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to your Address Book or Safe List. Learn how here. | May 12, 2011 | |  |  | Try Dry-Brushing for an Immune Boost | | | The Great Cholesterol Hoax | | | Why and How to Let Go of a Grudge | | | Arthritis Vanishes in Minutes | | | Weighty Concerns About Hormonal Birth Control | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | | Try Dry-Brushing for an Immune Boost It’s generally not nice to give someone the brush-off—but when it’s your own body you’re brushing, you do yourself good, I heard from Mao Shing Ni, PhD, DOM, LAc, author of Secrets of Longevity. Dr. Mao was referring to dry-brushing, a technique used to strengthen the body’s immune system and encourage removal of toxins. Though scientific evidence is limited, common sense and experience support its use. Here’s why... The lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system, helps clean the body’s tissues and maintain its balance of fluids. It includes lymph vessels that carry lymph fluid through the body... plus lymph nodes that filter out waste, toxins and pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. But because its pumping system is not very efficient, lymph fluid—and the toxins it carries—can get stuck and accumulate in nearby tissues, causing swelling, impairing blood flow and increasing infection risk. As Dr. Mao explained, dry-brushing your skin stimulates the surface nerve endings, activating movement in the lymph vessels and pushing lymph fluid onward toward the lymph nodes, where toxins can be eliminated. Bonus: It also improves skin health and appearance by increasing blood flow and exfoliating dead skin cells. What you need: Buy a long-handled body brush with natural bristles at a spa, cosmetics supply store or online (about $7). Avoid nylon or plastic bristles, which generate static electricity. What to do: Perform the five-minute dry-brushing routine described below at least twice weekly—preferably in the morning, Dr. Mao recommended, because it is invigorating and because the lymph system is most active then. Using long, smooth strokes, brush your bare skin firmly enough to make it flush a bit but not so hard that it causes discomfort. Dry-brushing generally is safe for everyone except people who bruise very easily or have extremely fragile skin, Dr. Mao said. Important: You must brush in the proper order and direction to keep lymph fluid moving toward the major lymph nodes (which are in the armpits, groin, neck and collarbone area) and the heart (so toxins can be eliminated via the circulatory system). For each area below, give three to five strokes. Do not brush your face because facial skin is delicate. Also skip any area where you have skin irritation or injury, such as a rash, cut, infection or patch of eczema or psoriasis. Brush in this order... - Along the inside of each arm from fingertips to armpit... then along the outside from fingertips to shoulder.
- Along the inside of each leg from toes to groin... then along the outside from toes to hip.
- From the crown of the head down the back of the head to the base of your neck... then from the crown down each side of the head, behind each ear.
- From beneath your chin down each side of your neck (not the front of the throat) to your collarbone.
- On the entire front of the torso, stroking down from the navel area to the crotch... then stroking up from the navel to the collarbone.
- On each side of the torso, brushing down from the waist and over the hips... then up from the waist to the armpit.
- On the back of the torso, stroking down from the mid-back to the bottom of the buttocks... then stroking up from mid-back to the shoulder area, until the entire back has been brushed.
Source: Mao Shing Ni, PhD, DOM (doctor of Oriental medicine), LAc (licensed acupuncturist), is chancellor and cofounder of Yo San University in Los Angeles and cofounder of Tao of Wellness, an acupuncture and Chinese medicine clinic in Santa Monica, California. He is the author of 12 books, including Secrets of Longevity: Dr. Mao’s 8 Week Program—Simple Steps that Add Years to Your Life (Chronicle). www.TaoOfWellness.com
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 | | The Great Cholesterol Hoax The #1 prescription drug in America is a cholesterol drug. It rakes in about $8 billion a year. And three of the top 15 drugs are in the same category. They’re called statin drugs, but some experts call them a hoax. Did you know that... Cholesterol-reducing statin drugs are just patented knockoffs of a simple food that Asians have eaten for centuries. You can buy it in pill form in any health-food store—yet drug companies charge $1,740 a year for it! And, for those who choose to stick with their statins, they’re all pretty much the same. If you must take a prescription statin, ask for the cheapest one. There’s no proof the statin that’s #1 is any better than the generics. | |
Learn more...  | |  | | |
 | | Why and How to Let Go of a Grudge Judy Kuriansky, PhD Columbia University | We’ve all been wronged, hurt, disappointed, lied to or betrayed at some time or another—and we’ve all probably nursed a grudge as a result. But holding on to resentment is like drinking poison yourself and hoping that it makes the other person sick. Why is a grudge so self-destructive? Because it can... | - Interfere with enjoyment of the present by keeping you focused on hurts of the past.
