Got Goat, Sheep or Buffalo Milk?

By Carole Jackson

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

He made his first diagnosis at age seven. Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, told his parents, “No more milk.” Sure enough, that spelled the end of his trouble with fatigue, runny nose and other allergy symptoms, not to mention the beginning of a lifelong habit of challenging accepted health-care wisdom.

Dr. Rubman is still not a milk drinker, but he agreed to share his thoughts about the slew of “new” milks on the shelves of health-food stores and even mainstream supermarkets. For a variety of reasons, milk from other animals — including goats and sheep — might be more beneficial to your health than cow’s milk. And, believe it or not, the FDA recently removed the legal barriers that have thus far prevented milk from camels, llamas, reindeer, moose and donkeys from being sold in the US — though I’d be very surprised if those show up in many retail stores anytime soon, since distributors must prove that those milks are processed according to the same standards that are required for cow’s milk.

Why Drink Milk?

Most of us grew up hearing that we should drink lots and lots of milk — three glasses a day — to help us grow big and strong. The health claims are not without merit. Cow’s milk, and indeed all mammalian milks, naturally contain a mixture of healthful compounds, including protein, fat, calcium and other minerals and vitamins. However, each species produces the specific blend of nutrients best-suited for its own offspring, Dr. Rubman explains — calves grow best with cow’s milk, lambs with sheep milk and so on. It’s therefore no surprise that for humans, milk from an animal — any animal — is more allergenic and difficult to digest than what nature intended, which is, of course, milk from our own mothers.

Practically everyone knows that some people have trouble digesting milk, but not so many people realize that there are actually two different reasons why that’s so. Some people have sensitive or allergic reactions to one or more proteins found in one or more types of milk, while others cannot tolerate the sugar (called lactose) that is found in all mammalian milk. Why? With age, some people lose the natural ability to produce lactase, the digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose. Symptoms of both problems are the same — intestinal gas, diarrhea, runny nose, nasal congestion, asthma, wheezing, vomiting and skin rash.

Cow’s Milk — The Worst!

Economics are a key reason why cow’s milk became so popular — cows produce more milk than goats and other mammals, and at a lower cost.

However, with high levels of alpha-S1 casein protein (a major allergen), lactose and large fat globules, cow’s milk happens to pose the greatest challenge of all milks to humans. Dr. Rubman said that some who can’t tolerate cow’s milk do fine with milk from another animal, however.

Next Best: Goat’s Milk

You may be surprised to hear that worldwide, more people drink goat’s milk than cow’s milk, and lately I’ve noticed cartons of it in the dairy section of my local supermarket. Easier for many people to digest, goat’s milk contains a bit less lactose and higher amounts of protein and fat and in forms that are more digestible than cow’s milk. It also contains a bit less lactose.

Milk from goats contains more of other nutrients than cow’s milk as well. For example, it has 13% more calcium and greater amounts of healthful short- and medium-chain fatty acids. Proponents prefer its tangy flavor and like that it is usually produced on small farms, free of antibiotics and growth hormone. (To verify, look at the label for certification that the production method is antibiotic and/or growth-hormone free.) Expect to pay more for milk from goats — one popular brand, Meyenberg (www.Meyenberg.com), is double the price of cow’s milk… but enthusiasts say they don’t mind, since they like the taste and the increased nutrition. People who like and easily tolerate goat milk will likely also find that goat cheeses, yogurts and ice creams go down easily.

Sheep and Buffalo Milk: Up Next?

If you can find them in your health-food store, sheep and buffalo milks are a tasty — but considerably more expensive — alternative. Both resemble cow’s milk in taste but have a thicker, creamier texture. Like goat’s milk, milk from ewes has more short- and medium-chain fatty acids than cow’s milk and smaller fat globules, which makes it healthier and easier to digest for humans. It also packs more calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, B (especially B-6 and B-12) and E. Buffalo milk has more calcium than milk from cows, goats or sheep… contains more butterfat and protein than cow’s milk… and is a rich source of phosphorus, vitamin A and iron.

