- by Dr. Michael Rosen, D.C.  BioVeda Health & Wellness Center of West Loop, IL

Sweeter Dreams Await!
It’s important to make an overall commitment to healthy, restorative sleep. Here are some tips from the Better Sleep Council for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle and ensuring the best night’s rest:

1. Make sleep a priority by keeping a consistent sleep (bedtime) and wake schedule, including weekends
2. Create a bedtime routine that is relaxing. Experts recommend reading a book, listening to soothing music or soaking in a hot bath.
3. Transform your bedroom into a haven of comfort. Create a room that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool for the best possible sleep.
4. Evaluate your mattress and pillow to ensure proper comfort and support. If your mattress is five to seven years old, it may be time for a new one. In general, pillows should be replaced every year.
5. Keep work materials, computers and televisions out of the bedroom; it should be used for sleep and sex only.
6. Exercise regularly, but complete workouts at least two hours before bedtime.
7. If you sleep with a partner, your mattress should allow each of you enough space to move easily. Couples who’ve been sleeping on a “double” (full size) may think they have enough room, until they learn that each person has only as much sleeping space as a baby’s crib!
8. Avoid nicotine (e.g., cigarettes, tobacco products). Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.
9. Avoid caffeine and alcohol (e.g., coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake.
10. Finish eating at least two to three hours before bedtime.

Good-for-You Grains
Forget plain, boring white rice! These healthier options not only taste better, they pack a serious nutritional punch. Try something new and start “reaping” their wholesome benefits!

• Quinoa: This grain is rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps relax constricted blood vessels which can cause headaches and migraines. The mild, nutty flavor of quinoa tastes great in soups or salads. Be sure to rinse it well before cooking.
• Black Rice: Brown rice is SO last season! This “forbidden rice,” once only eaten by Chinese nobles, can help soothe inflammation associated with allergies and asthma. Try substituting black rice for white in rice pudding for a healthier, delicious dessert.
• Amaranth: Considered sacred by the Aztecs, this grain contains high amounts of lysine, an amino acid that Italian researchers have found can help women absorb calcium more efficiently. Amaranth is a great popcorn alternative – just prepare in a covered saucepan over medium heat. No oil necessary!
• Bulgur (A.K.A. Cracked Wheat): Easily the superstar of grains with 8 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat, bulgur is available in several grades from fine to extra-coarse. Use coarser grades in casseroles and soups. Prepare and add finer grades to yogurt for a quick breakfast, or use it as a satisfying side-dish at dinner.

We follow the health sections of mainstream media sources such as The New York Times, CNN and WebMD, and lately we’ve been seeing more and more stories related to Complementary Alternative Medicine.  It’s exciting to see this adoption of holistic remedies by conventional health practitioners and hope that it continues to become more commonplace as we enter 2011.  Here are a few of the latest articles:

Acupuncture Goes Mainstream

WebMD: Acupuncture, which has been practiced for millennia in China, is a small part of her own practice. But she makes frequent referrals to the clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. There, acupuncture, which uses needles to stimulate specific parts of the body, is increasingly popular for problems like chronic pain, allergies, and asthma. Five thousand patients underwent acupuncture at the facility in 2009, up from 3,600 in 2007.

Light Therapy for Depression

The New York Times: Antidepressants like Prozac and Paxil are widely used to treat depression, but a much less costly alternative called bright light therapy, in which a patient sits under an artificial light for a set period of time each day, is not. Light therapy is typically recommended for seasonal affective disorder, the “winter blues” brought on by shorter days and limited sun. Some psychiatrists prescribe it for this condition, often as a last resort when patients fail to respond to drugs.

Green Tea May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

WebMD: Regular consumption of green tea may offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and may also slow growth of cancer cells, new research indicates. Green tea, an ancient Chinese remedy, has been shown to have protective properties in undigested, freshly brewed forms. But a research team at Newcastle University in the U.K. set out to determine whether the protective substances remained active after digestion. And in the study, they did.

Remedies: Garlic for Athlete’s Foot

The New York Times: “Garlic has long been considered a powerful natural antifungal,” said Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, chief of pediatric integrative medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey and a pediatrician at the Whole Child Center in nearby Oradell. Dr. Rosen pointed out that studies have found garlic effective against a number of fungal infections, including those caused by Candida and other common pathogens.

- by Dr. Eric Herman, D.C. BioVeda Health & Wellness Center of Bethlehem

What causes allergies and chemical sensitivities?
Over the last decade, important breakthroughs have occurred in the identification and treatment of allergies. Dr. Robert Gardner, Ph.D. professor of nutrition at Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah), discovered that specific key chemical agents cause allergic reactions including hayfever. These naturally occurring chemical agents called “phenolic” (aromatic) compounds, are regularly found throughout our environment in thousands of items including most foods, pollen and chemicals.

What is the relationship between allergies and asthma?
Many forms of asthma are caused by allergic reactions from both airborne phenolic compounds and those found in foods. Asthmatic individuals can be helped in the same way as others suffering from allergies. Airborne phenolic compounds are often found in pollen, tobacco smoke, house dust, air pollution, kapok, wool, feathers, animal hair or dander, building materials, furniture stuffing, cottonseed, and chemical odors. Some examples of foods that are most likely to be factors associated with asthma are those eaten daily such as wheat, eggs, chocolate, corn, peanut butter, citrus fruits, potatoes and tomatoes. We have helped many people suffering from asthma by first testing for those phenolics and other agents that can cause or contribute to asthma. We then screen and treat allergies, if indicated, utilizing our clinics’ painless techniques. This treatment also helps strengthen the immune system.

