A Kentucky woman sued her a doctor for branding her uterus with the initials of his Alma mater during an operation to remove the organ. Stephanie Means alleged that while Dr. James Guiler performed the hysterectomy at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, he “used a cauterizing instrument to intentionally brand the letters ‘UK,’ approximately 4-5 cm in height, on Plaintiff Stephanie Means’s uterus.”

Means’s lawsuit noted that since she and her husband were apprehensive about the surgery, Guiler filmed the procedure and gave the couple a copy of the videotape, which, the Fayette Circuit Court lawsuit stated, “clearly showed the instrument being used to brand Stephanie’s uterus.” Apparently, 9 other women came forward and said the doctor had done the same to their uterus.

Sheryl’s comment:
There are so many doctors out there that treat patients like objects rather than human beings. One of the reasons I have always hated going to the doctor is simply that they refuse to honor an appointment time, refuse to listen to what you are saying and then dismiss you like you are an annoyance rather than a paying customer.

To me this video shows very graphically that you need to respect yourself first and do everything humanly possible through fitness, nutrition and alternative therapies to avoid going to a modern medical doctor at all costs. Do you believe that women being objectified by the medical profession is the exception or the rule?

This classic PETA video shows graphically why a vegan or vegetarian diet is the only ethical choice. You will be shocked and horrified when you witness the horrific treatment of factory farmed animals.

“According to the studies conducted by the National Institute of Aging (NIA), foods rich in vitamin E content may aid in protecting individuals against the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) in the case of vitamin E estimates as 22 IU on a daily basis. Although vitamin E supplements offer potential health benefits, dosages higher than 2000 IU in a day may heighten the risk of bleeding due to the anticoagulation property of vitamin E.” Natural Health

We all know that fruits, nuts and green, leafy vegetables are a critical part of a healthy diet, and this study just gives us more proof of what we already know, and more incentive to keep up the good diet.

Author: KG Stiles. LMT, CAT, CBP, RBT

Effective research and clinical evaluation has been done in Germany on the main chemical component, alcohol geraniol found in Geranium oil. The results of these studies show successful treatment for autonomic nervous system imbalances. The autonomic nervous system stimulates our hormonal production and response. Therefore, autonomic nervous system balance is an essential KEY for healthy functioning of the body, mind and emotions.

“Vegetative dystony” is the term used to describe autonomic nervous system imbalance and its accompanying symptoms. Manifestations of autonomic nervous system imbalance include headache, hot flashes, irregular heartbeat, nervousness, depression and anxiety.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil medical vocabulary for imbalances of the autonomic nervous system do not exist in North American medicine. In both Germany and Japan however, two modern day industrial giants, acknowledge the condition and use the term “vegetative dystony.”

Our modern day lifestyle is one of chronic emotional and physical stress brought on by an increasing array of environmental toxins. These two conditions are cited as primary causes for autonomic nervous system imbalances and resulting hormonal disturbances.

There are many varieties of Geranium oil available. Geranium oils from Madagascar are by far the finest available and most researched for their therapeutic effect of balancing hormones. The Bourbon variety of Geranium oil from Madagascar is considered by many to be the most desirable for hormonal balance. Geranium Bourbon has an especially heady and sensual aroma that will energize your senses.

The “poor woman’s Rose Oil” Rose Geranium (Pelargonium roseum) has a fresh, slightly rosy scent and is excellent as a stand alone oil. As with other Geranium oils from Madagascar Rose Geranium mixes well with many oils and its effects are similar.

Geranium oil is known to be useful in regulating physical, mental, and emotional imbalances and has an especially calming and uplifting effect on the emotions. It is helpful for relieving depression, nervousness and fear. Geranium oil is also a first-aid oil that is welcome in any medicine cabinet. Geranium’s tonifying action helps relieve nervous emotional conditions like anxiety, confusion, depression, lethargy, enegy swings and tearfulness.

Geranium oil also gently balances extremes. When you are feeling out of sync try Geranium oil to gently reconnect with yourself. Geranium oil is an effective aid for re-establishing your body’s own natural rhythms.

Geranium oil can be used to help in the treatment of acne, bruises, burns, cuts, dermatitis, eczema, hemorrhoids, lice, as a mosquito repellant, ringworm, ulcers, breast engorgement, edema, poor circulation, sore throat, tonsillitis, PMS, menopausal problems, stress and neuralgia. Essentialoils.co.za

Women have used Geranium successfully for years to relieve premenstrual conditions and to smoothly navigate the menopausal period. Geranium has been used to treat an assortment of symptoms, including hormonal imbalances, premenstrual tension and a variety of menopausal conditions. The oil also relieves congestion - especially of the breast tissue and improves circulation.

Because Geranium oil is excellent for stimulating and cleansing the lymphatic system, it promotes a healthy immune system. It also promotes detoxification and is helpful for overcoming addiction, constipation, indigestion, fluid retention and it may relieve phlebitis and inflamed hemorrhoids.

