IRON

Functions: vital for a healthy immune system • part of the hemoglobin molecule that binds oxygen in the red blood cells. Deficiency signs and symptoms: weakness and fatigue. Iron’s enemies: lack of stomach acid • extreme diets in which only or mostly green vegetables are eaten • intestinal diseases which speed transit of food through intestines • poor absorption of dietary fat (leading to excess fat in intestine interfering with iron absorption).

MAGNESIUM

Functions: vital for a healthy immune system • involved with energy formation and transfer, carbohydrate metabolism, manufacture of protein, proper nutrition of the heart and neuromuscular transmission.

Deficiency signs and symptoms: personality changes • fatigue

• muscle weakness • heart irregularities • muscle spasms. Magnesium’s enemies: prolonged fasting • persistent vomiting

• chronic diarrhea • surgery • severe burns • alcohol • high-protein diets.

MANGANESE

Functions: vital for a healthy immune system • important for formation of the main thyroid hormone • necessary for proper utilization of vitamins C, Bj and biotin, and for production of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter.

Deficiency signs and symptoms: a deficiency in animals results in sterility in both sexes, skeletal abnormalities. Manganese’s enemies: refining of foods.

PHOSPHORUS

Functions: necessary for good bone and teeth structure and a healthy nervous system • helps stimulate muscle contractions

• plays a role in extracting energy from food. Deficiency signs-and symptoms: loss of appetite • nausea • fatigue • weakness • vague and persistent bone pains. Phosphorus’s enemies: excessive injestion of antacids.

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When your mind receives a piece of information, it responds by sending a chemical message to the appropriate part of your body. For example, when your eyes see that the traffic light is turning red, the brain interprets that fact and sends a “hit the brake” message to your right foot.

The red light was only a fact. It didn’t “make” you step on the brake. It was your interpretation of the red light, combined with the knowledge that you were driving a car, and the light was so far away, and you were going so fast, etc., that persuaded you to brake. The red light was only one fact among many.

Remember that time, late at night, when you walked down a dark street in a not-so-nice part of town? As you looked into the shadows, and turned your head to see if anyone was behind you, your heart began to pound. You could feel your breath coming in short gasps as your muscles tensed and you began to sweat. Chemical fireworks were exploding inside of you, dilating your pupils for better vision, shutting down temporarily unnecessary actions like digestion, and rushing blood to your muscles, for example, to help you fight or run.

It took only a split second to turn you from a calm stroller into a frightened, highly charged person, ready to fight or run for his or her life. And what triggered this “fight or flight” response? Nothing but your thoughts. Nobody pulled a gun on you; nobody mugged you, nobody shouted at you or ran after you or made a threatening gesture. As a matter of fact, you never saw or heard anybody at all, because the street was deserted. You turned on the chemical fireworks with your thoughts.

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TOMATO—YOGURT SALAD DRESSING

1 cup tomato puree 1 cup yogurt, plain, nonfat 1 tbl.

cider or wine vinegar 1 tbl. dry mustard 1 tsp. dill-weed 2 tsps. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender or food processor. Makes 3 cups.

FAIRFAX HOOP DRESSING

1/2 cup hoop cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 scallion, chopped juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp. dill weed

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. thyme

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender or food processor. Makes 2 cups.

BLENDER BROCCOLI DRESSING

1 cup broccoli florets, steamed until tender 1/4 cup cider or wine vinegar 1/2tbl. tomato paste pinch of basil dash of dill weed dash of cumin dash of pepper

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender or food processor. Makes 2 cups.

NO OIL DRESSING

8 ozs. tomato sauce

2 tbls. tarragon vinegar

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Angostura Bitters

1/2 tsp. dill weed, dried

1/2 tsp. basil, dried crushed

1 tbl. onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1-inch long chili pepper, ground

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender or food processor until smooth.

Makes 2 cups.