Do I have to restrict my diet to avoid allergies?
Not usually. Since phenolics are found in so many foods and other materials, it would be virtually impossible through dietary restrictions to avoid the phenolics causing the reactions. For instance, one of the phenolics, gallic acid, occurs in about 70% of the foods we eat! Restricting a persons diet or giving injections of whole food extracts in an attempt to avoid this compound seems impractical in light of these discoveries.

However, there is a small, select group of people that are critically sensitive to some foods and should still avoid those items. These people require special therapeutic programs and instructions.

Why should I have allergies and feel tired even if I eat only “good foods”?
The fact that a person eats only “good foods” or even “health foods” may have little to do with whether or not they suffer from allergies. Phenolic compounds occur in “good” foods as well as those items commonly thought of as “junk” foods.
The solution is to strengthen the body’s immune system by neutralizing and desensitizing phenolic compounds within the foods, NOT by avoiding the foods themselves!

What are some of the symptoms of allergies?
Allergies affect people in differing degrees. In fact, many people suffer the effects of allergies but often don’t recognize that their problems are related to an allergy! In the course of treating allergies, the patient is often quickly benefitted by being relieved of symptoms (such as fatigue) that was not originally associated with the allergy. For example, Dr. Abram Ber, M.D. has found that sensitivity to gallic acid contributes to chronic lower back pain, nasal congestion and fatigue.
Furthermore, many other problems such as depression, bedwetting, hayfever, headaches, stomach and intestinal disorders and skin problems have been helped by phenolic neutralization.
Remember, the body is a very complex system. Relief from a stressful condition (such as an allergy) can very easily relieve stress in other parts of the body. In severe cases, it is like removing a crushing pressure from the body which has been held in a “vice-grip” for years!

Are there ways I can tell if I or someone in my family, especially my child. has an allergy?
Many of the symptoms of allergies in children are similar to allergies in adults. Doris J. Rapp, M.D. has reported that some children with allergies show black, blue or red circles under the eyes (called allergic shiners) which appear after a person gets near or eats something to which they are allergic. Another clue is bags under the eyes. Some children have puffiness directly below the eyes and others also have little bags below the outer edge of each eye. Deep creases or wrinkles under the eyes are typical of persons with an allergy. [9] Allergies to foods and chemicals are also linked to learning disabilities, hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children (and adults).

How can allergies be treated painlessly?
Physicians using the homeopathic phenolic neutralization and desensitization techniques utilize advances in technology to help hundreds of people overcome their allergy problems. The use of painless, non-injection methods of diagnosing and treating allergies is the most effective method we have personally witnessed.

These methods have been especially welcomed by parents with children who have suffered from a fear of needles and the discomfort of skin reactions, nausea and other unpleasant reactions caused by conventional provocative allergy testing.

Symptoms of Phenol Sensitivity
Some typical symptoms indicating your child may have a phenol problem are [not all of these need be present]: dark circles under the eyes, red face/ears, diarrhea, hyperactivity, aggression, headache, head banging or other self-injury, inappropriate laughter, difficulty falling asleep at night, and night waking for several hours. The typical adult symptom of phenol intolerance is chronic fatigue syndrome, which is the opposite symptom that most children have, altho some children do present as always tired/lethargic, instead of hyper with sleep and other issues.

List of High Phenol Foods
Here is a short list of high phenol foods from Karen Seroussi’s book. They are food dyes, tomatoes, apples, peanuts, bananas, oranges, cocoa, red grapes, colored fruits, and milk.

Here is the Feingold list of highly phenolic/high salicylate foods: toiletries, cleaning supplies, art supplies — that has any of the following ingredients: Synthetic/artificial colors and flavors [for example, FD&C colors, vanillin], BHA, BHT, TBHQ, [all the preceding are made from or related to petroleum], Natural Flavoring (may contain salicylate), Natural Coloring (may contain salicylate), Aspirin and products containing aspirin or salicylic acid, Salicylates, Almonds, Apples, Apricots, Berries (all), Cherries, Chili powder, Cider & cider vinegar (apples), Cloves, Coffee, Cucumbers & pickles, Currants, Grapes & raisins, Nectarines, Oranges, Paprika, Peaches, Peppers (bell & chili), Plums, Prunes, Tangerines, Tea, Tomatoes, Wine & wine vinegar (grapes), Oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate). Other items to consider are perfumes and fragrances, nitrites and nitrates, monosodium glutamate [MSG], Hydrolized Vegetable Protein [may contain MSG], sulfites/sulfiting agents, benzoates, and corn syrup [made from hydrogen sulfide + corn starch and many other added chemicals].

Advanced Treatment
Allergies are an error! The body is reacting inappropriately to a completely harmless substance, food or stimuli. STRESSORS are substances, foods or stimuli that place STRESS upon your nervous system.

Many of these STRESSORS can cause symptoms of allergies and sensitivities!

Your body can be retrained to accept these STRESSORS by no longer perceiving them as a threat. We do not treat and chase the symptoms, rather we get to the core of the problem…the nervous system’s inappropriate response to these STRESSORS. “We treat the person, not the condition”  Learn more:  Contact a BioVeda Health & Wellness Center near you!

- by Dr. Eric Herman, D.C.  BioVeda Health & Wellness Center of Bethlehem, PA

If you’re allergic to ragweed pollen, fall is most likely not your favorite season. “Depending on where you live, fall is ragweed time,” says Julie McNairn, MD, an allergist/immunologist in Cincinnati, Ohio. During this time, dry leaves, grass, and hay mold harbor allergens such as mold spores and pollen.

“Seasonal allergies,” adds Dr. McNairn, “vary. You may experience symptoms one year and not the next. It’s very unpredictable,” she says. “It is also really hard to say from year to year how the allergy season will be.”

