Reading in the journal today,  it mentioned that the medical costs of employees with rheumatoid arthritis  are among the highest of any chronic health condition.  In a study of nine large U.S. employers, researchers found that workers with rheumatoid arthritis was second only to kidney failure in expense. Nearly all of the excess costs of RA were for direct medical care.

 About 20 percent of Americans suffer from sleep problems, according to the researchers. In my experience, I encountered many patients suffering sleep problems.  It can be quite debilitating.  And sleep deprivation may accelerate aging, and can actually impact your immune system.  It adds to depression or is a sign of depression.    Some of my recommendations. 

I have found insomnia to be related to food allergies.  Common foods are usually the culprit.  Use a digestive enzyme with meals to reduce the food sensitivities.  http://www.enzymesinc.com/wellzymes/wellzymes.html

Avoid grains and sugars especially before sleep. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.

It is best to Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. If there is even the slightest  bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin.

I have suggested you wear socks to bed.

if the feet are warm, and the body’s circulation is good, then better sleep

 Meditate before sleeping.

Even if it is in bed, relaxation of the mind and body is extremely helpful. Don’t watch TV right before you go to sleep, read a spiritual book instead.  This will help with sleep.  

Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11PM and 1AM. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are

Keep the temperature in the bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. Many people keep their homes and particularly the upstairs bedrooms too hot.

Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter may have effects on sleep.

Avoid caffeine in the form of coffe, tea or ice cream.  people can feel the effects of caffeine  long after consuming it. So an afternoon cup of coffee (or even tea) will keep some people from falling asleep. Also, some medications,caffeine.

Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Red wine, although it has some beneficial effects can be too stimulating and can cause insomnia. 

Don’t drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least minimize the frequency.

Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating sleep,

 exercising regularly.  Exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday.  This  can help you fall asleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.

A new enzyme formula called sleep enhancement is available for sleep and for jet lag as well.  This is featured in MicroMiracles. 

I was at a dinner party the other night and one of the guests came up to me and shared his story.  He said I might not have known this but I helped him with a chronic digestive problem.  He said he has had this bloating, and indigestion for awhile now and has asked his doctor a number of times for guidance.  Other than a new medicine, which did nothing, he had no other suggestion.  At my first book signing in Marin County, I mentioned the difficult breaking down grains, especially wheat, oats, rye etc.  I suggested reducine or eliminating these grains for a time and then introducing them slowly over time, but continuing to only eat them occasionally.  They are not a healthy food.  They can set off many inflammatory reactions, including digestive problems, pain, swelling and fatigue.  So he experimented with the elimination of his cereal in the mornings.  Well a miracle happened- no more digestive problems.  He was so pleased and looked forward to sharing this with me. 

So if you are experiencing joint pain, weight issues, digestive problems and fatigue, try eliminating those grains.  You may be surprised how much better you feel.

  Here is my new book by Rodale - available in all bookstores and amazon

Here in Northern California, all the trees are blooming and with the onset of spring, the hayfever allergy sufferers  are also surfacing. Tiredness, eyes burning,and watering, runny nose and headaches and fatigue.  Did you know that taking a digestive enzyme with your food and reducing sugar in half can help spring allergies.  I have been recommending this for almost 15 years and see great success.  This is easy, no medication and you can again enjoy spring. The best enzyme is:

Full-Spectrum Digestive Enzyme Blend

Protein-digesting enzymes:
            Protease Blend (alkaline, neutral and acid proteases plus peptidase)
                                                            Dosage range:  20,000 – 50,000 HUT/capsule
 

Fat-digesting enzymes:
            Lipase                                      Dosage range:  150 – 600 LU/capsule
 

Sugar-digesting enzymes:
            Invertase                                  Dosage range:  375 – 400 SU (0.75 – 0.8 IAU)/capsule
            Lactase                                                Dosage range:  200 – 800 ALU(LacU)/capsule
            alpha-Galactosidase                   Dosage range:  10 – 150 GalU(25-376 AGSU)/capsule
           
Starch-digesting enzymes:
            Amylase                                   Dosage range:  7,000 – 18,000 DU/capsule
            Glucoamylase                            Dosage range:  8 – 15 AGU/capsule
            Malt Diastase                            Dosage range:  250 – 375 DP^o /capsule
 

Fiber-digesting enzymes:
            Cellulase                                   Dosage range:  300 – 450 CU/capsule
Plus one or more of the following:  Pectinase, Xylanase, Hemicellulase, Phytase and beta-Glucanase to help release nutrients from fruits, vegetables and grains.
 

[The above potencies are listed in FCC units which are the standards for vegetarian digestive enzyme activity recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Please read enzyme supplement labels carefully when choosing a product and avoid products that list enzyme potencies as mg. or units of measure other than those above.]
 

I have written extensively about the incidence of depression as related to allergies.  In yesterday’s Reuters Health an article appeared stating women with major depression are more likely to have allergies.  This finding was from a national survey of about 3,000 U.S. adults.  It also stated that past studies have linked depression and allergies, though it’s not clear if one leads to to the other.  I have seen in my clinical practice over 30 years that allergies may cause depression.  Food allergies in particular or just dealing with allergies can often contribute to depression.  Suffering chronic sinusitis, headaches, rashes and asthma which are the result of allergies can definitely cause depression, fatigue and a feeling of hopelessness.  Just elilminating food allergies can often clear many of these symptoms which can alleviate depression and that feeling of hopelessness.  But just the elimination of allergies can reduce or eliminate depression.  Wheat is a highly allergic food that can cause depression, and fatigue.  Try going of it, you will often see the change.  BioSET can eliminate allergies especially successful with food.  And a digestive enzyme is often the answer.

