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Now browsing: Hometown News > Columnist Archives > Counseling - Margot Bennett
April 18, 2008
Just the facts about flax - Although many people are just learning about the benefits of flax, these seeds are hardly newcomers around the world. For centuries, flax has been cultivated in Europe, where the plant's fiber was used to make linen and the seeds were pressed to make oil for home and commercial use. Its' old name is linseed oil. Today, flax is recognized as a sou... Full Story
April 4, 2008
Goodbye heartburn, hello relief - Heartburn. If you have it, you want it to go away. And you're not the only one suffering. The United States is the world's heartburn leader: 25 million people experience heartburn daily and 60 percent have digestive problems on a regular basis, according to the National Heartburn Alliance. Heartburn, or acid indigestion, may be a symptom of gastr... Full Story
March 21, 2008
Curbing the cramps in your life - If you've ever had a severe muscle cramp, you know the meaning of agonizing, disabling pain. The timing of a cramp often indicates its cause. Cramps that occur when you first start to exercise may mean that your body is low in calcium, magnesium, sodium or potassium, the minerals that work together for proper muscle functioning. Deficiencies affe... Full Story
March 7, 2008
Learn to love your sinuses - If you're looking for a prescription for treating sinusitis, physician Rob Ivker has one for you. In his book "Sinus Survival: The Holistic Medical Treatment for Sinusitis, Allergies and Colds," he refers to sinusitis as the "cold" that won't go away. Chronic sinusitis is defined as persistent inflammation and/or infection that lasts longer than ... Full Story
February 22, 2008
Natural help for dry skin - Do you have dry, chapped lips? Is the skin on your heels cracking? Do you slather moisturizers all over your body? If so, your dry skin may need help from the inside out. Dry lips may be self-inflicted. Licking your lips dries them out because saliva contains salt and enzymes. According to dermatologists, lips are "psychologically sensitive;" jus... Full Story
January 25, 2008
Flush away fluid retention - If you're feeling puffy, bloated and swollen, you're experiencing fluid retention, medically known as "edema." Fluid retention occurs in different parts of the body for different reasons; gravity is one of them. Standing in one place too long or sitting with legs dangling can restrict circulation and cause swelling in the extremities. Fluid then ... Full Story
January 11, 2008
Arnica: a homeopathic first-aid remedy - Plastic surgeons are now recommending a classic homeopathic remedy to speed recovery after cosmetic surgery, arnica Montana, which has been used medicinally in Europe since the 16th century. Arnica is endorsed as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic by the German Commission E advisory panel on herbal medicine. Arnica works on the soft tissues and b... Full Story
December 28, 2007
Biotin, vitamin 'H,' is for healthy hair - In the alphabet of vitamins, you may have missed vitamin H, but you probably recognize its common name, biotin. It is a B vitamin with a growing reputation. Dermatologists, hair dressers and manicurists often recommend a biotin supplement because of the role it plays in forming keratin, the main protein for hair and nail growth. You find biotin a... Full Story
December 14, 2007
Taking care of your blood pressure - If you talk too fast, don't get enough sleep and are constantly dehydrated, you may be more likely to develop high blood pressure (hypertension). Fast talkers don't breathe properly, which can result in elevated blood pressure, explains Earl Mindell, author of "Vitamin Bible." Adults who sleep fewer than five hours a night have a significantly hi... Full Story
November 30, 2007
Lose the bruise - Although long-term sun exposure makes skin more fragile and prone to bruising, we can't blame it all on the Florida sun. The tendency to bruise easily increases with age, when collagen breaks down and our capillaries, the small blood vessels beneath the surface of the skin, grow weaker. Bruises not caused by injury may be a side effect of prescri... Full Story
November 16, 2007
Can you be too thin? - Yes, you can be too thin, and for people who are underweight, it may be as hard to gain weight as it is for overweight people to lose weight. David Rueben, author of "Quick Weight Gain Program," writes, "The single most serious hidden (health) problem in America is ... being underweight." Standard weight charts give a range of weights for differ... Full Story
October 12, 2007
Spice up your health with cinnamon - The story of cinnamon begins about 4,000 years ago when it was first mentioned in Chinese botanical texts. Egyptians later used cinnamon for embalming and to prevent food spoilage. During the Middle Ages, it was thought that cinnamon's strong aroma would fight off the bubonic plague. (It didn't.) In the 15 th century, trade wars were fought over a... Full Story
September 28, 2007
Nutrition and macular degeneration - Macular degeneration is "starvation of the retina," wrote holistic opthalmologist Robert Abel Jr., in his book "The Eye Care Revolution." Eye specialists agree that lifestyle choices contribute to the development of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Risk factors increase with a diet high in refined carbohydrate... Full Story
September 14, 2007
Seeking relief for psoriasis - Florida is famous for its sunshine and ocean water. While most of our visitors come strictly for recreation, others come seeking relief from symptoms of psoriasis. A few weeks of sun and saltwater treatments offer months of remission for many sufferers of this unsightly skin condition. The National Psoriasis Foundation recognizes that sunbathing h... Full Story
August 31, 2007