Diagnosing Fall Allergies

Like most seasonal allergies, the symptoms of typical fall allergies usually include sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy and watery eyes. These symptoms can interfere with your daily activities, impairing your ability to perform at work or school.

Ragweed pollen is one of the most common reasons for fall seasonal allergy symptoms. A hardy plant, ragweed grows everywhere, but is particularly common in the Northeast, South, and Midwest regions of the United States. Peak ragweed season starts in mid-August and lasts through October.

Ragweed pollen also is known to cause a condition known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS). In OAS, you may experience itching in your mouth and throat, along with mild swelling, after you consume fresh fruits and vegetables such as banana, cucumber, melon, and zucchini.

In addition to ragweed pollen, pollen from other plants, trees, and grass can trigger allergies in the fall. If you’re allergic, mold can also lead to a reaction during the autumn months. “Molds can be both indoor and outdoor,” says McNairn. “The only time you really get rid of the mold [outside] is if you have a lot of snow on the ground,” she says.

Tips for Managing Fall Allergies

To reduce your exposure to fall allergens such as mold and pollen, McNairn suggests the following:

• Use a dehumidifier, an electric appliance that can decrease humidity in your house, to keep the relative humidity in your home at less than 50 percent.
• Ask someone who is not allergic to clean visible mold with a diluted bleach solution.
• Regularly clean room humidifiers, because they are prone to developing mold.
• Have someone who is not allergic do yard work (raking leaves, mowing the lawn), or wear a facemask and goggles if you must do it yourself.
• Keep the windows shut and the air conditioner running when ragweed pollen levels are high.
• Shower after being outdoors and avoid taking your dirty clothes and shoes into the bedroom, to keep the room as pollen-free as possible.

Alternative Treatments

Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy or NSRT provides a novel and unique approach to wellness that is based on proven, accepted science, allowing patients who generally have very few if any treatment options to experience symptomatic relief. Our technology and science are based on these four facts:

1. Stress causes or exacerbates most health related conditions. “According to The American Medical Association (AMA), stress is the cause of 80 to 85 percent of all human illness and disease. Every week, 95 million Americans suffer some kind of stress-related symptom for which they take medication. “
2. A general reduction of stress levels can significantly decrease symptoms of many conditions.
3. The brain creates associations between stressful events and substances which are often times inappropriate and subsequently lead to a host of chronic and acute conditions. As an example, “Allergies are abnormal or inappropriate reactions of the nervous system that occur in response to otherwise harmless substances.” – Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia
4. If these associations can be broken, by introducing a positive stimulus in conjunction with the specific stress inducing substance… symptoms can be reduced or eliminated.

Stress is the key word. Our technology measures stress levels in the Autonomic Nervous System, Identifies substances that cause stress levels to rise, and couples these environmental stressors with a positive stimulus which in this case is the release of endorphins and enkephalins triggered by nerve bundle stimulation during light therapy. Endorphins and enkephalins are the body’s natural sedative and pain killer which upon release calm the nervous system breaking the previous negative association and replacing it with a neutral association. The net result is the positive conditioning or successful neurological relaxation training of the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) to no longer respond in a stressful manner during real world substance exposure.

Why is that so important? Well, the stress response is the first step in the cascade of events that end up with sneezing, sniffling, sinus pressure, gas, bloating, diarrhea, itching, welting and burning skin irritations, wheezing and difficulty breathing. These are all symptomatic expressions the body uses to expel toxins or substances it believes are harmful to the body through the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, integumentary (The skin) and musculo-skeletal systems.

All of these conditions can be described as being kicked off with an Autonomic Nervous System Mediated Response. NSRT (Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy) is very effective at alleviating or eliminating the triggers that lead to these symptoms.

Our devices are not meant to diagnose or treat any specific condition. The benefits of reducing stress on the nervous system however, and reducing or eliminating autonomic nervous system mediated responses can have wide reaching positive effects on a number of symptoms and conditions that previously had limited therapeutic options.

The benefits of NSRT are further magnified due to the fact that our procedure is fast, highly accurate in substance specific assessment, non-invasive, painless and effective. NSRT requires no drugs, no needles and no dietary restrictions making NSRT a safe and holistic alternative for patient care.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is highly effective in the treatment of allergies and fully capable of stimulating the organism to heal to the point of complete relief from all allergy symptoms.

Many of us have suffered from allergies at one time in our life, and usually the best treatment offered was symptomatic relief through avoidance of the allergen or through medication. Homeopathy, on the other hand, addresses the cause of the sensitivity to allergens at the deepest possible level; avoiding the allergen (the substance responsible for the allergic response) or resorting to suppression of symptoms through ongoing symptomatic treatment becomes unnecessary once this sensitivity has been eliminated.

An Allergist is the medical specialist that commonly uses small doses of an allergen in order to desensitize a person to that allergen. This concept of using small doses of what might cause a problem in order to help prevent or heal the person is an ancient observation of healers/physicians all over the world, and it is the basis for a type of natural medicine called homeopathy.

It is therefore not surprising that one of the three physicians who founded the American Academy of Allergy was a San Francisco homeopathic physician, Dr. Grant L. Selfridge. [2] Another small and forgotten footnote in medical history involves a homeopathic physician from Scotland, C.H. Blackley, who in 1871 was the first physician to identify pollen as the cause of hay fever. [3]

The truth is that allergies can be permanently overcome. The body is incredibly made and has all the mechanisms built within that allow us to attain and maintain great health. Our innate healing abilities are so powerful that we naturally overcome the majority of problems we encounter in life.

