Seasonal Holistic Pick Me Ups

When cold and flu season arrives, why do some people get sick while others don’t? Researchers at Duke University infected 17 healthy people with a flu virus and found that only 9 of them got sick. Blood samples showed that immune system reaction, which determined sickness or health, began up to 36 hours before symptoms appeared.

To beat colds and flu, these natural remedies can be used by adults and children and have stood the test of time.

ECHINACEA:  A review published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found tat Echinacea effectively decreased the odds of developing the common cold by 58 percent and cut the duration of a cold by 1.4 days. Take it during cold and flu season. for children, look for alcohol-free versions.

ASTRAGALUS: The herb strengthens the immune system safely. Some herbal formulas contain a combination with Echinacea.

ZINC LOZENGES: Zinc acetate, gluconate or gluconate-glycine lozenges have been shown to reduce duration of colds.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES: These strengthen your body’s ability to fight off viruses. Popular ones include Oscillococcium to nip the flu symptoms in the bud or if you wait, to reduce duration of flu, and Coldcalm for colds.

STRENGTHENING IMMUNITY

To lower your chances of getting “bit” by seasonal cold and flu bugs, take these:

PROBIOTICS: Friendly bacteria in our digestive system are essential for healthy immune function. A study of nearly 500 adults, published the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeautics, found daily probiotics plus a multivitamin, taken for three months in winter and spring, were particularly effective. And in a study of nearly 250 children ages 3 to 5., published in Pediatrics, those who took probiotics twice daily for 6 months missed one-third fewer days from child care. Probiotics reduced incidence of flu-related fever by 53 percent, cough by 41 percent, and colds by 28 percent.

VITAMIN C: At least 40 studies have found that vitamin C reduces the duration and intensity of colds and flu by up to 40 percent, when approximately 1 gram daily is taken for 2 months or more. One study, published in Advances in Natural Therapy, found that compared to a placebo, vitamin C resulted in 26 percent fewer colds, and severe symptoms lasted only half as long.

WELLMUNE WGP: Also listed on labels as WGP Beta Glucan, Wellmune WGP is derived from the cell wall of a proprietary strain of baker’s yeast. Numerous studies have shown that 250 or 500 mg daily reduced colds and flu., especially for people under stress, such as firefighters, marathoner, and medial residents – and enhanced energy.

Winter Immune Boost For The Youth

During the winter months, kids are inevitably exposed to bugs at school, in day care, or when playing with their friends. Along with a healthy diet, plenty of sleep and regular physical activity, the right supplements can help young immune systems resist infection. And during the rest of the year, the same nutrients can help them stay healthy and active thrive.

MULTIVITAMIN AND MINERAL: No child eats a perfect diet and a multi ensures all-round nutrition. Look for whole food-based products designed for kids, with a combination of natural forms of vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols), and follow product directions. Those who don’t eat dairy products need extra calcium and magnesium, and kids on vegetarian diets should take vitamin B12.

VITAMIN D3: Studies show that up to 60 percent of kids may lack vitamin D, essential for a healthy immune system, bone growth, a healthy heart and protection against cancer. Levels can be tested by a doctor. As a guide, some holistic physicians recommend 400IU for infants, 800-1,000IU for toddlers and 2,000 IU for kids old enough to go to school.

FISH OIL: Necessary for healthy development of the nervous system and brain omega-3 fats in fish oil protect against bugs, damage from toxins and inflammation. Lack of these nutrients is associated with ADHD and autism. Many fish oil products are designed specifically for kids. Consider 200mg of DHA and EPA (combined) for each 50 pounds of a child’s body weight. Vegetarian sources include DHA from algae and flax seed oil.

PROBIOTICS: Antibiotics taken by the mother during pregnancy or while breast feeding or by the child, destroy healthy gut bacteria, damaging immunity. Look for combinations that include lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Some multivitamins contain probiotics.

MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS AND HERBS: For protection against viruses and bacteria, look for combination of medicinal mushrooms and immune-enhancing herbs such as astragalus.

BEST FORMS: Many chewable and liquid products are naturally flavored for kid’s taste buds. Or, mix liquids, powders or contents of capsules into smoothies or other food. Look for little or no added sugars and avoid artificial flavoring, preservatives and other additives.