Geranium is even excellent as a treatment for all skin types! Its regulating properties make it useful for balancing too oily, dry or combination skin types and also soothes sensitive or irritated skin. Geranium oil is useful for treating the following skin conditions: ringworm%

What if the claim of preventing HPV is far fetched or even totally misleading in many cases? What if the vaccine actually caused more precancerous lesions in some women? What if HPV is not really a terrible disease but an extremely common virus that most people contract and get over rather quickly without incident? What if HPV doesn’t even cause cervical cancer? Would you still take the vaccine? Would you still make your daughter take it?

All cancer is serious business and people will do what they can to avoid getting it. As far as survival rates go, however, cervical cancer is one of the most favorable. It is very easy and inexpensive to detect, it can take up to 20 years to develop (which gives 8-20 pap smears a chance to catch it) and is due to the accessibility of the cervix, it is much easier to treat that many other types of cancer.

Cervical cancer is also very rare at only about 1 in 135 women (vs 1 in 8 women who will get breast cancer). There are many risk factors for cervical cancer including poor nutrition (specifically lack of folate and vitamin A), oral contraceptives, smoking and a weakened immune system. These are all very simple lifestyle choices that are very easy to change if a person is truly interested in avoiding cervical cancer or any other cancer for that matter. (Perhaps it seems easier to get a shot than to quit smoking?)

In addition to cervical cancer being very rare to contract and very easy to diagnose, the prognosis is excellent relative to other cancers: The survival rate for cervical cancer with early detection is over 90%. “With treatment, 80 to 90% of women with stage I cancer and 50 to 65% of those with stage II cancer are alive 5 years after diagnosis. Only 25 to 35% of women with stage III cancer and 15% or fewer of those with stage IV cancer are alive after 5 years.” (Wikipedia)

So what we have here is a cancer that very rare, easy to diagnose, easy to treat and has an incredible survival rate. Those facts are small comfort to the 4,000 (or less) women in the US who die from cervical cancer every year. Who wouldn’t want to be one less? If the vaccine can lower the death rate, then what can it hurt, right? It might hurt if HPV does not even cause cervical cancer.

As it turns out, no one has ever proven that HPV actually causes cervical cancer. They have identified an almost 100% correlation between HPV and cervical cancer. In other words, HPV cells are found in virtually all cervical cancers, but that does not mean that HPV caused it. In fact, in 2003, the FDA admitted that they know that HPV does not cause cervical cancer and Natural News uncovered the FDA documents to prove it.

“Since at least 2003, the FDA has changed its position on the relationship between Human Papilloma Virus and cervical cancer, stating that the HPV strain is “not associated with cervical cancer.” Natural News

Researchers do know that sexual history seems to play a large role in cervical cancer. Nuns, for example rarely get cervical cancer unless they were sexually active before they entered the convent. The risk of cervical cancer also seems to go up in relation to the number of sex partners a woman has. The most interesting finding of all, is that the second wives of men whose first wives died of cervical cancer are more likely to get cervical cancer themselves. (Wikipedia)

It seems fairly logical to conclude that cervical cancer could be caused by the sperm, a variety of semen or something abnormal in the ejaculate of certain males. Since 80% of women have HPV by the time they are 50 and less than 1% of women contract cervical cancer then certainly there must be more to the story than only HPV. In fact, one study did find that prostglandins in semen fuel the growth of cervical and uterine tumors. (Wikipedia)

In 1992, 2 molecular biologists at the University of California at Berkely proposed that HPV is a marker rather than a cause of cervical cancer. “In short, Duesberg and Schwartz were pointing to the possibility that “carcinogens may be primary inducers of abnormal cell proliferation rather than HPV or HSV.” And here’s the key point: “Since proliferating cells [cancer cells dividing wildly] would be more susceptible to infection than resting cells, the viruses would just be indicators rather than causes of abnormal proliferation.”: …..and from the same article, “Even the National Cancer Institute (NCI) says that “direct” causation has not been demonstrated” Mercola.com

So maybe the vaccine will not make you “one less” if there is something else about sex that causes cervical cancer but HPV must be a really horrible thing to contract, right? Shouldn’t we still do everything we can to avoid this terrible virus? Not really. Over 3/4 of the population has HPV and it is rarely a problem. HPV normally cures itself in healthy women.

• The large majority of people cure themselves (usually without ever knowing that they had been infected). Average length of time from infection to cure is about 8 months. Most times, if low risk HPV is detected in a woman without symptoms, we would recommend only “watchful waiting” as treatment.
• Early changes on the cervix which could lead to cancer are nearly always discovered on Pap tests.
• Warts, if they develop, are usually treatable.
• The HPV virus is so common that it can almost be considered normal to have it. (Health.rutgers.edu)

Persistent infections of HPV only occur when the host female is already in an unhealthy, low immunity state. Interestingly, this unhealthy state is the same prime environment for cancer to take hold forty or fifty years later.