“Think about this for a minute – what if headaches didn’t come and go, they just came and stayed? Or, imagine if you still had every cut, scrape and injury you had ever gotten – you would be a mess. Obviously, you naturally recover from many conditions because your body has internal healing capabilities”.

Symptoms are often mistaken as the cause of the problem, when really they are caused by the problem. Treating a symptom instead of a root cause is like turning off a fire alarm instead of putting out the fire. Take headaches for example. Say you choose to use aspirin or ibuprofen to control the symptoms. Time and time again, you must take these pills (why do you think you get so many aspirin in a bottle?). In most cases, the underlying cause of the headache is not changing and therefore the headaches keep coming back! Wouldn’t you rather target the underlying cause and stop the headaches from returning at all?

Do you think that taking various over-the-counter drug products for symptoms is the best way to deal with allergies? Why use temporary solutions over and over again? Your immune system needs to be normalized and strengthened so you do not have to live with allergy symptoms.

Do you know about the possible side effects of antihistamines and decongestants, the primary ingredients in many over-the-counter allergy medications? Many allergy products can cause nervousness, insomnia, dry mouth, negative reactions to other substances, stomach upset and over-sensitivity to sunlight. Additionally, many of these products will cause a rebound effect, a worsening of symptoms when the drug is discontinued. Homeopathy helps your body naturally overcome allergy symptoms with no side effects, while you stay fresh and alert.

Homeopathy is the purest form of natural medicine I have found. With over 200 years of clinical use, there are no negative side effects, no known reactions with other drugs, no contraindications for use and no addictive or habit forming properties. These outstanding results are unprecedented in the history of medicine.

Homeopathic medicines have become the first of all the natural remedies to be registered by the FDA as a drug product. Homeopathy offers a safe, natural solution backed by science, clinical experience, FDA registration and, most importantly, the tests of time.

Homeopathy is designed to work very quickly. Most people will notice initial results as early as 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Others may see results in a few minutes to a few days. Others experience a sense of lightness, accompanied by an emotional release. The corresponding sense of well being or an increase in overall energy, alertness and awareness indicates the healing response is taking place within you. Another positive sign of the healing response being activated is that you will require less and less of this natural medicine as time goes on, not more and more.

Homeopathic natural medicines are powerful. Homeopathy can be safely and effectively combined with nutritional and herbal products, as well as conventional drugs and procedures. The end results of using an all-natural approach are well worth it! Natural relief is a far healthier and often permanent solution.

Homeopathy is a very individualized healing art. A single remedy for one person with allergies may not be the same as that needed for another. Treating 10 people with allergy symptoms may require just as many different homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathy offers formulas designed to strengthen you from the inside by activating your body’s natural response system to stimulate its ability to heal itself. This approach offers relief of allergy symptoms, while formulas which work specifically on the immune system may even prevent future allergic reactions. A second approach in homeopathy acclimates you for the outside by providing homeopathic preparations of the specific weeds, grasses, trees, molds and pollens found in your geographic region. Over time, your body becomes less sensitive to the exposure of these allergens, reducing the severity and frequency allergic reactions. Using both of these approaches together provide the most complete approach to allergy correction.

This contemporary homeopathic approach is the only treatment method besides immunotherapy or allergy tests and shots that offer a chance for lasting relief or potential cure from allergies. Obviously, homeopathy offers the simplest, safest, and less costly and time-invested approach. Homeopathic allergy relief is applicable to anyone with allergies and should be the practical first choice for allergy care and correction.

[1] Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America

[2] Cohen SG. The American Academy of Allergy: a historical review. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1979;64: 332-333.

[3] Reilly D, Taylor MA, McSharry C, Aitchison T. Is homoeopathy a placebo response? Controlled trial of homoeopath ic potency, with pollen in hayfever as model. Lancet October 18, 1986; ii: 881-886.

B Vitamins are essential to health. Your nerves, skin, eyes, hair, liver, mouth, muscles, gastrointestinal tract, and brain depend on the B vitamins for proper functioning. The B vitamins are coenzymes that are involved in energy production. B vitamins are also useful for alleviation of depression and anxiety.

As we get older our ability to absorb B vitamins from our food declines. In some Alzheimer’s patients, it was found that the problem was due to a deficiency of vitamin B-12 plus vitamin B-Complex in an accepted Multivitamin.

The use of coffee, cigarettes, sugar and alcohol destroy B vitamins. People with diabetes and alcoholism need more B vitamins than most people. B vitamins are water-soluble and any excess is excreted and not stored in the body. Your body needs to replace B vitamins daily.

To get the most from your B vitamins they should be taken as a group and the label should say “from whole foods” or “a whole food source”. If you need more of a specific B vitamin such as B-12, add them along with the B-Complex in your Multivitamin (we recommend Cell Manna).

Many vitamin companies use bulk inorganic synthetic B-Complex vitamins, which our bodies cannot completely absorb. Food source or whole food Multivitamins are what you want to look for. If the label does not say food source on it, or from whole foods, then I would be concerned about the negative health value and the waste of money.

Symptoms of a Deficiency of B Vitamins:
Nausea, exhaustion, irritability, depression, forgetfulness, loss of appetite, weight gain, pain in muscles, poor immune response, loss of control of limbs, abnormal heart action, skin problems, acid reflux, splitting nails, mood swings, teary or bloodshot eyes etc.