TOMATO HERB DRESSING

8 ozs. tomato juice 1 1/2 tbls. lemon juice 1/2 tbl. vinegar 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. onion juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 drops Tabasco sauce 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. herb mix (choose some or all: rosemary,

thyme, basil, coriander, cassia, mustard seed, oregano, fennel)

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender or food processor until smooth.

Makes 2 cups.

RUSSIAN DRESSING

1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat 1 tbl. vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 cup tomato juice

1/4 cup celery, finely chopped

Put cottage cheese, vinegar or lemon juice, and tomato juice in blender. Blend until smooth, adding more tomato juice if necessary. Stir in celery just before using.

Makes 2 cups.

YOGURT-GARLIC DRESSING

1 cup yogurt, plain, nonfat 11/2 tsps. cumin seeds, crushed 1/2 tsp. curry powder 1/2 clove garlic, pressed

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender or food processor. Makes 2 cups.

HEALTHY PUREE

1 cauliflower 1/2 cup yogurt, plain, nonfat 1/2 bunch fresh dill or cilantro, chopped

Steam cauliflower until tender; coursely chop. Puree with yogurt in blender. Mix in fresh dill or cilantro. Serve on baked tomatoes, cooked grains or fish.

Makes 2 to 3 cups.

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Here are three foods you may not have thought were Super Foods: cantaloupes, papayas and peaches. These orange fruits contain large amounts of beta carotene; cantaloupes and papayas also contain quite a bit of vitamin C.

Nutrient
Cantaloupe
Papaya
Peaches
(per 1\2 oz)
(raw)
(raw)
(raw)
Beta Carotene
3,400.0 IU
1,750.0 IU
1,330.0 IU
Vitamin C
33.0 mg
56.0 mg
7.0 mg
Calcium
14.0 mg
20.0 mg
9.0 mg
Phosphorus
16.0 mg
16.0 mg
19.0 mg
Iron
.4 mg
.3 mg
.5 mg
Sodium
12.0 mg
3.0 mg
1.0 mg
Potassium
251.0 mg
234.0 mg
202.0 mg
Vitamin B2
.04 mg
.04 mg
.02 mg
Vitamin B2
.03 mg
.04 mg
.05 mg
Vitamin B3
.6 mg
.3 mg
1.0 mg
Papayas should be eaten when they’re soft but still firm. And cantaloupes should be eaten plain, without sugar. “But it won’t taste sweet without the sugar, Dr. Fox,” some of my patients have complained. We’ve gotten so used to dumping sugar on everything that we don’t realize how sweet some foods naturally are. So leave the sugar off. Your taste buds will tell you what a sweet-tasting melon it is all by itself.

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Description and Possible Medical Problems

If you’ve ever had novocaine at the dentist’s office, then you know what a numb mouth feels like.

Some people who are chronic worriers bite their lips a lot, which can result in a lack of sensation in the lips. But if you discover that the area around your mouth is numb, it might be a sign of a lack of blood flow to the brain. This could be a signal of impending stroke.

Frequently, when a stroke has occurred, your mouth will feel numb either around the lips or on one side of them. Most people who have had a stroke also have a numb arm and/or leg—if both, they’ll be on the same side of the body—and difficulty with their speech and/or vision.

Sometimes numbness around the mouth caused by poor circulation to the brain can also be accompanied by a sudden loss of consciousness.

Treatment

Many times, treatment will include aspirin, but only after a vascular flow study of the vessels of the neck that lead to the brain, along with, possibly, an angiogram and a CAT scan or MRI. A low-salt, low-fat diet is prescribed, along with prescription medication that will lower blood pressure.

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Description and Possible Medical Problems

Though a nosebleed usually arrives without warning and is alarming, it’s usually not a serious condition, and it disappears as quickly as it came.

In midlife adults and older, nosebleeds can occur for no apparent reason, or they may be due to a blow to the nose or even breathing dry air. This type of nosebleed starts and stops suddenly. The blood vessels on the front of the septum—the cartilage that divides the nose—are thin and fragile, and it doesn’t take much for them to break. However, there are some instances in older adults where a nosebleed can indicate a serious condition that warrants immediate medical attention, and that’s why it’s a Body Signal Alert.