Let’s reiterate: We are vaccinating young, healthy girls against a virus that is extremely common, essentially harmless and goes away on its own and it has never been proven to cause a cancer that is very rare, easy to diagnose and treat and has a magnificent survival rate. Hmmmmm. There must be a great reason to drop $400 on this vaccination! What could it be?

OK, let’s say for sake of argument that HPV might cause cervical cancer (even though it has never been proven and the FDA claims it does not). On the off chance that it is in fact the cause of cervical cancer, then maybe we should get in line for this wonderful vaccine? What could it hurt? Shouldn’t we err on the side of caution?

Well, as it turns out there is a lot to be afraid of from the vaccine itself. As of October 2007, there have been almost 3,500 reported adverse reactions to Gardasil, including 11 deaths and 347 serious reactions. Keep in mind that historically, adverse reactions are seriously underreported both from the patients and more importantly the doctors who take the information after the fact and have a moral and ethical responsibility to report such reactions but for some reason ($$$$) fail to do so.

• “Information has been received … concerning a 17 year old female who in June 2007 … was vaccinated with a first dose of Gardasil … During the evening of the same day, the patient was found unconscious (lifeless) by the mother. Resuscitation was performed by the emergency physician but was unsuccessful. The patient subsequently died.”
• “Information has been received … concerning a 12 year old female with a history of aortic and mitral valve insufficiency … who on 01-MAR-2007 was vaccinated IM into the left arm with a first does of Gardasil … On 01-MAR-2007 the patient presented to the ED with ventricular tachycardia and died.”
• “Initial and follow-up information has been received from a physician concerning an ‘otherwise healthy’ 13 year old female who was vaccinated with her first and second doses of Gardasil. Subsequently, the patient experienced … paralysis from the chest down, lesions of the optic nerve…At the time of the report, the patient had not recovered.”
• One earlier report, No. 275438-1, describes the reaction as coronary artery thrombosis, sudden cardiac death. “Given Gardasil vaccine dose #1 3/12/07. Collapsed and died on 3/26/07… Echocardiogram revealed very enlarged right ventricle, small left ventricle as well as large blood clots within both the right atrium & right ventricle.”
• Another report noted that the woman was vaccinated and “died of a blood clot 8 hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine.” (WorldNetDaily)

That is eleven deaths. Maybe Gardasil’s slogan should be “One More” not “One Less”. In addition to the needless deaths, there are also cases of permanent disability such as paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures. Gardasil can also cause serious complications if given to pregnant women or girls, including spontaneous abortion (c’mon Merck, what is it, one less or one more??) and serious fetal abnormalities. In fact, as of October 2007, of the 77 women who were pregnant when they received the vaccine, 33 had adverse reactions. That is almost half.

Gardasil is clearly not to be given to pregnant women, ever, under any circumstances. It should also not be given to women or girls who are sexually active at all. Why? Because they have already been exposed to HPV and the vaccine only works on women/girls who have never been exposed. In fact, Gardasil has been proven to activate dormant HPV in girls who already carry the virus causing an increase in precancerous lesions by almost 44%.

Gardasil is worthless for sexually active girls and women because they have most likely been exposed to HPV and could potentially be pregnant which creates serious risks for their fetus, including death. If Gardasil can only be given to virgins, how can that be proved? Should 9 year old girls submit to a pelvic exam to search for a hymen so Merck can make $400? Shouldn’t their sexual status be their business? Don’t they have a basic right to privacy? Maybe these 9 year old girls should simply undergo a pelvic swab for the presence of HPV. Is that more appropriate? Will Merck be responsible for parental reactions when the girl’s sexual status has been exposed?

“Clearly, this kind of patient questioning crosses all kinds of ethical barriers when such vaccinations are made mandatory (as they have been made in Texas). It puts the State in the positioning of ascertaining the sexual habits of very young teenage girls and then potentially causing them harm. It’s not hard to suppose that most sexually active teenage girls would claim to still be virgins (especially if their parents were present), creating a situation where vaccines would be routinely administered to precisely the HPV carrier subgroups for which it has been demonstrated to greatly increase the risk of precancerous lesions.” Natural News

And why on earth is Merck (and the supporting states) recommending or mandating this vaccine for all girls up to 26 years of age? Why aren’t they simply saying to get the vaccine before you are sexually active? Why isn’t it common knowledge that the vaccine is potentially dangerous for sexually active women? Because there are millions of girls and young women that will submit to this vaccine in the hopes that it will prevent cancer much later in life and most of them have already had sex. Each one of those girls represents $400. It is crazy profits when multiplied by millions of trusting girls. Since when do the drug companies really care about death or disability? It is simply collateral damage, the cost of doing business.

Lastly, there is one more hole in the argument for Gardasil. Even if there is a chance that HPV causes this cancer that is very easy to diagnose and treat and has a phenomenal survival rate, and even if HPV was not a relatively benign virus that everybody gets and most people get over in a few months, then maybe we should at least vaccinate all of our virgins, right? It would be unethical, wrong, dangerous and a tremendous waste of resources to vaccinate women and girls who are already sexually active, but the virgins can still be protected!