On the other hand, both sheep and buffalo milk have more lactose than cow’s milk, so avoid these (and other products made from them) if you are lactose-intolerant. Common sheep milk products include yogurt, ice cream and cheeses (Feta from Greece, Roquefort from France, Pecorino Romano from Italy, Manchego from Spain, etc.). As for the buffalo, in addition to the milk you can find yogurt, ice cream and cheeses including, of course, the gourmet buffalo mozzarella.

Camel Milk

While camel milk is popular in the Middle East and Africa, the FDA still hasn’t approved its sale in the US — but camel milk enthusiasts, especially one in particular, are working on that. Holistic health practitioner Millie Hinkle, who “fell in love with camel milk” on a trip to the United Arab Emirates, has made it her mission to market it here in the US.

If camel milk marketers can get over the FDA approval hump, they face a few other challenges — one is its somewhat salty taste, and the other is that camels are pretty uncooperative about being milked. The milk can boast some major nutritional advantages over cow’s milk, however — it has less lactose (as much as half) … three times as much vitamin C… and slightly higher levels of iron, unsaturated fatty acids and B vitamins. Camel milk afficionados also insist that their beverage of choice is an aphrodisiac — and you can bet that claim will make it into their marketing materials! You can find out more about camel milk at www.CamelMilkUSA.com.

The complexities of milk selection don’t end here, however. Read on to learn about the newest controversy in milk-drinking circles….

The Raw Milk Controversy

I wouldn’t be covering the milk story well if I failed to address the controversy concerning raw cow’s milk. Once again it has become trendy — much to the chagrin of FDA regulators, who maintain that all “raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe.”

Raw milk is neither pasteurized (the process of heating milk to high temperatures to kill bacteria) nor homogenized (a blending process that changes taste and consistency). Not coincidentally, both these processes also prolong the shelf life of the milk.

The raw milk controversy is not exactly new — we’ve covered it a few times before in Daily Health News (for instance, “What You Don’t Know About Organic Milk…,” August 21, 2007). People are talking about it again, however, because of a resurgence in its popularity that can be explained by two somewhat unrelated factors. For one, anything that comes “fresh from the farm” is popular among today’s foodies.

Second, and somewhat more complicated, is the growing understanding and appreciation of the importance of friendly intestinal flora for digestive and immune health. While this is not a new concept in the world of natural medicine, it has gained mainstream acceptance — leading more people to wonder about the wisdom of processing milk products in ways that end up destroying good bacteria right along with dangerous pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella. The concerns about the presence of harmful bacteria in raw milk are legitimate — there is the potential for these to cause food poisoning, but most healthy people will recover easily and rapidly, if uncomfortably. The true danger is for certain specific populations — for instance, pregnant women (who can harm their fetuses even if they don’t feel sick themselves), young children, older people and those with compromised immune systems. For them, the bacteria have the potential to cause infections that can become chronic or even life-threatening.

State Laws Vary

While the FDA sets federal standards and guidelines, individual states are free to create their own laws. As a result, there are currently 29 states that allow the sale of raw milk, each with a different set of requirements. For example, you can buy it at certified farms in New York… at retail stores in Connecticut… and, in Virginia, only if you own a share in the cow or herd of cows that produced it. If you’re interested and you live in or near a state where raw milk sales are permitted, you can look on the Web site www.RealMilk.com to find nearby vendors — expect to pay about $10 a bottle… about $4 per half gallon if you join a raw-milk co-op… or $40 or so for a share in a herd, plus a $32/month boarding fee.

As for the taste, without homogenization, raw milk is thick and creamy and with a flavor that is described as “fresh, sweet and clean”… and connoisseurs say that it is nuanced with tinges of “hay” and “grass” and has a “barnyard” flavor, all of which varies according to the season and diet of the cow, goat or whatever other animal produced the milk. For the record — while acknowledging that some of his friends and colleagues are big fans of raw milk, Dr. Rubman told me that he thinks “drinking the milk of another species is a bad idea — period. I don’t think it belongs in the human diet.” So what about all that healthy calcium? Dr. Rubman says that you can easily get sufficient amounts by including dark green leafy vegetables and certain fruits, such as figs, in your daily diet.

Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News is a registered trademark of Boardroom, Inc. Copyright (c) 2010 by Boardroom Inc.

Is Anyone You Know Addicted to Sex?

By Carole Jackson

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

The scenario is a familiar one — a celebrity caught in an embarrassing situation apologizes, takes “responsibility” and explains that the bad behavior is an addiction for which he/she is going into rehab. We’ve seen it dozens of times about alcohol and drug use, but in the last few years, we’re hearing a lot about a new addiction — sex. However, while it is celebrities’ behavior that fills the headlines and gossip shows, inappropriate sexual acting out is by no means limited to the wealthy and famous. Local papers often report on neighborhood voyeurs caught devising covert ways to peer into locker rooms and bathrooms. Ordinary working men and women and even ministers confess (sometimes in books they write) to having years of sexual addiction.

Still, for many people, it remains a question: Can sex actually become an addiction? Science has studied chemical addictions for years, and we know now that there are at least some physiological and even genetic predisposing factors. But — sex? Is it possible for a behavior that is an inborn and healthy drive to become an addiction? Or is it, as many people suspect, just a display of big boys (and girls) behaving badly and looking for an excuse?

More Common Than You’d Guess

Those were my very first questions for Maureen Canning, MA, LMFT, with whom I recently sat for a question-and-answer session on this provocative topic. She is a clinical consultant for sexual disorders at The Meadows and director of Dakota, both sexual addiction treatment programs in Wickenburg, Arizona, and she also wrote the book Lust, Anger, Love: Understanding Sexual Addiction and The Road to Healthy Intimacy.

Canning said that sex not only can become an addiction, it already is one for nearly 12 million Americans, and she suspects that figure actually underestimates the reality. Read on to see what else she had to say…

Q: What is the definition of sexual addiction? Some people have extremely active sex lives, but does that make them addicts?

A: The lack of an official definition for sexual addiction has led many mental health professionals to apply the same criteria they do for drug or alcohol addiction — but a key difference is that sexual addiction is a behavioral addiction and not a chemical one. Just engaging in certain behaviors, such as having multiple affairs or using pornography, does not necessarily lead to addiction. Questions you can ask to identify when a behavior has become addictive include — have you tried to stop multiple times and failed? Is the behavior progressing and becoming more and more intense? Are you using the behavior repeatedly as a way to deal with stress, anxiety or depression? Have you experienced negative consequences from the behavior, or are you continuing without regard to how it harms yourself or others — for instance, if it is ruining a relationship or marriage, interfering with your professional life, causing financial problems and the like?

Q: Some professionals consider hypersexual behavior to be a symptom or component of recognized mental health issues, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, because of its connection with impulse control. Is it ever just “the” problem?

A: It is true that many sex addicts also have other addictions and diagnosed mental health problems. For example, many abuse alcohol or drugs, possibly as a way to ratchet up the serotonin and adrenaline high that their hypersexual behavior triggers — or for others, as a way to help them relax as they pursue the sexual goal. Also, many (if not most) sex addicts have other disorders as well, including obsessive compulsive or bipolar disorder or ADHD. Unfortunately, the presence of these problems sometimes leads therapists to miss the sexual addiction that is a problem that must be addressed as well.

Q: The vast majority of adults enjoy sex without ever having it become an addiction — how does it happen that a normal and healthy drive turns into a destructive addiction for some people?

A: In my clinical experience, the problem often starts in childhood and involves some kind of sexually related trauma. Sometimes this is a history of sexual abuse, but sometimes it is an event that seems harmless, perhaps witnessing a sexual act. This can become a problem if it causes a disruption in the child’s normal sexual development — in adulthood, the hypersexual behavior may be an unconscious attempt to “correct” the trauma by reenacting it.

Q: There’s obviously some satisfaction that sex addicts derive from their behavior or they wouldn’t return to it again and again. What finally gets them to seek help so that they can change?