IMPROVE ATTENTION SPAN

A helpful diet includes regular meals and snacks that are free of artificial additives, low in refined carbohydrates and include moderate amounts of protein (especially fish and eggs) balanced with vegetables and other whole foods.

Fish oil has been shown to improve attention span. And, for serious attention difficulties, 200-300mg daily of phosphatidylserine (P5) is a safe and effective nutrient that helps with memory, particularly for those with ADHD.

EASE CHILDHOOD ECZEMA

Approximately 15 percent of children have eczema, characterized by red, itchy lesions. The trigger may well be undiagnosed food sensitivities, the most common of which include gluten (found in wheat, rye, barley and other grains), citrus fruits, tomatoes, soy milk, and/or cow’s milk. Eliminating these foods from a child’s diet, one at a time for two weeks, will identify problem foods and may well clear up the skin.

Helpful supplements for eczema include probiotics, fish oil with a minimum of 500mg of EPA and DHA (combined) or 2-3 tsp. of flax seed oil daily.

MORE EXZEMA REMEDIES: Look for homeopathic formulas designed to treat your child’s specific symptoms. Topically, try our OMGRx Line’s Exit Eczema Cream or an itch cream with chickweed. Or add liquid chickweed extract or powder (from capsules) to a bath.

Reference – Health Guide 2013

Food You Weren’t Eating In 2012 But Need In 2013 To Become Well

Power through your workouts, lose weight, and boost your health with these commonyet often overlooked foods.

 Seaweed

Perhaps most commonly eaten wrapped around a sushi roll, nori is loaded with iodine, a mineral essential for proper thyroid function. While iodized salt was introduced in 1924 to prevent goiter, the increased emphasis on low-sodium diets and the popularity of sea salt, which often doesn’t contain iodine, have recently resurfaced concerns about getting enough iodine. This trace mineral isn’t the only benefit of sea vegetables. Nori contains high levels of vitamin K and iron, micronutrients essential for proper cellular function. Look for nori pieces in the international section of your supermarket and crumble them on top of chili, soups, and salads. (This will add a little extra salty flavor, so if you are salt sensitive, use less in your recipe.)

 

Sauerkraut

Considering cabbage is low-carb, high-fiber, and contains cancer-fighting 3-indole carbinol and d-glucarate, a compound that works to clear excess estrogen, the veggie is already a superfood. Fermenting it into sauerkraut, however, puts it on nutritional steroids. The probiotics that drive fermentation also help repopulate your digestive system with healthy, hardworking good bacteria that lower inflammation, improve digestion, and maybe even aid in weight loss. Plus fermentation increases the bioavailablity of the antioxidants found in cabbage, and the longer cabbage ferments, the higher the levels of antioxidants become, meaning your body can better absorb and use them.

 Shirataki Noodles

Pasta lovers, it’s time to throw an Italian feast: Now you can enjoy your noodles for 20 calories and 5 carbs (and some brands have even less of both!) per serving. Shirataki noodles are made from the konjac plant, the same plant that we get the fiber and satiety supplement glucomannan from—read: They keep you full. Shirataki don’t have much flavor and come in every shape from angel to fettuccine to penne and more, so you can use them in any pasta recipe. Just take them out of the bag, rinse thoroughly, and heat, and they’re ready to toss into stroganoff, primavera, or whatever you’re craving.

~ Thanks to S contributers

Holiday Moods in Motion

ENERGY TAKES A HOLIDAY during winter. These dark, depressing days can leave you overweight, overstressed, or just over it. The solution? Short bouts of activity get the blood flowing, which instantly lifts your spirits. Exercise builds brain endorphins that help us feel happier and more positive about life.
So how do you pump up your pep when you’re feeling fat, frazzled, fried, or forlorn? We consulted four vitality specialists, whose favorite moves will boost your mood and resurrect your energy in just 10 to 15 minutes.
You’re Feeling: Fat Energy Transformer: Brisk Walking
If you found it hard to resist overeating during the holidays and even harder to squeeze in regular workouts, moderate cardiovascular exercise is a great way to get back in gear. Not only will you burn calories, but a brisk walk lets fresh oxygen and blood circulate through your body, making you feel more fit and confident nearly instantly.

Stride And Stretch To shake yourself out of your sluggish mood, try this 15-minute walking program.