Physical Problems:
Irregular Heart Beat, Acid Reflux, Migraine Headaches, Fatigue, Sore Mouth, Drowsiness, Dizziness, Headaches, Indigestion, Limbs Numb or Stiff, Limb pains, Abnormal Gait, Skin Eruptions, Labored Breathing, Low Blood Sugar, Soreness and Weakness in the Legs and Arms, Muscular Weakness, Reduced Sensory Perception, Difficulty Walking, Impotency in Men, Pernicious Anemia

Psychological Problems:
Mood Swings, Memory Loss, Difficulty Concentrating, Anxiety, Depression, Dementia, Emotional Sensitivity (can lead to asthma attacks), Loss of Mental Energy

Positive Benefits You May Notice While Taking Good B-Vitamins:

• Increases body’s ability to obtain oxygen,
• Helps extend cell lifespan,
• Regulates fat metabolism,
• Neutralizes the craving for liquor,
• Stimulates the bodies glandular and nervous systems,
• Lowers blood cholesterol and protein synthesis,
• Helpful in the treatment of heart disease and asthma,
• Very helpful to a smoker who is trying to quit,
• Important to residents in high-density pollution areas,
• Mellows the personality,
• Raises your ability to withstand stress,
• Relieves depression,
• Improves circulation and lowers cholesterol deposits in the skin and arteries to legs that restrict blood flow,
• Helpful in preventing heart attacks and strokes,
• Can help regulate blood sugar levels in hypoglycemic patients,
• Improves complexion (B3 or Niacin),
• Improves the production of hydrochloric acid for digestion,
• Improves the synthesis of sex hormones,
• Can relieve Hiatus Hernia,
• Can stop the craving for nicotine

BioVeda Now Offers B Natural!

B Natural is one of the best Vitamin B products on the market today. We have created this product using our exclusive whole food “blossom base” all while implementing our “BioCore” technology to ensure that the body is being balanced on all levels, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Visit our product store to order your B Natural today!

What causes headaches?

- by Dr. Jean Gibson, BioVeda of Fayetteville, AR

Headaches can be caused by several different things.  Some of these causes are sinus problems, eye problems, vascular irregularities, allergies, chemical sensitivities or hypoglycemia. The most common cause of headaches is cervico-genic in origin – meaning it originates in the cervical spine (your neck). Spinal subluxation can irritate spinal nerves causing your headaches.

Muscular tension in your neck caused by stress, chronic postural strain (such as sleeping on too many pillows or spending too much time looking down at your cell phone), or traumatic injury to your neck as in a whiplash can also cause headaches.

There are several things that can be done to help your headaches without drugs. First, you need a thorough examination and x-rays from a Doctor of Chiropractic. The doctor will then develop a specific treatment plan based on the findings from your examination and x-rays

The  adjustment for the spinal regions that are subluxated can be completed either using a hands on technique or a precision instrument. The adjustment restores normal motion to your cervical spine, decreases muscle spasms and decrease inflammation in your joints and muscles.

We can assess your nervous system for negative reactions to foods, airborne particulates, chemicals, or other substances and then use Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy (NSRT).

Acupuncture can also be used to relieve your headache by helping your body produce endorphins – natural pain relievers – and by balancing energy flow.

Three Things that Could be Making Your Allergies Worse

- by Dr. Andrew Moore, BioVeda of Alamo Heights, TX

Hormones: When European researchers studied 571 women between the ages of 28 and 58, they found that more than one in every 10 tested positive on a standard measure of breathing difficulty before or during the first days of their periods. For many women, allergies and asthma get more severe right before their periods, other research has shown. Taking the Pill may help, or you may want to tweak your allergy/asthma medication around your menstrual cycle to get good control.

Stress: It can make everything worse – even allergies: an Ohio State University College of Medicine study found that in people with seasonal allergies, even moderate stress caused a more sever reaction to an allergy skin test; in the study, subjects who were asked to make a short speech had red raised bumps that were 75 percent larger than they’d been during the “low stress” portion of the study. Stress appears to increase levels of cytokines, chemicals that play a role in the body’s allergic response

Alcohol: In a 2008 study of over 5,800 Danish women, those who had more than two drinks  a day were almost twice as likely as nondrinkers to report having nasal symptoms. No one’s quite sure why, but alcohol is a vasodilator, and it may be that if you have allergies, the swelling of your blood vessels makes your nose run even more. If you notice symptoms cranking up after the cocktail hour, skip the aperitif and go right to the appetizer.

Dr. Augustine on The Power of Biological Light in Healing – Mercola

- by Dr. James Augustine, BioVeda of Cerritos, CA

A Russian scientist, Pjotr Garjajev, has managed to intercept communication from a DNA molecule in the form of ultraviolet photons — in other words, light. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who is familiar with the biophoton work of Fritz-Albert Popp.

It is well known that if you use UV light to destroy 99 percent of a cell, including its DNA, you can almost entirely repair the damage in a single day just by illuminating the cell with the same wavelength at a much weaker intensity.

This phenomenon is known as photorepair.

Following the work of Popp, scientists around the globe have begun to consider that your body’s communication system might be a complex network of resonance and frequency.

Read more…

The following is the first of a three part series that comprises a white paper report on Nutritional Protection Against Excitotoxins.  In this series we explore the importance of nutrition in protecting the body and brain from harmful toxins and free radicals.  To read the complete report on Nutritional Protection, click to download. This is for reference only, all rights are reserved.

Besides reducing the concentration of excitotoxins themselves, there are three major areas in which nutritional supplements may help in preventing damage by excitotoxins:

1. Reducing the production of bad eicosanoids
2. Reducing free radical damage
3. Improving energy production

What Are Eicosanoids?