Attack gout with cherries - Cherries are in the news, and it's not the first time. Back in 1950, cherries vs. gout made headlines in the "Texas Report on Biology and Medicine." The story began when Ludwig Blau ate a bowl of cherries and the next day, his extreme gout pain was nearly gone. He was able to get out of his wheelchair, told his doctor the story, and the doctor tol... Full Story
July 27, 2007
Causes of and care for dry eyes - What can you do for dry eyes? "Drink a lot of water, remember to blink and take omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil," writes Robert Abel Jr., author of "The Eye Care Revolution." Oil is a normal part of tears. Without enough oil in the tears they evaporate too quickly. A women's health study of more than 32,000 subjects found that women who consume... Full Story
June 29, 2007
The importance of Vitamin C - Do you know that you and that caveman in the Geico commercials have something in common? You both need to get your daily dose of vitamin C from either food or supplements. Apes, human beings and guinea pigs are the only animals that do not produce vitamin C in their bodies. Severe vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, famously cured by eating limes, ... Full Story
June 15, 2007
Probiotics versus antibiotics - "Probiotic" means "for life;" antibiotic means "against life." The life referred to is your life, interacting with bacteria that live inside you, both friendly and hostile. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as "live organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit to the host." You are the host and you... Full Story
May 25, 2007
Confused about calcium? - Choosing the right calcium supplement may seem as challenging as solving a puzzle. However, product labels provide clues to help you identify the form of calcium that suits your needs. Look closely for the source of the calcium, the quantity of tablets or capsules to achieve the daily dosage and the proper timing for best absorption. Understanding... Full Story
May 11, 2007
For women only - We're going to have a private conversation with women "of a certain age." For many of us, this is a time of life when we may experience some embarrassing personal issues: vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence. Because decreased estrogen levels are associated with dryness and thinning of vaginal and bladder tissues, physicians often prescribe to... Full Story
April 27, 2007
Following healthy directions - "When all else fails, read the directions." Good advice, if we heed it before we fail. When we buy a car or a household appliance, we get an owner's manual. However, our most important asset, our body, did not come with operating instructions. Its maintenance is often a do-it-yourself project. In the past, culture and tradition have given us guide... Full Story
April 20, 2007
Questionable chemicals on your skin - Are you taking a chemical bath every morning? When you lather up, shampoo your hair and apply deodorant and skin lotion, are you also chemically challenging your body and your environment? According to skin care research, nearly 60 percent of the chemicals you put on your body absorb through the skin and go into your body. Where do these chemicals... Full Story
March 30, 2007
Read your way to better health - Books have been called windows on the world and can be our companions and teachers. When we feel overwhelmed with too much information and not enough true knowledge, books can give us guidance. The books listed here are treasures. Some of them are relatively new, while others have stood the test of time. Enjoy them, but remember; they are not inte... Full Story
March 9, 2007
Learn to love your sinuses - If you're looking for a prescription for treating sinusitis, physician Rob Ivker has one for you. In his book, "Sinus Survival: The Holistic Medical Treatment for Sinusitis, Allergies and Colds," he writes, "the holistic treatment of chronic sinusitis begins with learning to love your nose." He refers to sinusitis as the "cold" that won't go away.... Full Story
September 15, 2006
The 'C' word - Constipation. Talking about it, or having it makes us feel uncomfortable. However, each year, millions of people visit their doctors to discuss constipation problems. Most of them are women and adults over 65. Constipation may be a contributing factor in health issues such as headaches, acne, depression, fatigue and even sciatica. Women who are c... Full Story
August 18, 2006
Are your ears suffering from malnutrition? - "Nowhere in our body do nutritional deficiencies create more negative results than in our ears," said Paul Yanick Jr., nationally known audiologist and holistic health scientist. He explains in his book, "Natural Relief from Tinnitus," (1991) that hearing represents the whole body, in or out of balance. When out of balance, it's as if a short circ... Full Story
July 21, 2006
B vitamins: the anti-stress team - On every team, whether in sports, at work or within the family, each member is vitally important to the success of the entire group. The same is true with the B vitamin team, commonly known as B-complex. Each of the 11 B vitamins has its own role to play, and a deficiency of any one of them is likely to indicate a deficiency of the others as well... Full Story
June 30, 2006
Garlic, the stinking superstar - Yesterday's stinking rose is today's superstar. Dr. Nicholas Perricone has named garlic a top choice and superstar vibrant vegetable, because garlic has one of the highest ratings on the orac scale, a scientific measurement of anti-inflammatory/antioxidant values of fruits and vegetables. In his best-seller, "The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet," Dr P... Full Story
June 2, 2006
Headache relief: from the old to the new - New research and old folk medicine both offer hope for headache sufferers. Years ago, grandmother may have suggested tying a tight cloth around your head. It actually helped, because it decreased blood flow to the scalp. Or, maybe she used the yellow mustard footbath treatment; you sat in a chair backed against a wall, your feet in a tub of very h... Full Story
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