1. Begin by walking for 3 minutes at a relaxed pace to gradually warm up your muscles. 2. Pause to stretch your quadriceps by standing on your left leg, your left arm reaching out for balance. Hold onto your right ankle with your right hand and gently pull the ankle toward the back of your thigh. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the left side. 3. Walk for another 2 minutes, going at a faster pace than in the warm-up. Hold your head high, lower your shoulders, and concentrate on drawing your abs in tight. 4. Increase your speed for 5 minutes. Pump your arms with each stride and keep drawing in your abs. Your heart rate should now be elevated. You ought to be able to carry on a conversation, but only with a little effort. 5. Reduce your heart rate by gradually slowing your pace for 3 minutes. Focus on your breathing, and include some deep inhales and exhales through your nose. 6. Stretch out your calves by standing with your feet a couple of inches apart, right leg front and left leg back, toes pointing straight ahead, feet flat. Bend your right knee and keep your left knee straight, feeling the stretch in your left calf. Hold for 30 seconds without bouncing, then switch legs and repeat.
Tips: Parks recommends building up to 10,000 steps per day. A step-counting device will help you achieve your goal. Or try the NL-2000 Activity Monitor ($54.95; digiwalker.com), which lets you plug in your age, height, and weight to get an accurate account of how many calories you’ve burned. * Wear supportive footwear as well as socks made of breathable fibers. * Drink water before and after your walk.
You’re Feeling: Frazzled
Got a million things to do and no time to do them? Most people, especially those balancing work and family, end up feeling frazzled several times a day. You need an exercise that provides mental clarity to help you focus on the task at hand. Qigong, an ancient Chinese healing art that offers unique breath-control techniques, can put you in a more centered frame of mind. The steady focus and concentration enable you to calm the chaos in your mind.

Monk Gazing At The Moon Find mental clarity–and a little peace in the chaos–with this standing meditation. 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Raise your arms in front of your chest, with your hands at eye level,  palms facing each other, and fingers spread. Maintaining a straight back, “sit” in a shallow stance (shown). Relax the back so it doesn’t arch. Keep your eyes open, gazing through your fingers. 2. Keeping your mouth closed and the tip of your tongue touching the roof of your mouth, begin to breathe through your nose. 3. Take 3 deep breaths. After the third one, inhale fully, then exhale 60 percent of your breath capacity. 4. Inhale fully, then exhale 100 percent. 5. Inhale fully again, then exhale 40 percent of your breath capacity. 6. Inhale fully, then exhale 100 percent. 7. Inhale fully once more, then exhale 20 percent of your breath. 8. Inhale fully, then exhale 100 percent. 9. Take 3 deep breaths, then hold the position for 3 to 5 minutes, breathing naturally.
Tip: To keep physically balanced, focus your attention on your lower abdomen, about 3 inches below your navel, which is the body’s natural center of gravity. The Chinese call this center the Tan Tien, or “Elixir Field,” where the qi, or life force, is nurtured.
You’re Feeling: Fried Energy Transformer: Kundalini Yoga
Is “deflated” your primary state? You need to pick yourself up and get on with your day. Kundalini yoga practitioners do repetitive movements while focusing on a word or the sound of the breath. This repetition stimulates the nervous system, allowing you to decompress, re-energize, and awaken your senses.

Kundalini Torso Twist Whenever you feel burned out, try this technique

1. Sit tall in a comfortable crossed-leg position, with your fingers spread and resting on your shoulders. Keep your elbows in line with your shoulders and your belly drawn in. Close your eyes. 2. As you inhale through your nose, twist your torso from your waist to the left, keeping your hips still and allowing your shoulders and head to follow your trunk. Then exhale through your nose and twist to the right. 3. Repeat this twisting motion for 1 minute without stopping, eventually working up to 2 minutes or more. Let your breath guide you into each side of the twist. 4. When you’ve completed your minute (or more), slow the movement gradually until you come to a complete stop, then lower your hands to your shins and take 3 deep breaths to get centered and bring yourself back to a restful state.
Tip: Focus on the sound of your breath to let go of any distractions. 10. End with 3 more deep breaths. On the third, exhale through your mouth, then lower your arms to your sides.
You’re Feeling: Forlorn Energy Transformer: Strength Training
It’s common to get the blues this time of year; you need a workout that will give you a much-needed boost of positivity. Getting your body into shape with strength training does just that. Strengthening your muscles improves your posture, making you look taller and slimmer–a great confidence booster. It also releases feel-good endorphins, putting you on the road to physical and emotional wellness.