Food allergies are generally the cause of hives.  Common foods I have seen over the years with individuals are spices, food additives, such as msg, nitrates, and nitrites as well as artificial flavors and dyes.  Salicylic acid naturally inherent in foods are also commonly a trigger for hives.  Foods with salicylic acid are:Green peas

Asparagus fresh

Cauliflower

Choko

Mushroom fresh

Onion

Green beans

Celery

Cabbage

Lentils

Asparagus canned

Chinese vegetables

Lettuce

Marrow

Olives, black, can

Pumpkin

Snow peans

Alfalfa

Broccoli

Cucumber

Fava beans

Spinach

Sweet potato

Champignon

Green pepper

Olive

Mushrooms

Tomato

Radish

Chicory

Banana

Pear, peeled

Apple, golden & red delicious

Cherries, sour

Grapes, green, can

Lemon fresh

Mango

Passion fruit

Tamarillo

Grape fruit juice

Kiwi

Lychee

Loquat

Nectarine fresh

Plum

Watermelon

Apple Granny, Smith

Avocado fresh

Cherries

Grapes red

Mandarin fresh

Tangelo fresh

Apricots

Blackberries

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Dates

Guava

Raisins

Pecans

Peanut butter

Sesame seeds Hazelnuts

Sunflower seeds

Pine nuts

Macadamia nuts

Pistachio nuts

Almonds

Peanuts

Coconut

Brazil nuts

There are other foods as well, but these are the most common.   I have seen some very unusual foods such as artificial sugars, toothpaste, and even various bottled waters.  BioSET has excellent  results with hives and can clear or desensitize so these foods  no longer causes hives or urticaria.  Taking a digesive enzyme can reduce these sensitivities and the production of hives  and  can most definitely prevent them from returning.  And the BioSET desensitization can be used to clear those foods or other items that are still a problem with supplementing with the digestive enzyme.  Every so often I see , such allergens such as molds, and yeast, dust and medications.  Even certain fabrics can be the culprit- nylon, wool and polyester. And we must not forget animals and insects.

Today was a day of remembering to be grateful, to be thankful and knowing we are blessed. It started with an early morning radio show in which for the first time in all my radio shows for PRof MicroMiracles released a couple of months ago- that the host asked me why I dedicated my book to the truth. 

True health is the recognition and alignment with the truth, pure consciouness and unconditional love.  This is the true healing principle.  And eating well, with organic food and using enzymes for digestion can help your body with homeostasis.  When you are more balanced, you can realize and understand  this truth.  Balance brings consciousness and consciousness brings non attachment to the physical emotional ups and downs of our daily existance.  In every moment, there is conscious being.  All we need to do is surrender to it.    Surrender, let go, smile and feel love as often as you can every day.  A healthy lifestyle can support this highte truth.   

Later on today, I met a woman who was close to my age, and mentioned she lost her husband to brain cancer within three months time.  She said her heart hurt very much.  But she was grateful for what they had together and for their daughter who will always be her memory of her husband. 

This brings everything into perspective. 

My signature:

1.  Eat one raw meal a day

2.  Eat more organic food every day

3.  Take you digestive enzyme to guarantee digestion and absorption of your nutrients

4.  Give three hugs each day

5.  Tell someone you love them every day

6.  Be grateful for what you have.  Feel how you are blessed. 

People every day ask me, how do I know I am enzyme deficient.  What are the signs.  Tell me. Well here it is for everyone to hear.

Experience digestive problems, such as bloating, gas, heartburn, reflux, diarrhea or constipation

Fatigue, never can get enough sleep

always susceptible to virus and flu and colds etc.  Can’t seem to fight them.

Crave food. and the food you crave is the one you are most intolerant. 

Notice your hair is limp, you skin is not radiant and hydrated, and nails break easily  and you appear older than you are.

Can’t repair tissue injuries, such as a cut, sprain, strain

Loss of sexual libido and sexual performance.

Mood swings, depression and lack of motivation in life. 

Weight gain and can’t keep the weight off, up an down. 

People do not know they are enzyme deficiency.  But it is ubiquitous .  Enzymes are on the rise, and they will not doubt hit the health industry with a bang any day.  They are micromiracles. 

People ask me every day - how do I know if I am getting a good quality enzyme. 

When reading the labels on enzyme products, the first thing to check is whether the enzymes come from animal or nonanimal sources.  Animal enzymes have limitations. 

Vegetarian enzymes are superior for digestion.  As they pass by feedback receptors farther along inthe digestive tract, the receptors signal the rest of the body that it doesn’t need to produce as many digestive enzymes because some of the food is already broken down.  This way, the body doesn’t expend as much energy on the digestive process. 

Manufactureres cultivate enzymes in a carefully controlled environmente that’s free of pesticides and other contaminants, while animla enzymes come from pigs that have been raised on genetically and chemically altered feed and treated with steroids and antibiotics.  Also, because vegetarian enzymes can be more concentrated than animal enzymes, a single capsule can have more enzymatic activity. 

Incidently, when you’re shopping for enzyme supplements, check to be sure that not only the enzymes but also the capsules are vegetarian. 

Vegetarian enzymes are the only ones that i have ever used and the results speak for themselves.  It is tremendous for digestion and delivery of nutrients to cells as well as repair, rejuvenation and enhanced vitality and sexual libido.