William Lee Cowden, MD, will be with us to discuss his new book, Create a Toxin-Free Body & Home Starting Today. Also, when I became involved in nutrition 32 years ago, Willard Water was already the stuff of legends. Since the product is used for animals and even plants, we know the benefits are certainly not a placebo effect. John Willard will help us understand how it works and discuss emerging research. Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Stand up for mobility
Everyone knows that we should get up off the couch and get moving. But few understand the importance of building structural strength as we age. Arun Karlamangia, MD (author of this study) was quoted in the August issue of Taste for Life magazine as saying “…the greater your muscle mass, the lower your risk of death.”  The commonly referenced body mass index (BMI) is a mathematical comparison of height vs. weight and really only serves as a rough gauge of obesity. (Very fit people can rate poorly on that scale.) The BMI is less useful for predicting longevity than a Muscle Mass Index (MMI) would be. Muscles burn calories, give us resilience and stability. They also help us do important functions like standing up.

The MMI is not in widespread use, but doctors should at least check to see if their senior patients can get up from a chair without using their arms to push off. Too frequently, seniors lose strength in their thigh muscles. That can ultimately lead to immobility and dependence. Even young folks can get in the habit of using arms to get up and down. (E.g. TV host Ellen sitting down after dancing.) If you can’t stand up using only your legs, it would be smart to gradually work on that until you can. Even when you can, it is good to try successively lower chairs. I thought I was doing pretty well to be able to stand up (without using my arms) from sitting on our treadmill (it is only 9″ off the floor). No, that is not how I use the treadmill, I was putting on my shoes.

But then they raised the bar!
Check out this news item. Egad! Apparently, we are also supposed to be able to get up off the floor without using our hands or knees! (That is assuming we do not want to be statistically likely to die in the next few years.) I wasn’t even working on that. This maneuver tests not only strength, but also balance, flexibility, range of motion and even memory…err, uh, how was it that I used to do that? The formula given in the article gives 10 points for being able to get onto the floor and back up without leaning on hands or knees. It then makes deductions for each increment of help we need. True confession: unless I want to hit the floor kind of hard, I use a hand to balance myself going down. I lose one point for that and another one for bracing with one hand or a knee to get up. I’ve clearly got some work to do before I can pop up anything like this 64 year old or this smug showoff.

It could be worse
In looking for that video linked above, I discovered more information. Some elders apparently need to know how to get off the floor by any means at all. (I’ve heard the “help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” commercials, but I thought those folks were injured.) Without knowing the method, some people might just lay there like an flipped turtle waiting for a good Samaritan to come by. Here is a video of a safe procedure. It doesn’t mention that, once on all fours, some even less mobile folks may need to crawl to a sturdy object for support.

Sept. 6-7, 2014 Tactile Integration Course by MNRI®
The Kotsanis Institute will play host to a special presentation by the Svetlana Masgutova Education Institute on MNRI Neuro-Tactile Integration. The course is for parents, caregivers, and therapists. Skin reactions can tell us a lot. Learn about those with hyper-sensitive skin (they avoid hugs and complain about clothing tags.) Then there are the hypo-sensitive (little reaction to even a big wound and it takes a lot for these folks to register a sensation). The MNRI method uses a non-invasive, natural therapy. (Note, the class is not taught the Kotsanis Institute.)

For more information or to register, Click here.

Last Week Follow-up
LISTEN to that show in the archives. My guest, nutritionist, Tim Mount who is an educator with NeoCell, and I talk about the effects of an often overlooked B vitamin—Biotin. We also discussed how Alpha lipoic Acid and hyaluronic acid work synergistically with Biotin to improve our skin. Hey, guys we also talked about hair.

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MY BOOKS:

Fat-Free Folly. Challenges dangerous mainstream thinking about fats. Supported with generous amounts of current science and grounded in a common sense historical framework. Learn how to build health and lose weight while enjoying more delicious food.

Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments. Besides explaining the dangers of these medications and helping fix the real cause (which is seldom too much acid) this book is also helpful for solving other digestive problems.

Aloe Vera – Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy. Research shows that Aloe has benefit beyond skin and digestion–also for immune function, detoxification, nutrient absorption, blood antioxidant levels, blood sugar regulation and more. Learn how to pick the most potent brands.

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2014 Martie Whittekin, CCN