A: At some point, the pain starts to outweigh the gain. Often it’s that a sex addict ends up paying a high price for the abnormal behavior — a marriage fails, a job is affected…even lost. That’s the sort of crisis that leads a sex addict to seek help and begin treatment. The initial goal is to help them investigate and understand their history — including what may have happened when they were growing up, which helps to break down the sense of shame that keeps any treatment from working effectively. Then they must learn how to arrest the addictive behavior and restore healthy expression of their sexual feelings and impulses. We also work on improving communication skills to help people develop better relationships and work on improving their self-esteem in other ways. An important aspect of treatment is taking part in support groups, which give addicts a chance to practice what goes into healthy relationships. A painful part of the process is that sex addicts typically do a lot of grieving as they come to terms with how much their addiction has cost them in their lives, including close relationships.

Q: Is it possible for people who have had long-lived sexual addiction throughout their adult lives to be cured?

A: As a rule, addicts need professional help to arrive at an understanding of the deep feelings involved in the addiction and to guide them through to recovery. But absolutely, with sufficient time and attention, sexual addiction can be healed.

I thanked Canning for sharing her insights into a problem that’s more common than many might have guessed. If you think this might help someone you know, please pass it along — also, the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals has a therapist locator on its Web site — http://www.iitap.com/find_csat.cfm

Maureen Canning, MA, LMFT, clinical consultant for sexual disorders at The Meadows and director of Dakota, sexual addiction treatment programs in Wickenburg, Arizona, and author of Lust, Anger, Love: Understanding Sexual Addiction and The Road to Healthy Intimacy (Sourcebooks).

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News is a registered trademark of Boardroom, Inc. Copyright (c) 2010 by Boardroom Inc.

Can Relaxation Save Your Life?

By Carole Jackson

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

Americans are widely recognized as hard workers, but lots of us aren’t quite up to snuff when it comes to relaxation. In fact, the term “leisure sickness,” which describes a flulike syndrome that workaholics get from taking time off from the job, is in the running for dictionary publisher Webster’s “Word of the Year” for 2010! But far more typical is the vague but persistent sense of guilt that many people experience when relaxing — as if anything that feels this good can’t possibly be a good use of time. Well, you can and should relax about that. In fact, there is a great deal of research demonstrating that regular relaxation — the kind where you really chill out and do nothing — is as important to your health as eating right and exercising.

Many people assume that effective relaxation requires two weeks at the beach, but that’s not at all the case. Research has shown that even little bits can produce bountiful health benefits that we usually associate with visits to the gym and languorous vacations… and in fact, to attain the maximum benefits of relaxation, you need to build some relaxation activity into every single day. To help you find what works for you, here are research-supported relaxation suggestions that deliver actual health benefits in just minutes…

* Grab some midday ZZZZs. A study at Harvard that investigated the napping habits of more than 20,000 adults discovered that people who took brief naps (under a half hour) two or three times a week reduced risk for coronary disease by 12%. Upping the nap ante, the folks who napped three or more times a week, reduced risk by an astonishing 37%.

* Just quietly chill out. Yet another study, at New York University, established that “wakeful resting” (otherwise known as just sitting there) promotes memory and cognition function. The study asked students to observe images and then take a short rest while remaining awake. During this nonactivity, they were hooked up to functional MRI brain scans, which revealed that their brains at rest were busily absorbing and consolidating the new information just gained.

* Get a massage. Many studies have shown that even a brief hands-on session from a pro can elevate the feel-good brain hormones dopamine and serotonin, which are known to slow the heart rate, reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels and contribute to deeper sleep at night. This deep sleep, in turn, enables the body to heal in a myriad of subtle but important ways — for instance, by facilitating the ongoing repair and regeneration of tissue.

More Powerful Ideas from a Relaxation Expert

For even more healthful everyday relaxation techniques, I called psychiatrist James S. Gordon, MD, psychiatrist and founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC, and author of Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression. Dr. Gordon says the way to a saner, healthier and happier life is to practice relaxation at least several times a day. Here are some of his effective techniques…

* Close your eyes and breathe deeply into the belly. Sit quietly for a few minutes, eyes closed, belly relaxed, and breathe deeply, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. If you can do this twice a day, you’ll find that you can look at the world differently, he says. “We are constantly in high gear — just taking a few minutes like this gives you fresh perspective and actually changes your psychology and physiology.”