Here is the biggest problem of all with Gardasil. It is only good for 4-6 years. If you give it to a nine year old then we all hope she will still be a virgin in 4 years, right? So if a girl remains a virgin then Gardasil was totally worthless. If a virgin gets the vaccine and then has her first sexual experience the very next day (how fortuitous), then she will in fact, be protected from HPV for the next few years. This is the only case where HPV actually does what it is supposed to do. What if the girl is 16 when she gets vaccinated and has sex for the first time the very next day and the vaccine is effective until she is 20 or 22? Then what? What about the next 30+ years that she is sexually active? She is already sexually active so she cannot and should not under any circumstances get the vaccine again because she was already exposed to HPV and it could increase her likelihood of precancerous lesions. She could also potentially be pregnant and since Gardasil causes permanent and irreparable damage to almost 50% of the fetuses that it comes in contact with, then it would be murder to take it, right?

How much protection from cervical cancer do you think that 4-6 years of protection from HPV will offer that girl who had her first sexual experience the day after she received the Gardasil vaccine? Most women do not get cervical cancer until they are in their 50s. So does 4 years of immunity (from a benign virus that does not cause cervical cancer) when a girl is in her teens, protect her against cervical cancer in her 50s?

Gardasil only went through 3 1/2 years of testing and many experts question the findings (Mercola). It has not been proven to prevent any cancer at any time, only to protect women against HPV if they had never been exposed to it before. The risks of Gardasil are tremendous and widespread. The risks of HPV and cervical cancer are not. While all deaths from cervical cancer are tragic and not to be minimized, we should use those numbers as a platform to encourage healthy living and regular pap smears which are the real force behind the wonderful survival rates of cervical cancer.

If you are really interested in preventing cervical cancer, then optimize your fitness and nutrition levels (yes this is a bit more difficult than getting a shot but it actually works). Gets tons of fresh air, sunshine, vitamins and minerals. Minimize stress, stay happy and laugh. Try herbs that will bolster your immune system like Reishi mushrooms, bee propolis, and, echinacea. Cervical cancer seems to have a link to promiscuity so respecting yourself rather than freely giving yourself away should give you an advantage against cervical cancer as well as keeping your self esteem intact.

If you are really interested in avoiding HPV then either abstain or use a condom. Abstinence only works as long as you practice it obviously, but used in conjunction with carefully choosing your partners, it may limit your risk somewhat. Condom use has been shown to protect against HPV transmission to some extent but it is not foolproof and only lowers your risk by about 50%. If you are sexually active you can choose your partners wisely and use a condom but there is still a great chance you will contract HPV despite your efforts.

A better goal than avoiding infection, is avoiding persistent infection by following the same healthy lifestyle tips that will help prevent cervical cancer in the long run. In addition, if you need to treat a persistent case of HPV, many people take anti-viral susbtances both orally and topically with good results such as garlic, tea tree and Neem oil. Some other anti-viral herbs are Grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract, lemon balm, oil of oregano, lauric acid in coconut oil, and rosemary oil. Many people swear by Miracle II soap as well, which also contains a number of natural anti-viral ingredients.

I welcome comments from anyone who feels my logic and conclusions are way off base. Maybe you still believe that HPV is a terrible virus and four years of protection is worth the risks of the vaccine. Maybe you believe that cervical cancer isn’t rare, easy to diagnose or treat. Maybe you even have scientific evidence that HPV actually causes cervical cancer or maybe you believe Gardasil is truly safe (and the adverse reactions and deaths were caused by something else). Maybe you simply think that vaccinations are our civic duty and we should vaccinate ourselves and our loved ones whenever the government and/or Big Pharma suggests it (my favorite argument). If you believe any of this, please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a video playlist consisting of three youtube videos on the dangers of Gardasil in case you are still not convinced:

The primary health component of wine that researchers have uncovered is called resveratrol. It is a compound found in the skin and seeds of grapes and created during the fermentation process. Therefore if the juice is never fermented (as in grape juice) or if wine is made from juice concentrates that contain no skins (as in home winemaking kits), then you will not be receiving much of the incredible benefits of this tremendous antioxidant. In addition, white wine has lower amounts of resveratrol than red wine because the grape skins are removed earlier in the winemaking process.

Apparently, resveratrol exists in the skins as a protective mechanism for the grapes. It is a built in antibiotic to protect the plant against disease and infections and that protective ability carries over to our bodies when we consume it in the right form. Because colder climates have a higher incidence of fungus, grapes grown in colder climates have more resveratrol than their warmer grown counterparts.

Resveratrol is also found in a number of other foods and berries, such a peanuts and blueberries but grapes, particularly winemaking grapes such as Muscadine, are the clear winner. Resveratrol nutritional supplements are either made from the powdered and ground skin and seeds of grapes or more likely they are made from Japanese knotweed which contains a fairly high amount of resveratrol.

