritious food best eaten alone without other foods in the stomach.

Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. More Watermelon was most likely eaten, July 4^th, than any other time in the U.S. It is almost a ritual in a multitude of homes?

Watermelons are low in calories and very nutritious. Recent research suggests that lycopene, found most abundantly in red meated melon, a powerful antioxidant, helps prevent some forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research shows that consuming foods that contain lycopene are associated with a decreased risk of prostate and cervical cancer.

Watermelon is related to the cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin as well as some other plants that grow on ground vines. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds. The biggest watermelon grown according to the 1996 Guiness Book of World Records weighed in at 262 pounds!

Health Benefits

While the watermelon does not contain a large amount of nutrients it still is considered a healthy food! This delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. According to research conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, men who consumed a lycopene-rich diet were half as likely to suffer a heart attack as those who had little or no lycopene in their diets. Red meat watermelon is rich in lycopene, second only to the tomato.

Watermelon is also high in vitamin C and vitamin A, in the form of disease-fighting beta carotene.

Watermelon also contains potassium, which is known to help control blood pressure and possibly prevent strokes as well as necessary for a regular heart beat.

Watermelon is not a commonly allergenic food, is not included in the list of 20 foods that most frequently contain pesticide residues, and is also NOT KNOWN to contain goitrogens, oxalates, or purines.

Many new varieties of watermelons have been developed in recent years. Yellow and seedless types are finding an increasing share of the specialty watermelon market. Small excellent quality "icebox" melons are also becoming increasingly popular.

WATERMELON VARIETIES; Seedless yellow: Seedless red: Yellow flesh, seeded: Red flesh, seeded: Tiny heart only melons, red flesh:

"Seedless" marketing note: "Seedless" varieties may have some seeds, especially in the first fruits set if the plant is under moisture or temperature stress.

Choosing the right watermelon!

Look the watermelon over, choose a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free of bruises, cuts and dents.

Lift it up - the watermelon should be heavy for its size. Watermelon is 92% water, that accounts for most of its weight.

Turn it over - on the underside of the watermelon there should be a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

Following these tips will help you pick the best watermelon available.

History
Originating in Africa, watermelons were first cultivated in Egypt where testaments to their legacy were recorded in hieroglyphics painted on building walls. The fruit was held is such regard that it was placed in the tombs of many Egyptian kings. It is not surprising that watermelon played such an important role in this country, and subsequently in countries in the Mediterranean region, since water was often in short supply in these areas, and people could depend upon watermelon for its thirst-quenching properties.

Watermelons were brought to China around the 10th century and then to the Western Hemisphere shortly after the discovery of the New World. In Russia, where much of the commercial supply of watermelons is grown, there is a popular wine made from this fruit. In addition to Russia, the leading commercial growers of watermelon include China, Turkey, Iran and the United States.

Tips for Preparing Watermelon:

Wash the watermelon before cutting it to prevent introducing germs into the melon on cutting. Due to its large size, you will probably not be able to run it under water in the sink. Instead, wash it with a wet cloth or paper towel.

Depending upon the size that you desire, there are many ways to cut a watermelon. The flesh can be sliced, cubed or scooped into balls. Watermelon is delicious to eat as is, while it also makes a delightful addition to a fruit salad. Jam, sorbet and juice are some nutritious and delicious things you can make with watermelon.

While many people are just accustomed to eating the juicy flesh of the watermelon, both the seeds and the rind are also edible.

My mother use to make a melon rind preserves that was interesting and tasty;

Ingredients:
For 4 lbs. (11 cups) of the melon rind, still containing some of the red meat, make a syrup of:
9 cups of sugar
8 cups water
4 lemons, sliced
4 tsps. stick cinnamon
4 tsps. cloves (tie spices in cheesecloth bag)

Directions:
Select melons with thick rinds. Peel off all green portion using only the white and red part of the rind. Cut into small dice. Soak in mild salt water overnight (1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water). Drain, rinse and cook in clear water for about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

Boil the syrup, lemon and spices 5 minutes before adding the rinds. Add rinds and cook until transparent and clear. (If desired, a few minutes before preserves are done add small amount of vegetable green or red food coloring to tint preserves.) Remove spice bag, pour into sterilized pint Jars and wash and seal each jar as filled.

Enjoy!
Lena

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HEALTH TODAY
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Spas: Are They Safe?

Who could forget the headlines that nearly wiped out the cruise ship industry: Hundreds of people stricken with Legionnaires' disease, a potentially deadly pneumonia traced to a heated spa whirlpool bath located aboard a luxury cruise ship.

Since that time, medical literature has been teeming with studies on similar situations, all indicating that communal pools, saunas, and other water-related spa treatments hold not only the potential to transmit this germ, but a host of equally threatening organisms.

"In many spa treatments that involve water, including hot whirlpool baths, very seldom do they change the water. They toss in some chlorine to keep bacteria counts down, but in no way does this eradicate organisms completely," says Philip Tierno Jr., PhD, director of microbiology at NYU Medical Center and author of The Secret Life of Germs.

And while he says some germs will succumb to chlorine, others, like those with a "biofilm" (a kind of molecular adhesive that binds several organisms together including those which cause Legionnaires' disease), it won't do a thing.

"You would need 1,500 times the amount normally used to kill it -- you would kill people before you would kill the organism," says Tierno.

And that, he says, means many spas can put you at risk. "It's not just heated pools and warm baths that are problem -- and it's not just Legionnaires' disease about which you should be concerned," he says. Other bacteria can also thrive in these conditions.

"These organisms love hot, wet environments -- spas are heated and steamy, and when you inhale vaporized water in this atmosphere you are potentially inhaling whatever organisms are present," he says.

Dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD, says she's most concerned about risks to spa users seeking relief for skin problems, such as dermatitis or psoriasis. She says any break in the skin can increase the risk of germ transmission from surface areas like tables, baths, and even hot rocks or other items placed on the surface of the body during treatment.

"Even a bad sunburn can leave the skin compromised so that picking up an organism is easier," says Marmur. Moreover, she reminds us that some spa treatments such as full body exfoliation might actually increase risks further by creating microscopic tears in the skin that act as an invitation for germs to enter the body.

"When spa attendants don't wear gloves -- and most of them don't -- the risk of disease transmission is even greater," says Marmur.

Tierno says other risky spa treatments include manicures and pedicures, particularly if the cuticles are cut and especially if the instruments are not properly cleaned. Indeed, in the recent past an outbreak of a nasty bacterial infection causing skin boils was traced to unsanitary conditions in a manicure-pedicure salon.

"I always suggest bringing your own instruments. It's much safer than being treated with anything they supply," he says.