More serious nosebleeds usually originate further back in the nose and may be caused by a number of factors, from an excess of anticoagulant medication such as aspirin to the rupture of an artery, or even as a symptom of a worsening case of hypertension.

If your nosebleed recurs several times over the course of the day, or if the bleeding is constant, you should see your doctor right away.

Treatment

To stop a mild nosebleed, don’t lean your head back or lie down. Instead, sit up straight and pinch your nose so that you’re applying pressure to the septum. Apply ice; the bleeding should subside within a few minutes.

As far as a recurring or constant nosebleed is concerned, do not attempt to treat this mote serious type by yourself. Your doctot will first apply gauze soaked with anesthetic to the septum to shrink inflammation and stop the bleeding. If this is not successful, your doctor may choose to cauterize the site of the bleeding or to surgically place a temporary nasal balloon against the septum. This will help control the bleeding.

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Description and Possible Medical Problems

You know how you feel when you’re on a plane and coming in for a landing or driving down a mountain: your ears suddenly feel clogged. Usually, a good swallow or two will take care of it.

But what if this doesn’t help? A clogged sensation in your ear is frequently caused by an accumulation of earwax and has a simple solution. In most cases, you can even take care of it yourself.

Treatment

First, check to see if your ear is filled with earwax, or cerumen. Take a windup clock and see if you hear the ticking at the same volume in both ears. Another trick is to hum. If you can hear the humming louder on one side, that’s the side with the accumulation of wax. If you do find that one ear is filled with earwax, fill an eyedropper with mineral oil and place a few drops in the ear daily for a few days until the wax plug softens. Then flush out the wax with warm water in a plastic syringe.

TIP FOR FREQUENT FLYERS

There is a new device available that eliminates the painful ear¬aches that are due to pressure changes on ascent or descent. They are called “Earplanes” and look like a small set of earplugs. They can be purchased in drugstores and airports.

Special Mention for the Elderly

In the elderly, earwax can actually accumulate for years through inatten¬tion. The cerumen can become hard as a rock in some cases. This requires medical attention to remove the wax and avoid aggravating the chronic infection that usually accompanies a large accumulation of hard¬ened earwax.

There’s always the possibility that a bug has crawled into your ear or that a plug of cotton from an ear swab has dislodged and became stuck in your ear canal. Gently flushing the ear with mineral oil followed by water will probably do the trick for either problem. If you have no luck, contact your physician immediately and have her dislodge the offender. Don’t poke around yourself; you may puncture the eardrum.

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If you cross your eyes, you’ll see two of whatever you’re looking at. But if you begin to see double without purposely crossing your eyes, you should see your doctor, since this condition can be a symptom of diabetes, hypertension, or arteriosclerosis.

Double vision, also known as diplopia, occurs when one of your eyes crosses by itself or when the picture one of your eyes receives is not being processed properly by the brain. Ordinarily, the muscles of the eyes work together to coordinate two images into one picture. However, when one of the body’s major operating systems goes awry—such as with diabetes or hypertension—it can affect how the ocular muscles operate. Sometimes a trauma to one of the nerves in the brain that controls the eye muscles—such as an aneurysm—can affect your eyesight.

When double vision is caused by an aneurysm, a condition in which the wall of an artery swells, the aneurysm can press on some of the nerves that affect sight. Arteriosclerosis can reduce or completely stop the flow of blood to the optic nerve, and diabetes frequently affects circulation to the retina.

Double vision tends to occur in diabetics who have had their disease for ten years or more. The altered metabolic processes that are a symptom of diabetes can sometimes deprive the retina of oxygen, with one result being double vision.