Researchers have studied the benefits of resveratrol extensively and found it to be a very potent antioxidant. Mice who take it live longer and essentially become olympic athletes without the training. It can prevent, slow or reverse coronary heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and aging. According to Wikipedia, resveratrol has been proven in scientific studies to extend the lifespan of worms, mice, and fruit flies. The mice not only lived longer, but the resveratrol actually counteracted the effects of a high fat diet.

As a cancer preventer, resveratrol is most effective in studies when it comes in direct contact with the cancer, such as skin cancer or gastrointestinal tumors. According to resveratrolnews.com, “Other new discoveries show it [resveratrol] does still more — repairs alcohol -damaged livers, slows bone loss (osteoporosis), boosts endurance, promotes hair growth, and re-energizes cells.” In addition, resveratrol also seems to have anti-viral properties and can enhance the benefits of retrovirals use to treat HIV, and has been proven to block the Herpes and influenza virus. It is unclear whether resveratrol needs to be taken orally or topically to enjoy these benefits.

The alcohol itself may offer heart healthy benefits as well, which are not exclusive to red wine.

Various studies have indicated that moderate amounts of all types of alcohol benefit your heart, not just alcohol found in red wine. Some heart-healthy benefits of alcohol include:

• Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol
• Lowers blood pressure
• Inhibits the formation of blood clots
• Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol Mayclinic.com

Dr. Mercola has a different take on alcohol because he believes that alcohol is a neurotoxin which damages our brains and that it can easily disrupt our hormonal balance. He does not recommend alcohol in any amounts but suggests we should take our resveratrol in the form of grape skins. He also notes, that unless you know the source of your wine and it is organic, then it may not contain any resveratrol anyway.

If you are interested in adding resveratrol to your nutrition and supplement routine there are a number of great resveratrol products on the market but you might also consider purchasing organic winemaking grapes and making your own. You can also eat grape skins as Dr. Mercola suggests or if you enjoy having a glass of red wine with dinner, then continue to do so but do not start drinking a bottle a night looking for increased health benefits.

I am a male, in my 50s, 5’ 11”. 190 lbs (I will tell you why this information is important in due course).

As a teenager, I played quite a bit of soccer and represented my country as a sprinter. At about 14, my knees were in such bad shape that I went through the process of consulting an orthopedic surgeon to do some repairs. Fortunately, the medical system was so slow that it took several months to put things in motion. My neighbor, who was a retired professional, European soccer player showed me his scarred knees and urged me to reconsider as his knees had got worse with every surgery.

At that point, one of my few moments of common sense as a teenager jumped in and I told my parents “no surgery”. I then took up hiking and swimming to strengthen the muscles around my knees.

Although this helped considerably, my knees never fully recovered and I was known to use a cane during my bad days in my 20s. Exercise made the situation livable, however, with no major problems until about the time I hit 50 and I hurdled a barrier and landed with a twist on my left leg tearing the inner meniscus (did I mention I weighed about 230 at the time?)

The ensuing few months were extremely painful. The doctors recommendation was to take pain killing medication and live with it. I did so for about 2 weeks until the reality hit me. If I did this, within a few years I would have a messed up my knees, kidneys and liver from the medications. I took the arthroscopic surgery option and the results were successful.

About one year ago I lost my balance on a step ladder. Following a demonstration of senior acrobatics I felt a stinging in my right knee. I should add here that I was one of the 47 million Americans that had no health insurance because I could not afford it. I made the decision to see a doctor, my third visit in 20 years (I have been fortunate in this area, it also resulted in me not taking any antibiotics in more than 20 years).

My doctor did a complete physical examination. I weighed 245 lbs; my cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and AIC (diabetic measure) were all extremely elevated. I was also diagnosed with a torn meniscus; the only cure for which I was told would be surgery. Not having any insurance the thought of prescriptions for hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes, plus the cost of surgery were options that would not even start to consider.

I made the decision, to go the healthy and sensible way. I changed my eating habits using small portion therapy, foregoing red meat and in fact, adopting an almost vegetarian diet. In addition I walked for an hour each morning, covering 4 miles, resting every 3 days or so to give my knee a chance to recover. I noticed however that with each recovery it felt a bit better.

My further research suggested that as we get older, cartilage does not repair itself as the blood supply is reduced. The recommendation was for stretching exercises, using yoga. While I believe in yoga I never really had the proper techniques but gave it my best try anyway. The improvement was very noticeable but there was still enough pain that I could not yet jog on the treadmill.

My next phase was to supplement my diet with calcium and vitamin D as being lactose intolerant, I determined that not using dairy products meant I would need to supplement my diet with calcium. Vitamin D, because I was not getting sufficient sunlight in the winter months.

The results have been dramatic, for the first time last week I actually able to jog during my morning exercise with hardly any knee pain. Now I can hardly wait to get back on that treadmill and see how fast I can go.