* Go outdoors. Use nature as a no-cost, convenient, personal spa. Numerous studies show that going outside where there are trees and plants relieves stress and sharpens cognition. It’s literally healing — a study of patients recovering from surgery found that those with windows facing trees healed faster and took fewer pain medications than patients without a view.

* Even brief spurts of movement help. It would take pages to list all the proven health benefits associated with regular exercise — just one of which is that it boosts brain neurotransmitters that help ease anxiety. Research has shown that simply taking a brief walk (indoors or out) can improve your mood… leading Dr. Gordon to advise grabbing any chance you can to move around, for example, periodically getting up from your desk to take stretch breaks, walking up steps instead of taking an escalator, taking a walk after dinner.

* Build actual activity into your schedule. If you want to maximize your relaxation prescription, you need to engage in regular, extended periods of exercise. You’ve tried but failed before? The key to commitment is finding exercise that you enjoy. As Dr. Gordon observes, “jogging is great for health — but if you hate to jog, it’s not great for you.” You don’t have to be “serious” and “focused” to get the benefits, he adds — consider dancing each morning to your favorite CDs… immersing yourself into the deeply serene environment of a swimming pool for a few laps several times a week … biking around the neighborhood… sampling different classes to try Pilates, yoga, karate or the zippy Zumba dance technique — the list of possibilities is endless.

How Much Do You Need?

Dr. Gordon suggests looking to your life for signals that you’re relaxing well and sufficiently — or that you need a bit more. Signs that you need to increase your “relaxation prescription” include a tendency to be irritated and impatient… difficulty focusing clearly… insensitivity to the needs of others… digestive upset… insomnia… and feeling anxious or depressed. If that sounds like a typical day or week in your life, it’s time to sit down, breathe deeply and contemplate which of the many relaxation activities sound good to you right now — and then do them.

James S. Gordon, MD, psychiatrist and founder and director of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, and clinical professor, departments of psychiatry and family medicine, Georgetown University, both in Washington, DC. He is author of Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression (Penguin), which contains these and many other techniques

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News is a registered trademark of Boardroom, Inc. Copyright (c) 2010 by Boardroom Inc.

Could You Have Celiac Disease and Not Even Know It?

By Peter H.R. Green, MD

Celiac Disease Center

Columbia University

Celiac disease is the most underdiagnosed autoimmune condition in the US. This gastrointestinal disorder affects one in every 100 Americans — yet only about 3% of those afflicted get properly diagnosed and treated. It takes 11 years, on average, from the time symptoms appear until the diagnosis is made. In the interim, as the disease progresses, patients grow increasingly at risk for complications that can harm their bones, blood and nervous system… or even lead to cancer.

Women are twice as likely as men to have celiac disease. Contrary to what many doctors believe, it can develop at any time, even among seniors.

New finding: Celiac disease is now four times as common as it was 50 years ago, tests of old blood samples show.

Confounding Symptoms

When a person who has celiac disease consumes gluten — a protein in wheat, rye, barley and triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid) — her immune system attacks the protein. This inflames and damages the intestinal lining and interferes with absorption of nutrients. The person may develop…

Classic, overt symptoms. Typically, celiac disease causes severe chronic or recurrent diarrhea. Poor nutrient absorption leads to weight loss, smelly stools, gassiness and/or weakness. Many doctors, mistaking these symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease, advise eating more high-fiber grains — which only makes patients sicker.

Silent symptoms. When there is no diarrhea, it’s called silent celiac disease. In some silent cases, there are no symptoms at all. In others, atypical symptoms — abdominal pain, migraines, numbness or pain in hands and feet — lead to various wrong diagnoses. Silent celiac disease nonetheless continues to cause intestinal damage.

Skin symptoms. Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a chronic itchy, blistery rash. Only people with celiac disease get DH — but the vast majority of DH patients do not develop intestinal symptoms. Consequently, they often are misdiagnosed with eczema, psoriasis or “nerves.”

