Healthy Update is a bi-monthly electronic newsletter from HealthWorld Online providing you the latest information, news and resources from the world of natural health. All summaries in Healthy Update link to full articles or expanded resources and services in HealthWorld Online: http://www.healthy.net

To subscribe to email version of Healthy Update, send email to: update@healthy.net and type just the word "subscribe" in the body text of the email.

Psychology: Control Stress in 1998
Recognizing the importance of the mind-body connection, health care professionals emphasize the psychological aspects of wellness on a routine basis. As more information about the relationship between stress and health problems is provided, let's consider some important principles of stress management and evaluate our lifestyles as we enter the new year. Psychologist Hap LeCrone, Ph.D. provides some tips for 1998 to help us get in touch with ourselves and change the attitudes or practices which can make your life less stressful and healthier.

Holiday Fitness Update
It is reported that the average American experiences a 7-pound weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year's, then spends the next several weeks trying to lose as much of the excess as possible. Unfortunately, many people are unsuccessful in their weight reduction efforts, and wish that they had not added the holiday weight in the first place. Most would agree that it is better to prevent unwanted weight gain than to remedy the situation later. But just how can we approach the festivities and abundant food supplies so prevalent throughout November and December to avoid overeating? In his article, ">Suvival Strategies for the Holiday Season," Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. offers 12 strategies for avoiding holiday weight gain, and also recommends an exercise emphasis during this critical time of year. In reality, regular exercise is more necessary during the less active winter season than during the more active warm-weather months.

Magnets May Help Battle Depression
Magnet therapy may help relieve depression, preliminary research suggests. In the new study involving 12 adults with depression, researchers led by Dr. Mark S. George, an associate professor of psychiatry, neurology and radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, found that when the patients were given magnet therapy for two weeks, their depression improved significantly more than when they were given phony treatment for a separate two-week period.

Dr. Galland's Integrated Medicine

Foods that Heal
In this column Dr. Galland discusses detoxifying foods which protect against the effects of environmental pollution, free-radical induced cell damage and cancer through dietary anti-oxidants. Foods that are richest in these anti-oxidants are red, yellow and green vegetables, uncooked nuts and seeds (like almonds and sunflower seeds), and fish. He also outlines the important infection-fighting foods such as garlic, ginger, onions, and tumeric, as well as vegetables containing a high concentration of a group of natural chemicals called saponins, which have immune-stimulating and antibiotic effects--soybeans, chickpeas, bean sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes and oats.

News from the Village

Children's Health Update
Like birth, menstruation and menopause, the unfolding of childhood is an inherently natural process. Nevertheless, every morning before going to school, 3 to 5 percent of American schoolchildren take a mind- and behavior-altering prescription drug called Ritalin (methylphenidate). They do so because they have been diagnosed as having a "disease," called "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD). It may seem paradoxical to give stimulants to children who are hyperactive in order to calm them down. But this is done because these drugs often have the reverse effect on children than they do on adults. Although the actual impact of Ritalin and similar substances on the brain and mind of young people is poorly understood, children diagnosed with ADHD often continue to take it for years.

In his startling article, "Hugs, Not Drugs," from his groundbreaking book, Reclaiming Your Health: Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the True Source of Healing, John Robbins once again cuts to the core of tragic practice in our contemporary culture, as he did in his Pulitzer Prize nominated bestseller, Diet for a New America.

Women's Health Update
"Weakness in woman." This is how 17 "leading medical specialists" categorized menopause in a 1943 health book. Attitudes and health care for menopause have improved over the decades, but are women getting the best care possible? In her article, "Graceful Transition: Managing Menopause," Lauri Aesoph, N.D examines what natural health care providers can offer for menopause, as well as how society's perspective on it can help or hinder a menopausal woman.

Natural Medicine Research Update - Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Eat Less on Pectin
Pectin is a complex carbohydrate which cannot be absorbed from the intestinal system. It is used in the food industry as a thickening agent and in the production of jams and jellies. Several studies have shown pectin to have positive influences on decreasing serum cholesterol levels, without effecting serum triglyceride levels. Pectin has also shown the ability to reduce the rise of blood sugar when combined with a meal. These effects have been demonstrated in both healthy individuals and those with diabetes.

New Releases in our Bookstore
Why do we feel instantly attracted to some people yet repelled by others? What makes a tumor shrink after a laying on of hands? How can sexual energy be used for spiritual growth? How are our moods, sleep, and behavior affected by the phases of the moon? We are beings of energy, living in a universe of energy. We are moved by unseen and seemingly undetectable forces - what today’s cutting-edge scientists call . . . Subtle Energy

In Subtle Energy: Awakening To The Unseen Forces In Our Lives, noted teacher and researcher in the field, William Collinge explains how we are made of energy, and calls us to thoughtfully reconsider the often inexplicable sensations and perceptions we too easily dismiss. Making inspiring connections between the teachings of ancient wisdom and modern science, he then shows us how we can become attuned to these forces and harness their powers.

Global Health Calendar -- Hot Picks
"XVIII Olympic Winter Games", Nagano City, JAPAN, February 7-22, 1998/ Contact: Nagano Olympic Organizing Committee - 81-26-225-1998

Association Network -- Hot Pick
The California Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CAAOM) is a professional organization of Licensed Acupuncturists and supporters of Oriental Medicine dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the practice of Oriental Medicine in a caring and ethical manner in order to enhance the health and well-being of the general public.

Visit the California Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Today's Healthy News

Free Medline Search

HealthWorld Online Advisory Board

Editor, Healthy Update: James Strohecker

Suggestions & Comments: We welcome your suggestions and comments to help us provide the highest quality service. If you are aware of late-breaking news or information that would be useful to our subscribers, please contact us at: hwinfo@healthy.net

To subscribe to email version of Healthy Update, send email to: update@healthy.net and type just the word "subscribe" in the body text of the email.