Overall, I went from being obese, sometimes walking with a crutch, to jogging, and a much more acceptable weight (the process is ongoing). My cholesterol, AIC, blood pressure are all excellent. I took the Real Age test accessible from this site) and physically, I am 10 years younger than I was when I started this journey.

This site has been my resource for just about all the information I have used to change and extend my life, which is now a lot more fun.

By: Jane Arnold

During the past few years, I’ve become more interested in the subject of health and wellness. During this time, I’ve found the amount of information and variety of supplements overwhelming. The rows of jars and bottles that line the shelves at health food stores and supermarkets seems infinite.

I believe that it’s essential, in our pill popping society, to be judicious when choosing to start a new supplement routine. It’s imperative to do research and speak to your doctor or health practitioner before making a final decision.

Every individual needs to assess their own needs and restrictions before choosing a supplement. Personally, I’m in my early 30’s, increasing my exercise levels, and dealing with a bit of mood irregularities and depression. I was already taking a multi-vitamin, but looked into two supplements that I had heard a lot about but had never tried: Evening Primrose Oil and Co-Enzyme Q-10.

Co-Enzyme Q-10 or vitamin Q10, is sometimes referred to as ‘the fountain of youth’. It was identified in the 1950’s and occurs naturally in the body. It protects the body from free radicals, which are nasty chemical elements that can damage the body’s cells. Co-enzyme Q-10 is considered an anti-oxidant that has been prescribed to help treat and prevent various forms of cancer. Found in varying levels in different body organs, the heart happens to have high concentrations of Q10. A deficiency of this energy nutrient can lead to hypertension, angina, and fatigue. It has been shown to increase stamina in athletes, and keeps the cells of the body in good working order.

“Heart disease. Cancer. AIDS. As unbelievable as it might sound, each of these deadly diseases often responds to a coenzyme Q10, a little known nutrient that can make a big difference in your health. Granted, such “cure all” statements leave people wondering whether CoQ10 is just the latest panacea of the month. Rest assured: the benefits of this nutrient are well documented in the medical journals. It’s one of the most frequently prescribed heart “drugs” in Japan and widely used in Europe-and one company even owns the patent for the CoQ10 treatment of AIDS.”
TheNutritionReporter.com

As a bonus there is also evidence to suggest Co-enzyme Q-10 can help to prevent gum disease. I look at this supplement as an oil change for my body. It helps with regular maintenance and keeps me energized. My sister is a chiropractor and this was the one supplement she highly recommended. A recommended dose for daily maintenance is 30 mg, three times per day. Keep in mind that Co-Enzyme Q-10 is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

“But the reason it’s particularly good for women–perhaps even the number one supplement for women–is because it appears to help prevent breast cancer. A recent Swedish study found that 39 percent of the female study participants with breast cancer also had low blood levels of co[Q.sub.10].” Findarticles.com

I’ve recently learned about and started using another supplement called Evening Primrose Oil. This supplement is ideal for women and can help with the symptoms of PMS, ease arthritic joint pain and swelling, prevent diabetes, help skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and exzema, protect against the effects of aging, counter female infertility, and nourish nails, scalp and hair. Evening Primrose Oil is pressed from the seed of the Evening Primrose flower. It it chock full of the fatty acid GLA or gamma-linoleic acid which exerts anti-inflammatory and other healing actions.

Our own bodies produce GLA which aids in prostoglandin production. Prostoglandins are required for proper cell function and rejuvenation, but need to be restored regularly. Everyday stresses on the body such as aging, high cholesterol, alcohol use, poor diet can lead to a deficiency in prostoglandin, and it has been shown that good GLA levels can help the production of this hormone. Usually 3 doses of 1000mg per day is recommended, but check with your doctor or health practitioner.

“While the evening primrose itself may be unknown to many, the benefits of evening primrose oil for a variety of health problems are renowned, particularly for women’s health. Three of the most common complaints it has been known to relieve are premenstrual syndrome (PMS), fibrocystic breasts, and menopausal symptoms.” FindArticles.com

Perhaps you don’t need every supplement you’re currently taking, or maybe there are areas of your health that need more attention. Assess your individual needs, research the product and speak to your doctor or health practitioner. Take control of your health!

Buy: Nature’s Bounty CoQ10
Buy: Puregels Evening Primrose Oil

Jane Arnold is a freelance writer and part-time health buff. You can get more health and beauty tips at her website at: http://www.girlyside.com/girlyside.html The website is a girl’s guide to health, beauty, love and leisure. Sign up for the free newsletter at http://www.girlyside.com/newsletter.html

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

by Marci Javril

Your body’s health is a complex system of mini-systems, just like a global village of its own - there are hills and valleys, eruptions and frozen areas, streams, oceans, and there are sometimes swamps. These areas of stagnation don’t need to be treated with disdain - rather, they can be held as hidden treasure lands able to give forth fertile, recoverable items that are usable and actually add to the richness of the whole system. The trapped energy in stored fat or tension can be released through deep breathing, allowing the normal cleansing functions to harmonize themselves more quickly. With this attitude, let’s talk about your internal riverway and the water treatment process that your body performs.