Twisting Walking Lunge This multi-muscle exercise utilizes not only the upper and lower body, but also the abdominals, making it a fast way to shape up all over. Adding in the balance challenge forces your muscles to work harder to stay upright and stable.
1. Warm up by walking on a treadmill or outside for 5 minutes, pumping your arms as you go. 2. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a ball in front of your chest. Keep your elbows bent and close to your ribs, and your abs pulled in. (If you’re new to strength training, use a volleyball or other lightweight ball until you are comfortable with your balance and stability. Those who are more advanced can use a 3- to 5-pound medicine ball; find one at spriproducts.com.) 3. Take a step forward with your left leg, bending both knees to 90 degrees. Your front knee should stay over your ankle as your back knee approaches the floor. When you are in a full lunge, rotate your torso and shoulders to the left, taking the ball to your left hip as you draw your abs in tight [A]. 4. Rotate back to center, then push off the back foot and lift your right knee to hip height as you raise the ball above your head [B]. Keeping the right knee lifted, toss the ball up in the air and catch it. 5. Take a step forward with your right leg to repeat the sequence on the opposite side. 6. Continue lunging forward, alternating sides. Start with 1 to 2 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, building up to 15; add a set when you’re ready.
Tip: Hold your gaze steady–don’t let it wander. Keep your posture erect and your abs drawn in to stabilize your balance as you perform this exercise.

Holiday Health Concerns Solved

The holiday time is here and from jet lag to indigestion, we at OMG are hear to make your season bright. Check out some of our solutions to the most common winter woes.

Holiday hazard: JET LAG After you cross time zones, it takes a few days for your body’s internal clock to adjust to the new light/dark schedule, especially if you’ve traveled west to east. The resulting jet lag can make you feel tired (but unable to sleep), headachy, disoriented and dizzy.
To the rescue
When you arrive at your destination, try to get on the local eat/sleep schedule, spend some time in sunlight (it helps reset your clock) and exercise to improve sleep quality.
Eat a high-protein breakfast and minimize your intake of caffiene, alcohol and simple carbs, all of which further disrupt sleep.
Melatonin helps reset your internal clock; take 5 milligrams right before your new bedtime on the first night, and 1 to 3 milligrams for two more nights.

Holiday hazard: INDIGESTION Celebrating the season often revolves around eating large quantities of rich foods, resulting in gas, bloating, reflux (heartburn) and other gastrointestinal problems. Overindulging in alcohol and simple carbs (more dessert, anyone?) can compound symptoms.
To the rescue
Exercise gently to stimulate digestion.
Fennel seeds may combat gas and bloating; after a meal, chew two to five seeds thoroughly and swallow.
Ginger can quell nausea and indigestion.

Our OMGRX Line addressed both of these holiday ailments through aromatic topical application. www.omgalternmed.com

~ Travel Tonic  •Helps redress any imbalances in the central nervous system •Soothe your nerves and muscles •Help in boosting your immune system, keeping your body in a healthy state of equilibrium •Relieve stress and encourage alertness

~ Put Intestinal Fire-out Massage Lotion •Balance gastric acid (hydrochloric acid) secretion •Basil and Peppermint aid in digestion •Lavender soothes the nervous system and is anti-spasmodic •Bergamot helps with anxiety and nervous tension to guarantee optimal food processing •Kiwi extract has a very high level of actinidin, a protease enzyme that is known to behave in the same way as the natural enzyme, pepsin, present in the stomach. Kiwifruit is also a rich source of naturally occurring vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium and essential fatty acids, all of which facilitate and ease the process of digestion.

Fruit and Medication: Death Results Rising

The number of medications with the potential to interact with grapefruit and  cause serious adverse health effects has jumped from 17 to 43 in the last four  years, warns a researcher.

The number of drugs when mixed with grapefruit that can lead to serious  health problems, including sudden death, has skyrocketed, warns a Canadian  researcher who first discovered the toxic link.