• Eicosanoids are “super hormones” because they affect the synthesis of virtually every other hormone in one’s body. Eicosanoids are the body’s cellular check and balance system.
• Eicosanoids are controlled by dietary fat and insulin. In other words, eicosanoids can be controlled if one is consuming the correct amount of Omega-6 and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (“PUFAs”) and controlling a good hormonal balance between insulin and glucagon. Eicosanoids come from the Greek word “eicosa” which means twenty. They are twenty carbon compounds which are powerful substances that influence 60 trillion cells in our body.
• Eicosanoids are either “good” or “bad” and have opposing actions. A BALANCE of these opposing actions spells good health whereas an imbalance spells disease.
• Decreases in insulin, loss of excess body fat and a state of wellness are all indicators relating to a good balance of eicosanoids and are all benefits of the ideal lifestyle.
• An imbalance of eicosanoids can be responsible for many reactions in our body including: allergies, asthma, arthritis, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, depression, chronic infection and Alzheimer’s disease.

What Stimulates the Production of “bad” Eicosanoids?

There is a large nutritional myth that we have to consume high amounts of carbohydrates to remain healthy. In fact, research now suggest just the opposite. Not only is most of our obesity related to carbohydrate excess, but many of the diseases that plague or society, such as arthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease are related to this unhealthy practice.

Not only should we reduce our carbohydrate intake but we should also carefully select the type of carbohydrates we do eat. We often times hear the question, “Are all carbohydrates equal in terms of absorption from the gut?” To answer this simply, no!

Carbohydrates are absorbed at highly variable rates. Some are absorbed very rapidly, and others slowly. So why does this matter? The rate of absorption of carbohydrates determines the amount of insulin secreted in response from the pancreas. Carbohydrates rapidly absorbed by the gut flood the bloodstream with glucose (all carbohydrates are converted to glucose). To handle this immediate load of sugar the pancreas has to secrete a large amount of insulin. In over sixty million Americans there is a significant overshoot of insulin that, in turn, drives the blood sugar to levels that impair brain function. We experience this through intense hunger, anxiety, and tremulousness.

But, research now also shows us that excess insulin also stimulates the production of “bad” eicosanoids, which severely damage cells, including brain cells. We further know that hypoglycemia causes the brain to internally secrete excess amounts of glutamate, especially aspartate. 1 We have also seen these excitotoxins stimulate the production of “bad” eicosanoids. At least two major studies have shown that the majority of Alzheimer’s patients have hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia. The question that remains unanswered is, “Will changing our diet early in life prevent such neurodegenerative diseases?” Asking this makes it important to note that food should be viewed as an extremely powerful drug.

Another approach to decreasing the amounts of “bad” eicosanoids is by limiting its precursor substance, arachidonic acid, in the diet. This can be done by avoiding egg yolks, organ meats (Mostly deli meats) and red meats. It is also important that you maintain a low fat diet, especially saturated fats, since these fan produce a state of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that the cell will not respond to insulin even in high concentrations. This is thought to be the cause of adult onset diabetes (type II diabetes).

Stay tuned for the next part of the series, where we discuss the importance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in combating the effects of free radicals on aging the brain.  In the meantime, place your order for high quality BioVeda  supplements that may help mitigate the potential damage that bad eicanosoids may be causing on your brain and body.

Krill Oil : Top Notch Antioxidant Protection — krill oil contains the unique antioxidant which may protect you from damaging free radicals. Past evidence has shown us that phospholipids are the safest and most effective carriers of DHA and EPA. Sadly though, standard fish oils and some low quality krill oil brands lack the phospholipid complex. Instead they contain omega-3 in the free-triglyceride form. This is less beneficial form. Phospholipids are the building blocks of your cell membranes; they regulate cellular transport and act like the “gate keepers of the cell.” This means that they protect the cell membrane from free radical attacks. If that’s not enough important facts, the most dominant phospholipid in krill oil is phosphatidyl choline, which is slightly composed of choline. Choline has been shown to be crucial in brain development, learning and memory. We also know that choline is important for fetal and infant brain development. Choline is the much needed neurotransmitter acetylcholne (this sends nerve signals to the brain) and trimethylglycine, a highly acclaimed liver protecter.

Fish Oil: EPA/ DHA is an essential fatty acid which stands for docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. This essential fatty acid is an Omega 3 fat, which is usually found in cold water fish. EPA/ DHA are highly unsaturated fat because they contain 6 and 5 double bond’s on their long structural chain. These polyunsaturated fats play a very important role with the function of our bodies. EPA and DHA are vital nutrients and may be taken to maintain healthy function of the following: Brain and Retina- DHA is a building block of tissue in the brain and retina of the eye. It helps with forming neural transmitters, such as phosphatidylserine, which is important for brain function. DHA is found in the retina of the eye and taking DHA may be necessary for maintaining healthy levels of DHA for normal eye function. Mega EPA/DHA is something everyone can benefit from!

Cell Manna: Complete Cellular Whole Food Support – Cell Manna is unlike any other product on the market due to its anti-aging benefits. With over 80 different ayurvedic and Korean herbs, this product’s key benefits are anti-aging, hormonal balance, and overall harmony. Cell Manna was created to provide the nutrients to the cells within the body. We call this micro nutrition which is used to feed specific cells you are targeting (ex. Liver, kidney, etc.). Taken by itself it is an overall rejuvenator for every cell within the body.