Get friendly with your highways and byways - the lymphatic system is responsible for transporting wastes, returning filtered blood particles, and transporting the immune response (lymphocytes). It is your internal shower - the ongoing action of the liquidy part of blood (plasma) “leaking” into the spaces in between the cells - like water permeating a sponge, the lymph is meant to go everywhere - grabbing up and carrying along extraneous or foreign particles and cells, flowing all the waste products toward the main water filtration stations (lymph nodes). The patrol brings the invaders to the station and a battle may ensue. We may realize our immune system is responding to an alarm because the warriors (lymphocytes) multiply and do the body’s main defending in the node areas, making them swell when we fight a cold or other diseases.

The blood is pumped by the heart, but the lymph is pumped mostly by muscle contraction, along with the respiratory diaphragm movement. When we do deep, complete breathing, exercising and sweating, we add to the body’s ability to cleanse itself of toxins and waste products - we pump the lymph along its riverway. The branch of yoga studying the breath is called Pranayama, prana being the Sanskrit word for Life Force or Vital Energy.

We all seem to realize it’s important to take our cars in for regular tune-ups, repairs, oil changes, radiator coolant flushes, gas and air filter changes, etc. But what about our bodies? Who changes the air filter in our lungs? and cleans out the oil filter in our gall bladder? or flushes out the blood cleaning mechanism in our spleen, kidneys and bladder? The intelligence of the human body is so elegant that, merely using our breath, we accomplish the minimum cleansing program. The diaphragm is beautifully situated where all the filtering organs are latticed into its movement, and they benefit greatly from the repetitive squeezing and releasing of cellular elements.

Our global village is ecological, too, in that it will reuse anything sitting around too long, So all the garbage (unused sugar, fat, protein) sitting around in your backyard (or front porch..?!) will be held in a hydro-culture (ground substance) waiting to be sent out as waste or turned into useful calories. If it sits too long in one spot, the sediment of the river’s flow is deposited in hard immobile impactions (colon) or soggy, swampy pools (edema), making ripe ground for holding disease pockets. The largest organ of elimination is the skin, so it’s important to perspire and to exfoliate (dry skin brushing). We also eliminate through the colon, bladder, and the lungs. When one organ isn’t working efficiently or being given an opportunity to contribute, the other organs have to take over the extra toxic waste. This can, for example, lead to skin eruptions when the colon is not moving at least 1-3 times a day. Most people need to drink more water. Formula (your weight divided by two = how many ounces per day you need)

It is important to always eliminate whatever we can no longer use. Once we have assimilated and absorbed, transformed and integrated something into ourselves, we are meant to harmoniously and efficiently get rid of all the parts that are not useful or no longer need to be held in reserve. Another intrinsically elegant element in our design as human beings, is the metaphor of our physical and emotional lives. Once we can let go of our habits, grudges or unneeded negative reactive patterns, we can breath easier in our daily lives.

Your internal organs depend on your deep breathing and muscle tone in order to be squeezed, re-oxygenated, flushed, and efficient in their functions. They also depend on the muscles that hold them up from gravity - the hammock or sling that is the bottom or pelvic floor for the abdominal cavity - the PC muscle group (pubococcygeus). Re-discovered in this century by Doctor Kegel, the diamond-shaped area where this group of muscles weaves the base sphincters together is also known in ancient yogic studies as Muladhara, or the Root Chakra. Learning how to hold or lock (Muladhara Bandha) and elevate the internal hammock is a Pranayama technique developed for increasing Vital Force. Once activated, it flows from the base of the spine up to the crown, and charges up each one of the neural plexes (chakras) as it moves. With this, the body has an abundance of energy for cleansing, relaxing, and rejuvenating all the internal organs. It creates a flow of electro-magnetic activity that harmonizes and reconnects the breaks in the continuous circuitry.

Yogis and the ancient Chinese have known that in order to be self-sufficient and isolated in the mountains, the body needed to be flexible, efficient, sensitive, and sturdy. They designed physical techniques for internal cleansing that needed to be done either manually or by one’s own body’s mechanisms. Using the anal sphincter lock and upward draw, the indigenous Polynesians and Egyptians drew sea water into the colon, for a natural enema effect. In order to gain instead of losing energy during love-making, tantric practitioners use these recycling techniques for preserving sexual energy. Pumping the base chakra with specific breathing and visualizations are meditative techniques that can lead to full-blown spiritual visions and inner blissful states. Most of us are not going to practice in that way, nonetheless, we can learn a great deal from this approach. Engaging the muscles of the Root or Base Chakra physiologically creates pressure on the cerebral-spinal fluid and repercusses along the dura mater and throughout the spinal column to the brain. Thus, massaging the perineum with our isometric exercise, we can affect the entire brain system. This brings a profound state of heightened relaxation, and is the basis for tantric yoga abilities - for the woman, to become full body and multi-orgasmic, and experience the Valley orgasm more easily - for the man, to sustain an erection all night long, controlling ejaculation, and also to become full body and multi-orgasmic. Extended states of bliss are said to be youthening and harmonizing to the brain and hormones. (Shorter periods of excitement and pleasure are equally as valuable, says my housecat).