In an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, David Bailey, a  scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario, said more  than 85 drugs, many of them highly prescribed for common medical conditions, are  known to interact with the pink fruit.

He first made the link 20 years ago.

But the number of medications with the potential to interact with grapefruit  and cause serious adverse health effects has jumped from 17 to 43 in the last  four years, as new drugs have been rolled out, Bailey said.

“How big a problem are such interactions? Unless health care professionals  are aware of the possibility that the adverse event they are seeing might have  an origin in the recent addition of grapefruit to the patient’s diet, it is very  unlikely that they will investigate it,” Bailey said.

Generally patients don’t say they eat grapefruit and doctors don’t ask, he  lamented in the article.

Grapefruit poses a risk when mixed with certain drugs because it inhibits an  enzyme that metabolizes ingested drugs, resulting in the drugs entering the  bloodstream at full force, which can lead to overdosing.

Some of the drugs known to interact with grapefruit include anti-cancer  agents, heart drugs, pain medications and drugs to treat schizophrenia. All of  them are administered orally.

It doesn’t take much grapefruit to have an effect. Drinking a single glass  of grapefruit juice with medication can lead to serious side effects, including  gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, breathing problems and sudden  death.

Other citrus fruits such as Seville oranges and limes can have similar  effects. But they have been studied less.

~ Thanks to NYC Daily News

BedTime Workout Routine

Get your mind out of the gutter! While sex does burn calories, you can perform a legitimate workout in your bed. I’ve designed this one to focus on symmetry and balance while tightening and toning those places that you might otherwise want to keep covered up. Best of all, you can literally do it in your pajamas.

Don’t dismiss this as some gimmick: This workout is backed by science and based on the idea of proprioception. If you haven’t been following my blog, this is basically the feedback loop between the body and the brain. When you perform a workout on an unstable surface, which in this case will be your bed, you train your brain to fire more rapidly in order for it to adjustment your body’s position. The body reacts by re-stabilizing, which results in greater muscle recruitment, balance, and symmetry in your hips (great for post-baby bodies or preparing your body for labor) and working stability muscles, especially in and around ball-and-socket joints such as the shoulders and hips.

And, to top it all off, you are going to burn more calories working out on an unstable surface versus performing these same movements on the floor of your bedroom.

Perform the following moves back-to-back without rest for 30 seconds each, doing as many reps as possible. Repeat the entire sequence for a total of two to four circuits.

1. Inchworms: Begin in a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your legs fully extended. In one movement, reach your right hand back toward your navel while driving your left knee to your right hand, connecting just under your belly button. Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite hand and knee. Continue alternating until time is up. 

2. Caterpillars: For this advanced version of the inchworm, begin in a push-up position. In one movement, reach your right hand back toward your navel while driving your left foot to your hand. The two will connect just under your belly button. Retract and repeat, alternating sides. 

3. Unicorns: Begin in a push-up position. Simultaneously raise your right arm and left leg as high as possible. Be sure to keep both limbs fully extended. Retract and repeat with your left arm and right leg,  and continue alternating. 

4. Geisha-ups: Begin in a modified push-up position with both hands directly under your shoulders, knees on the bed. Lower your body to perform a push-up. As you raise your body up, push backward until your butt rests firmly on your heels and both arms are fully extended as if you are performing child’s pose. Retract and repeat. 

5. Bottle caps: Begin in a seated position, feet flat on the bed with arms fully extended behind you. Push both your hands and feet into the bed while elevating your hips and belly button to the ceiling so that you form a table with your body. In one movement, lift your right hand and left knee to meet over your navel. Return to the tabletop position and repeat with your opposite hand and knee. Continue alternating until time is up.

~ Thanks to Shape Magazine

Should You Eat Breakfast?

Why You Need to Eat Breakfast
Starting your day with a meal
that combines unprocessed or minimally processed grains (oats, Muesli, quinoa) and protein (Greek yogurt, eggs)
improves overall health and your ability to lose weight. Here’s why: Eating
breakfast sets your body up to better metabolize lunch through a phenomenon
known as the second meal effect. The second meal effect describes a
biochemical shift that occurs in your body as a result of eating breakfast that leads to better blood sugar control
after lunch. This doesn’t happen when you skip your morning meal. But
simply eating breakfast isn’t enough.

