Dear Patients,
I hope you enjoy this week's newsletter. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future topics, please don't hesitate to contact me.
To your good health,
Dr. Beech
docbeech@mdofficemail.com
Ayurveda: Not All Juices Are Safe
My Ayurvedic teacher Vaidya Mishra used to tell me that all sorts of crazy things are done today in the name of Ayurveda. One example that we used to hear a lot was juicing Karela (bitter gourd). Any bitter food is high in Marut Prana which stimulates detoxification of the liver. While cooked Karela is very supportive to liver function as well as sugar metabolism, Karela juice is so concentrated that it can overstimulate the liver and create a detox crisis.
Another vegetable whose juice
can actually kill you is Lauki Squash.
Lauki is one of the best squashes for cooling the liver, supporting happiness in the emotions and rejuvenating the vital tissues of the body when it is cooked properly. However, some people have taken to juicing the squash which can be fatal to drink. Lauki and other members of the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes the common pumpkins and gourds contains a biochemical compound called
Cucurbitacin which protects the plant from being eaten by herbivores. When we cook the squash the Cucurbitacin is destroyed and no harm is done to us. However, when the squash is juiced the concentration goes very high making it highly toxic. This is especially case if the juice become bitter indicating high concentration of Cucurbitacin. Several cases have been reported of people dying within just a few hours of drinking Lauki juice.
So please be suspect of so called Ayurvedic prescriptions and remedies you may read on the internet. They are not all authentic or safe.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4677076/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307184/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4316287/
Mental Attitude: Stress and Violence
Children exposed to community violence exhibit a physical stress response for up to a year, suggesting that exposure to violence may have negative long-term health consequences. In the short-term, violence is linked with aggression, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms and academic and cognitive difficulties.
Journal of Adolescent Health, July 2012
Health Alert: Health Care Costs for Kids
In 2010, per capita spending on children's health care increased to $2,123 (an 18.6% increase from 2007), with spending on health care for infants and toddlers being noted as disproportionately high. Even though children below the age of 3 made up 17% of the covered child population, they cost the 31.4% of the total amount for children's health care, with per capita spending reaching $3,896 in 2010.
Health Care Cost Institute, July 2012
Diet: Eating Fish!
Regular fish consumption can decrease colorectal cancer risk by 12%.
American Journal of Medicine, June 2012
Exercise: Eat Less, Move More, Live Longer
In a study on dietary restriction (DR) involving fruit flies, the flies that were also physically active experienced longer lives. This study establishes a link between DR-mediated metabolic activity in muscle, increased movement and the benefits derived from restricting nutrients. Flies on DR who could not move or had inhibited fat metabolism in their muscle did not exhibit an extended lifespan. If this finding extends to humans, then simply restricting nutrients without physical activity may not increase longevity.
Cell Metabolism, July 2012
Chiropractic: Good Vibrations
The health of your joint cartilage is improved with vibratory motion. Vibrations allow the hyaluronic acid to be directed evenly among chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix, thus improving delivery of nutrients to chondrocytes in deeper layers and improving transportation of waste products. The average 70 kg (154 lbs) person has roughly 15 grams of hyaluronan in the body, one-third of which is turned over (degraded and synthesized) every day.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2006
Wellness/Prevention: No Warning!
Heart disease is the #1 killer today, and 60% of the time there are no warning signals!
American Heart Association
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