CoQ Support: CoQ10 has been available for decades, but now there is an amazing new form of Co Q10 called ubiquinol. Why is this so beneficial? CoQ10 is one of the key elements in the aging process and free radical production. These free radicals are oxygen atoms deficient in electrons that become highly reactive. This in turn causes potential damage to your tissues and DNA. If there was something you could do to limit the free radical production, then you could change the aging process. One nutrient that can help you do just that is Co Q10. The problem is your body requires the reduced form of Co Q10 (ubiquinol) to help you limit free radical production. If you’re younger than 25 years old, this isn’t an issue because your body is capable of converting Co Q10 from the oxidized to the reduced form. but, if you’re older, your body becomes more and more challenged to convert the oxidized Co Q10 to ubiquinol. Another very important reason for using a Co Q10 supplement is to help boost your body’s cellular energy production. Co Q10 helps facilitate the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy “currency for all your cells. But if you’re over 25, you need the reduced form of Co Q10, ubiquinol, to efficiently do this. So even if you do your best to eat a healthy diet, your body’s ability to produce Co Q10 and convert it to ubiquinol declines over time.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Dr. James Augustine, D.C. – BioVeda Health & Wellness Center of Cerritos, CA

To begin this discussion, most people go to the doctor when symptoms arise. Symptoms are the last thing to show up but the first thing to leave. We all have been taught that we go to the doctor when we feel bad, and when the symptoms are gone, we are healthy. Lack of symptoms does not mean that a person is healthy. All the “silent killers” like high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, typically have no associated symptoms. The American Heart Association states that 50% of the time, the first symptom of a heart attack is no symptom but a massive, deadly heart attack; lights out. By the time symptoms arise, there has been permanent tissue damage happening in the associated areas of the body.

Therefore, I say, measure your health by how you function not by how you feel.  We utilize several methods in my practice to assess the body’s ability to function.  Contact BioVeda to learn more!

Dr. Jean Gibson, D.C. – BioVeda Health & Wellness Center of Fayetteville, AR

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

You get up in the morning feeling stiff, but ignore it, because you didn’t sleep well the night before. You then sit down on the sofa to read the paper and enjoy your coffee. When you try to get up, BAM – a sudden and sharp pain in the back.

You get up in the morning and go straight to your computer. You end up sitting too long, and when you try to stand up – you can’t completely straighten up.

You get up in the morning, drink your coffee – which wakes up your gut – so you head to the bathroom. You are a bit constipated, and have to strain to empty your bowels. When you try to get up from the toilet, your back spasms.

Why, you wonder, do these things happen – and usually in the morning in the morning? Overnight sleeping leaves your back swollen- even on the best of beds – and extra fluid in your joints. The best thing to do is first thing – before starting your coffee, getting your paper, or checking your computer – you need to stretch to “wring” the excess fluids out of your joints. Gentle stretching when you wake up helps the fluid get to moving, warms up your muscles, and helps protect your back from spasms.

During your day, try to not bend over immediately after sitting. Instead, stand up and do some gentle backward bends to reset your spine. When you sit, don’t slump, as this reinforces the risks to something happening to your back. And try to get up every hour, walk around and do some gentle stretches. You will be amazed how much better you feel at the end of the day!

Lorri L. Beauchamp, L.Ac. – BioVeda Health & Wellness Center of Lincoln Park, IL

Seasonal allergies can wreak havoc on your life. For some, the symptoms are so severe, they keep sufferers home in bed. What can you do to minimize your allergy symptoms? Here are some simple tips:

1. Nasal irrigation is a perfect way to eliminate allergens from your nasal passages. It is safe and inexpensive and can be done several times per day. In the morning, it can help clear you of dust mites and molds found in your bedding. In the evening, it can clear pollen before you go to sleep.
2. Showering before bed is another good practice. You will rinse any excess pollen from your body and minimize the transfer of allergens into your bed. BUT – make sure you dry your hair thoroughly before you lay down. Wet hair on a pillow or mattress is a perfect environment for mold. So though you may have elminated the pollen, you may be creating a more pervasive issue with the mold.
3. If you exercise outdoors, avoid the hours between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m as that is the period during which pollen is emitted. As an alternative, excercise inside.
4. Swimming is an ideal activity for those suffering with allergies and asthma. The humid air near water keeps the airways moisturized.
5. If you have gas forced air, use high quality air filters in your system. Change the filters frequently. Consider a HEPA filter in your bedroom as well as mattress and pillowcase protectors for dustmites.
6. Take a multivitamins with minerals to provide additional support to your immune system.

Finally, when your system is depleted by seasonal allergies or any allergies, it is especially important to eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.

Contact BioVeda to learn more!

Flu season  seems to come earlier and earlier each year.The CDC is already strongly recommending that people go out and get their annual flu shots.  And while vaccines can offer protection from the flu, there are other natural methods of flu prevention you can use to help avoid infection and minimize symptoms if you do contract the flu virus.

One great way to help keep your immune system healthy and reduce your susceptibility to the flu virus is to supplement with Vitamin D3. Vitamin D is produced in the body during exposure to sunlight. During the winter we tend to get less exposure so vitamin D supplements are recommended. People who take vitamin D supplements have better luck avoiding the seasonal flu. This idea that Vitamin D helps fight the flu is further supported by a study conducted last year:

“The findings of our study support an important role for vitamin D in prevention of common respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu,” says researcher Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, of the University of Colorado, Denver, Division of Emergency Medicine, in a news release. “Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency.”

BioVeda Health and Wellness Centers now offer a Vitamin D3 spray which is great for the whole family. Contact a center near you or visit our online store to order your bottle today!