What You Should Eat for
Breakfast
Most traditional breakfast foods are high in
carbohydrates/sugar, low in fat, and low in protein (i.e. a bowl of cereal). If you
improve the overall nutritional quality of your breakfast, you’ll reap
benefits beyond just the second meal effect. Here’s your simple plan to makeover
the morning meal:

1.
Improve the quality of carbohydrates you’re eating for breakfast. The Cereal
F.A.C.T.S. 2012 report recently released from the Yale Rudd Center for Food
Policy & Obesity found that 63 percent of the cereals in commercials viewed
by adults have a sugar content higher than 20 percent.  Opt for the lower sugar,
high fiber, minimally processed breakfast grains (oats, sprouted grain cereals, etc.) for better focus and mental
performance throughout the morning.

2. Add protein. Having protein-rich

meals throughout the day is a key strategy in maintaining calorie-burning
muscles. Plus, one study found that breakfast was the only meal of the day in
which increased protein helped in satiety and fullness. Make sure your breakfast
contains protein-rich foods like eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, or a protein
shake to reap these two metabolic advantages.

The Bonus
Benefit
From a physiological standpoint, I have always found that
starting the day with a nutritious breakfast sets the tone for a day of healthy
eating. By having a well-rounded and nutritious breakfast you are sending a message to
your body that you are going to do what it takes to be fit and healthy. A
unifying characteristic of most of the perennially lean and healthy people that
I know and have coached is that the all eat breakfast.

Here’s one of my
favorite hearty breakfasts:

Blueberry Crunch Yogurt
Bowl
About 500 calories (40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30%
fat)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup fresh or frozen
blueberries
¼ cup sprouted grain cereal
1 cup fat-free plain Greek
yogurt
½ scoop vanilla protein
1 Tbsp Chia seeds
2 Tbsp chopped
walnuts

Directions: Mix all the ingredients together in
a bowl and enjoy.

Health and Wellness With a Cherry on Top – The New Superfruit

Before a workout

Runner who drank a glass twice a day for a week before a strenuous race had significally less muscle soreness afterward than those who drank a placebo juice. Previous research has suggested that drinking cherry juice helps muscles recover better from a strength-training workout.

Before Bed

A new study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that adults who had two daily glasses of tart cherry juice slept 39 minutes longer, on average, and spent significantly less time awake in bed compared to those who drank a non-cherry based fruit cocktail. For better zzz’z, researchers advise having a glass 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.

Any OMG time

Cherries and their juice are a rich souce of powerful class of antioxidants called anthocyanins, “Studies suggest that eating cherries has the potential to lower heart disease risk.

Canned Foods + BPA = Heart Disease

If you have high levels of the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in your urine, you may be at an increased risk of heart disease, according to new data from a long-running British health survey.

People who developed heart disease also tended to have higher urinary concentrations of BPA, a somber finding that, while not proof that BPA causes heart disease, raises serious questions about why the chemical is still being so widely used across the globe.

Does BPA Exposure Cause Heart Disease?

Much of the research on BPA — the ubiquitous toxic chemical used in plastics, canned goods, dental sealants, paper money and more — has involved animals, leading skeptics (usually those in the chemical industry) to say the effects may not necessarily be the same in humans.

Well this latest study involved humans, and the results still indicated that exposure to BPA may be correlated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Researchers noted the findings mirrored those found in other large health surveys:

“Associations between higher BPA exposure (reflected in higher urinary concentrations) and incident CAD [coronary artery disease] … over ten years of follow-up showed similar trends to previously reported cross-sectional findings in the more highly exposed NHANES respondents.”

In the NHANES study, published in 2010, U.S. adults with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were more than twice as likely to develop coronary heart disease as those with the lowest levels.Those researchers noted:

“Higher BPA exposure, reflected in higher urinary concentrations of BPA, is consistently associated with reported heart disease in the general adult population of the USA.”

BPA is so pervasive that scientists have found that 95 percent of people tested have potentially dangerous levels of BPA in their bodies … and heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States. BPA is clearly not the only factor involved in heart disease, but given its widespread use – and the fact that it is even commonly found in the umbilical cords of babies in utero — any negative impact it makes on human health could prove disastrous.