- Cause you physical pain—a tight chest, upset stomach, tense muscles, aching head.
- Increase feelings of stress, anxiety, sadness, bitterness and anger.
- Destroy a relationship that might have been salvageable and rewarding to you.
- Keep you from getting close to other people by making you afraid to trust anyone else.
What can you do when resentment starts to build? Remind yourself to... Consider whether your grudge is merely the tip of the iceberg. Are you upset because your sister-in-law broke your favorite vase and then said it was just a cheap trinket? Or are you hurt because her statement is yet another example of how she habitually criticizes your taste or flaunts the fact that she is wealthier than you? Griping about her breaking the vase may feel safer than facing the true depth of your anger toward her... but until you recognize the deeper wound, you cannot take the first steps toward resolving the problems between the two of you. Speak up... civilly. The other person may have no idea that you harbor ill feelings. Let her know how her words or actions affected you—"I felt that you betrayed my trust by lying about being sick when in fact you went out with other friends." Voicing your concerns honestly, but without rancor or rage, can help clear up misunderstandings and lay the foundation for more open communication and an improved relationship. Admit your own role or responsibility. Even if the majority of the blame lies with someone else, you probably played at least a small part in the conflict. Acknowledging this to yourself lessens your resentment... acknowledging it and apologizing to the other person may even make it easier for her to recognize her own role in the conflict. Example: "I’m sorry that I didn’t call you back when you left me the message that you didn’t want to play cards with me anymore. I was shaken up then, but would like to talk about it now." Suggest actions that would clear the air. Even after a culprit recognizes that she has done you wrong, she may not know how to make it up to you... and waiting for her to figure it out herself only delays resolution. Have the courage to be straightforward—"I’d appreciate a simple apology," or "Would you invite me along next time you go out with the group? Then I wouldn’t feel excluded." People who care about you usually are happy to make amends once they know exactly what they can do. Compose a mantra of forgiveness—and repeat it silently whenever you get stuck in a resentful thought. This is especially helpful when the other person does not care to change her behavior or compensate for her misdeeds. Recite to yourself, "I can forgive," or "It is healthier for me to let these feelings go." Embrace the positive effects of freeing yourself from resentment. When you stop dwelling on lies, insults, betrayals and rejections, you can let more positive experiences into your life. You also start to feel more compassion for others as you acknowledge that we are all flawed and we all struggle to do the best we can. The result is that you have a clearer mind, a more loving heart and a deeper sense of spiritual well-being. Source: Judy Kuriansky, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and sex therapist on the adjunct faculty of Columbia University Teachers College in New York City. She is the author of five books, including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship (Alpha), and is a columnist and advisory board member for HealthyWoman from Bottom Line. www.DrJudy.com
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| | | Weighty Concerns About Hormonal Birth Control Are you putting too much faith in a form of contraception that might not be the most effective for you? If you’re carrying extra pounds and/or excess body fat, the answer could be yes. Researchers reviewed 11 studies, looking at rates of unintended pregnancy in women who used various hormonal birth control methods. Data suggested that... - Among women taking birth control pills, those with a body mass index (BMI)—an indicator of body fat based on a calculation involving height and weight—of 25 or higher were nearly twice as likely to get pregnant as Pill users with a BMI below 25.
- In contraceptive skin patch users, excess body weight (but not BMI) was associated with an increased likelihood of conceiving.
Theories: Metabolic changes associated with excess weight or body fat could interfere with the effectiveness of some types of hormonal birth control... or larger women may need larger-than-usual doses of hormonal contraceptives. Note: No relationship was found between body size and the effectiveness of contraceptive injections (such as Depo-Provera, which is given once every three months). Among users of an older type of contraceptive implant (matchstick-size rods placed under the skin of the arm) no longer on the market, one study showed higher pregnancy rates for women weighing more than 154 pounds, but other implant studies showed no such association. (Implants currently in use were not studied.) Recommended: If you are overweight, talk with your doctor about whether your current contraceptive is most appropriate for you. Source: Laureen Lopez, PhD, is a research associate at FHI, a global health and development organization in Durham, North Carolina, and leader of a review of data involving 39,531 women.
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 |  | |  Tamara Eberlein, the editor of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line, has been a health journalist for nearly three decades. An award-winning author or coauthor of four books, she is committed to helping other women in midlife and beyond live healthy, fulfilling lives. Her latest book is the updated, third edition of When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads (HarperCollins). She is also the "chief health adviser" to her husband of 25 years, college-age twins and teenaged son. | |  | | Bottom Line Publications | 281 Tresser Boulevard, 8th Floor | Stamford, CT 06901
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