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Description and Possible Medical Problems

“I have a sty in my eye.” Most of us have experienced a sty, an infection that occurs at the root of an eyelash, at one time or another. It may feel as though a tiny pea or pebble is stuck in your eye, and, because it is an irritant, the entire eye may become red and sore. Some people develop another kind of lump on the eyelid, called a chalazion, which is similar to a sty except that the infection occurs near the edge of the eyelid in the skin of the lid next to the eye. A chalazion looks like a lump in your eyelid, and you may feel as though you have a foreign body in your eye. A chalazion forms when one of the glands that lubricates the edge of the eyelid, called a meibomian gland, becomes blocked. But, unlike a sty, a chalazion doesn’t hurt.

Treatment

In most cases, you can take care of a sty or chalazion yourself. In fact, treating a sty yourself will speed up the healing process and relieve the pain. Simply apply a warm, damp washcloth to the area two or three times an hour. When the sty looks as though it’s about to burst, you can either pull out the eyelash near the sty or let the sty burst by itself. Once all the pus has run out of the sty, wash the area with warm water. The area will heal totally in a day or two.

To treat a chalazion, you should gently rub the swelling toward the edge of the eyelid. This usually causes the meibomian gland to become unblocked and the pus to drain quickly. Again, make sure to wash the eyelid with warm water. As with a sty, the lid will quickly heal.

Unless the infection grows so large that it begins to interfere with your sight, you may decide to wait out a sty or chalazion. But once it becomes larger than a small pea, it can distort the appearance of the eye and become unattractive, so you’ll probably want to treat it purely for aesthetic reasons.

If either of these self-help remedies doesn’t work, you should see your eye doctor, who will probably lance the sty or chalazion to allow it to drain and then treat the site with a topical antibiotic such as Bactrim, applied two or three times daily for about a week.

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1) Watch your diet— a recent study at the University of Texas in San Antonio may provide some valuable insight into the effects of diet on the aging process. The study was conducted on a colony of laboratory rats who were placed on diet restrictions. Researchers found that by cutting the caloric intake of the rats by 60 percent of normal, and preventing malnutrition from occurring, they were able to lengthen the rats’ life spans by as much as 50 percent. The researchers are now studying this information, in hopes of finding ways of applying it to humans, to stay young and healthy. The experts recommend that you choose foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and stay away from those foods with empty calories from sugar and fat. The key is cutting your total caloric intake, while getting enough essential nutrients. One way to do that is to increase your intake of vitamins A and C.

2) Maintain a desirable weight— a study at Harvard School of Public Health links obesity—being 20 percent or more above desirable weight—with premature death. It is also known that obesity can contribute to adult onset diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, respiratory problems, gall bladder disease, menstrual abnormalities, and high blood pressure. If you need to lose weight, you should follow a moderate diet designed to take off 1 or 2 pounds a week (see chapter 4).

3) Exercise regularly— exercise leads to fitness which in turn provides defense against disease. It is also important that you maintain as much flexibility as possible to avoid stiffness and back trouble. Even if you can’t get a full work out, you should do some lower-body stretches for 5 minutes each morning and upper-body stretches for 5 minutes during the day. The more sedentary and out-of-shape you are, the older you’ll feel, and the faster the aging process will be working on your body.

4) Don’t smoke— you’ll have practically no chance of slowing down the aging process and staying young longer if you smoke. There is enough hard evidence to prove that cigarette smoking will shorten your life by causing heart disease, emphysema, cancer, and a multitude of other health problems. Smoking is an excellent way to grow old before your time.

5) Take time for rest and relaxation— there is a world of difference between being a couch potato and relaxing. A daily battle with anxiety, tension, and stress can make you feel as if the “weight of the world” is on your shoulders. It can also sap your strength and wreak havoc with your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to all sorts of health disorders. In short, stress is another factor that can rob you of your youth and speed up the aging process. The best way to deal with stress is by learning to relax (see chapter 7). You should learn and practice daily a relaxation technique.

6) Avoid overexposure to the sun and cold— as we get older, we also become more vulnerable to the excesses of heat and hypothermia, because the aging body doesn’t handle temperature fluctuations as efficiently as it once did. Whenever you are exposed to the sun, you should use a sunscreen with a protection factor of 15, especially during the late morning and early afternoon when the sun is at its strongest.

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