BPA Also Linked to Obesity, Insulin Resistance, Reproductive Problems …

BPA is an endocrine disrupter, which means it mimics or interferes with your body’s hormones and “disrupts” your endocrine system. The glands of your endocrine system and the hormones they release are instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, as well as sexual function and reproductive processes.

Some of the greatest concern surrounds early-life, in utero exposure to BPA, which can lead to chromosomal errors in your developing fetus, causing spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage. But evidence is also very strong showing these chemicals are influencing adults and children, too, and leading to decreased sperm quality, early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles and ovarian dysfunction, cancer and heart disease, among numerous other health problems.

For instance, research has found that “higher BPA exposure is associated with general and central obesity in the general adult population of the United States,” while another study found that BPA is associated not only with generalized and abdominal obesity, but also with insulin resistance, which is an underlying factor in many chronic diseases.

Plastics are NOT the Only Route of Exposure to BPA …

Many people have stopped carrying plastic water bottles and using plastic utensils and food containers in order to avoid BPA. As public knowledge of BPA in plastics has grown, a slew of BPA-free plastics  have also hit the market, making it easier to choose products that do not contain this toxin.

However, wise as it may be to limit your use of plastic products, this will not be enough to protect you from BPA’s dangerous effects. BPA is found in the lining of nearly all canned foods and beverages, and it turns out this source of exposure could be increasing your BPA levels alarmingly. In one study, eating canned soup for five days increased study participants’ urinary concentrations of BPA by more than 1,000% compared to eating freshly made soup.

The researchers believe canned goods may be an even more concerning source of exposure to BPA than plastics, and if the above finding that increased urinary levels of BPA are linked to heart disease are confirmed, it’s logical to assume that eating canned goods could increase your risk of heart disease significantly because of the exposure to BPA!

As one of the world’s highest production volume chemicals, BPA is incredibly common in food and drinks packaging, as well as in other places you probably wouldn’t expect, like receipts. A study in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry found that of 13 thermal printing papers (the type often used for receipts) analyzed, 11 contained BPA.Holding the paper for just 5 seconds was enough to transfer BPA onto a person’s skin, and the amount of BPA transferred increased by about 10 times if the fingers were wet or greasy.

Handling paper currency is another likely route of exposure, as in a study published in Environmental Science and Technology, researchers analyzed paper currencies from 21 countries for the presence of BPA, and the chemical was detected in every sample.They also measured the transfer of BPA from thermal receipt paper to currency by placing the two together in a wallet for 24 hours. This dramatically increased the concentrations of BPA on the money, which again suggests that receipts are highly contaminated.

Is it Possible to Avoid Having Your Health Damaged by BPA?

BPA is all around us, that’s true, but steps are slowly being made to phase out its use. BPA has been banned in baby bottles in Europe and the United States, for instance, and in response to consumer demand, some companies are also following suit.

It’s important to make an effort to support the companies that have already removed BPA from their products, or those that offer products that never contained it (such as baby toys made from natural fabrics instead of plastic). If enough people refuse to buy BPA-containing goods, companies will have no choice but to get this toxin out of their products.

For information on companies that are making efforts to explore BPA-free packaging or have already begun phasing BPA out of their products altogether, see the report Seeking Safer Packaging: Ranking Packaged Food Companies on BPA by the environmentally oriented investment firm Green Century and As You Sow, a non-profit working toward increasing corporate social responsibility. Of course, it’s also important to boycott the common sources of BPA that are still in production, such as:

• Canned foods and soda cans
• All BPA-containing plastics

• Certain tooth sealants
• Certain BPA-free plastics (which can contain similar endocrine-disrupting chemicals)
• Receipts and currency (while you can’t “boycott” these, seek to limit or avoid carrying receipts in your wallet or purse, as it appears the chemical is transferring onto other surfaces it touches. It would also be wise to wash your hands after handling receipts and currency, and avoid handling them particularly if      you’ve just put lotion or have any other greasy substance on your hands,      as this may increase your exposure)

One final tip: certain “friendly bacteria” have the ability to break down BPA, as well as reduce your intestinal absorption of it.  So one way to help protect yourself from the adverse effects of inevitable BPA exposure is by eating traditionally fermented foods, such as raw grass-fed organic kefir, organic fermented veggies, like sauerkraut or Kimchi, or taking a high-quality probiotic supplement.

~ Source: Dr. Mercola