Here’s an interesting and alternative way to massage your own internal organs - Standing comfortably, let all the air out of your lungs and belly, and while trying to keep it out, allow your belly to move in and out - feel the swishing inside as you move all the viscera around with your muscles during the exhale (Uddhiyana Bandha & Nauli’s). This kind of plunging action also occurs when you activate the perineal area with the Kegel contraction, known as an Upward Draw in Taoistic studies. First, you have to find your pelvic floor. Since ultimately, you will be elevating, or pulling the muscle more inward and up into the torso, there are no outward signs that it is contracting. All other muscles should be relaxed - isolate this group completely.

Find the urethral sphincter by starting and stopping the flow of urine. Only do this initially to ensure you are using the right muscles. For women, you could insert your finger slightly into the vaginal opening, and squeeze as though you would pull it up into the vaginal canal. For men, watching to see the reaction of the penis moving slightly, you can determine if you are activating the right group of muscles. At first, just “chewing gum” style will suffice (clench, release, clench, release). But that is only half of the fibers (short twitch). The endurance and tensile strengthening (long twitch) comes from holding and sustaining the clench, and actually increasing the grip force and drawing the muscles upward.

Most people think that Kegels are for women after childbirth, but they are actually for everyone! Men in particular can benefit because of the increased circulation to the prostate gland. Because men tend to be more yang, they are holding a contracted sphincter, and women being more yin, will become more and more flaccid. Thus, men need to use the exercise as a way to elasticize and relax the area, bringing fresh blood, vigor and sensitivity. And of course, women need to tone and strengthen, activate and juice up the area, making more and more of the cells alive and available.

Enjoy creating the inner fire you will begin to sense as you develop your inner yoga - feel a surge of vital force moving from a deep place, rising through your body. This is simply your own physiology responding to your intention to pump energy. It works!

Pelvic Floor Exercises for Women and Men

•Use abdominal breathing. Count to 10 for one cycle. As you exhale (1….2…..3…..4….5), begin to squeeze the pelvic floor tight, and as the exhale continues, increase your sense of drawing the base upward inside the body (6…..7…..8….9…..10) like a freight elevator, slow and strong and weighted. Then slowly inhale and release the muscle, allowing it to slowly lower and fully relax. Allow the sensation of a slight bulging out when you reach the “ground floor”, the way a freight elevator drops slightly lower and then returns to neutral. The relaxation phase is most important for men. Attempt to fully isolate the pelvic floor and avoid using any abdominal or buttocks muscles. Do 15 cycles 3X a day to improve tone.

Isometric and resistive exercises promote: circulation, activation, elasticity, responsiveness, strength, and endurance. The pelvic floor muscles are sometimes called the Love muscles and will activate all functions of this area. Any muscle that you exercise and put your conscious intention into will respond better, faster, longer, stronger and more often.

Perineal release through massage or activation through pelvic floor exercises has been shown to have a dramatic effect on vaginal tone after childbirth. It also affects the elasticity of the opening, allowing for the possibility to avoid an episiotomy. After such a procedure, sustaining one’s internal yoga practice will have a strong impact on recovery of all functions in this area.

Poor tone of the urogenital diaphragm has been shown to be related to: incontinence, hemorrhoids, organ prolapse, constipation, premature ejaculation, impotence, lower libido, non-lubrication, prostate disease and PMS so it is vital for both men and women to exercise internally as well as externally for optimum health.

Buy the Book: Sexy Yoga

Marci Javril, Vital Energist, is a Certified Somatic Therapist, spiritual counselor and movement therapist. She gives tutorials in Lymphatic Clearing© and Abdominal Integrity, including internal organ release and detox. Ms. Javril also coaches interested people in Pregnancy & Infant Massage, and Post-Surgical Intervention. Her work focuses on the art & science of rejuvenation, enriched by many years in the performing arts and in depth studies in Kriya Tantra Yoga. Marci has been in private practise since 1984 and can be reached for consultations at (866)-551-0062 or (310)-306-9838. See credentials on web site: http://VitalEnergyCenter.com or contact by email: MJavril@VitalEnergyCenter.com

About the Author:
Marci Javril, Vital Energist - expert bodyworker, ordained minister, tantra yoga educator, movement therapist. Marci combines her many talents as a performing artist and heealer, to bring more vital energy awareness into every aspect of life.

Internal Yoga for Sexual Vitality ©M.Javril,1998 originally published in the “Wet Set Gazette”, Pasadena, CA - Spring 1998 reprinting with permission granted