Other methods of Flu Prevention Include (thank you to FluHelp.org for the following tips):

If you want to avoid getting the flu this winter, follow these 7 proven techniques for boosting your immune system, fighting off germs, and keeping your body healthy…

1. Get enough sleep. Your immune system functions much better when you get enough sleep. Most people really need about 8 hours per night for optimal health. If you’re body is fatigued, it simply won’t be able to fight off the flu virus (or any other infection) very well.
2. Exercise regularly. Exercise helps keep your immune system strong. In fact, a recent study showed that mice who performed mild exercise as soon as they were exposed to the flu virus had much lower death rates. Read about the study here.
3. Avoid sugar. Even small amounts of sugar can significantly impair your immune function, making you more susceptible to a flu infection. A large amount of sugar, such as the amount found in a normal can of soda, hurts your immune function for hours.
4. Drink lots of pure water. Keeping your mucous membranes well-hydrated is a key to helping them fight off viruses. Shoot for about eight 8-ounce glasses per day.
5. Reduce stress. Too much stress has a highly negative impact on your overall health and, over time, it will make you much more susceptible to a flu infection. Studies show that prolonged stress is at least partially responsible for 90% of all illness and disease. Regular exercise and sufficient sleep both help reduce stress levels. Also, meditation is a proven stress-buster that is easy, enjoyable and can be used on a daily basis.
6. Wash your hands often. Also, carry a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you and use it frequently, especially after you touch anything that others have touched recently (like doorknobs).
7. Eat immune-boosting foods on a daily basis. A healthy diet, including a few proven immune-boosting foods, is one of the best ways to avoid catching the flu. The best flu-fighting foods are:

• • Fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables – Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are packed with healthy phytonutrients that can strengthen your immune system, lowering your susceptibility to the flu virus.
  • Fresh raw or lightly-cooked garlic – Garlic has strong natural antiviral properties that can help to fight off a flu virus. Also, garlic provides a strong boost to your immune system, especially when eaten on a regular basis.
  • Green Tea – Like garlic, green tea has shown the ability to both kill viruses and to stimulate the immune system to fight off flu infections, especially when used daily. Try to drink 3-6 cups of strong green tea per day during the flu season.
  • Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne has a long list of health benefits and is believed to be a mild immune-booster. Also, cayenne contains large amounts of natural vitamin A, considered to be an important “anti-infection” nutrient.

Contact a BioVeda Health & Wellness Center near you to learn more about how to achieve optimal health and wellness.  Get Well. Stay Well. BioVeda.

A recent report from Children’s Hospital Boston indicates that food allergies in children are becoming more common and more severe.  In fact, the number of food allergy cases at this hospital doubled in 2006. In addition, the number of kids with food allergies went up 18 percent from 1997 to 2007, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 3 million children younger than 18 had a food or digestive allergy in 2007, the CDC said.  There are many theories as to why more and more children are becoming allergic.  This rise in allergies could be due to our Western diet, making us more susceptible to developing allergies and other illnesses. CNN further explores this possibility in their article “Why are food allergies on the rise?“:

The children in the African village live in a community that produces its own food. The study authors say this is closer to how humans ate 10,000 years ago. Their diet is mostly vegetarian. By contrast, the local diet of European children contains more sugar, animal fat and calorie-dense foods. The study authors posit that these factors result in less biodiversity in the organisms found inside the gut of European children.

The decrease in richness of gut bacteria in Westerners may have something to do with the rise in allergies in industrialized countries, said Dr. Paolo Lionetti of the department of pediatrics at Meyer Children Hospital at the University of Florence. Sanitation measures and vaccines in the West may have controlled infectious disease, but they decreased exposure to a variety of bacteria may have opened the door to these other ailments.

“In a place where you can die [from] infectious diseases, but you don’t get allergy, obesity, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disease, the flora is different,” Lionetti said.

This study only looked at a small number of children, but the findings support the widespread notion of the “hygiene hypothesis” — the idea that cases of allergies are increasing in number and severity because children grow up in environments that are simply too clean.

“That our immune system is skewed away from fighting infections, and toward fight things that it’s not supposed to be fighting, like things in the environment or foods — that’s one thing that people think may be in play,” Rudders said.

Another reason presented for this rapid increase in food allergies and food sensitivities in children is the idea of delayed introduction of high allergen foods. A study published in the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics, “Age at First Introduction of Cow Milk Products and Other Food Products in Relation to Infant Atopic Manifestations in the First 2 Years of Life: The KOALA Birth Cohort Study” has found that delaying the introduction of certain common allergen foods, particularly cow’s milk, is not favorable and does not prevent the development of allergic response such as eczema, wheezing or atopic dermatitis. They studied data from 2558 infants in the Netherlands to come to this conclusion, through questionnaires administered at 34 weeks of gestation and 3, 7, 12, and 24 months postpartum. They then measured allergic sensitivity at age 2, through blood sampling. They determined that delaying introduction of common allergens may actually increase the risk of eczema at age 2 and beyond.

Another study involving Jewish children in the United Kingdom and Israel has found that the Israeli children who were exposed to peanuts frequently during infancy were 10 times LESS likely to develop a peanut allergy than their UK counterparts.

“The most obvious difference in the diet of infants in both populations occurs in the introduction of peanut. Israeli infants are introduced to peanut during early weaning and continue to eat peanut more frequently and in higher amounts than UK infants, who avoid peanut, as per Department of Health recommendations.  The observed differences in Peanut Allergies between the UK and Israel are unlikely to be explained by genetic differences. Our findings raise the question of whether early and frequent ingestion of high-dose peanut protein during infancy might prevent the development of Peanut Allergies through tolerance induction. Paradoxically, past recommendations in the United States and current recommendations in the UK and Australia might be promoting the development of Peanut Allergies and could explain the continued increase in the prevalence of Peanut Allergies observed in these countries.”

Whatever the reason for the increase, it’s time to look at alternative methods of addressing these allergies in children.  BioVeda Health & Wellness Centers offer a variety of holistic therapies that can help reduce or eliminate symptoms related to food allergies.  Contact a BioVeda Health & Wellness Center to learn more!