Untreated, celiac disease creates an ever-increasing risk of developing very serious complications, such as osteoporosis, anemia, infertility, neurological problems (poor balance, seizures, dementia) and/or various cancers (melanoma, lymphoma). A missed diagnosis also represents a missed opportunity to watch for other auto-immune disorders that often go hand-in-hand with celiac disease, including thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia areata (patchy hair loss).

Getting Diagnosed at Last

Celiac disease is genetic — you cannot get it by eating too much gluten. The genes can “express” themselves at any point in life, and the disease is never outgrown.

Vital: Get tested if you have any of the following…

Possible celiac symptoms.

1. A family history of the disease. Almost 10% of family members of celiac patients also have it, even if they have no symptoms.

2. Type 1 diabetes. Genetic factors link this autoimmune disorder to an increased risk for celiac disease.

3. Down syndrome. Again, there appears to be a genetic link.

Celiac disease usually can be diagnosed with blood tests for certain antibodies. A biopsy of tissue from the small intestine then is needed to confirm the diagnosis. If a patient has skin symptoms, a skin biopsy that confirms the DH rash also confirms the celiac diagnosis.

Sometimes nutritionists or naturopaths will recommend that patients adopt the gluten-free diet used to control celiac disease — but without first confirming the diagnosis with a blood test or biopsy.

Problem: Starting a gluten-free diet before you complete the diagnostic tests will yield a false-negative result. If you do not actually have celiac disease, you subject yourself to needless limitations… you incur the extra cost of buying gluten-free foods… and your diet may lack adequate fiber.

The Diet Solution

Currently there are no drugs or supplements available to treat celiac disease. However, following a strict gluten-free diet can work wonders at alleviating celiac symptoms.

Important: If tests confirm celiac disease, the diet is essential even if you have no symptoms — otherwise, intestinal damage continues.

The diet can be tricky because gluten is in all foods that contain wheat, rye, barley and triticale. What’s more, gluten grains have many aliases.

Example: Bulgur, couscous, dinkle, durum, einkorn, emmer, fu, graham, kamut, matzah, mir, seitan, semolina and spelt all are wheat products. Avoid oats, too — these often get tainted from being processed in proximity to gluten grains — unless labeled “gluten-free.”

Unexpected: Gluten may be found in processed luncheon meat, imitation seafood, canned soup, frozen entrées, soy sauce, beer, medications, supplements and lipsticks.

Adhering to a gluten-free diet is easier than it used to be because all products with wheat now must be labeled as such. Though products containing gluten-grain–derived ingredients are not all necessarily labeled that way, requirements for allowing a food to be labeled gluten-free have become stricter. Now, gluten-free breads, cereals, pastas and other foods are sold in supermarkets and health-food stores. Do be sure to get enough fiber from gluten-free grains and other sources.

After adopting a gluten-free diet, some patients see radical improvement within weeks… for others, it takes months or longer. If improvement is slow, your gastroenterologist should investigate possible underlying conditions (such as infection or hormonal problems) that can exacerbate celiac symptoms.

Information: Contact the American Celiac Disease Alliance (703-622-3331, www.americanceliac.org)… Celiac Disease Foundation (818-990-2354, www.celiac.org)… Celiac Sprue Association/USA (877-272-4272, www.csaceliacs.org).

Bottom Line/Women’s Health interviewed Peter H.R. Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, both in New York City. Dr. Green is coauthor of Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic (HarperCollins). www.CeliacDiseaseCenter.org

Bottom Line Secrets is a registered trademark of Boardroom Inc. Copyright (c) 2010 by Boardroom Inc.

You Have Colon Polyps — Now What?

By Carole Jackson

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

When you wake up from a colonoscopy, what you want to hear is that your doctor found nothing whatsoever. As for next best — it gets a little more complicated!

Polyps come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and those are only two of the many variables your doctor will weigh in determining the medical significance of your results. How many were found and where? Did they look like mushrooms or pancakes or something altogether different? This information holds important clues about your future health and risk for colon cancer. The research on this subject is intense and ongoing, so I called Dr. Gottumukkala Raju, a professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and a leading expert on colon cancer, to find out exactly what we all should know about our colonoscopy results.

An Inside Look

Dr. Raju told me that there are many different types of polyps, each with different risks. Among the most commonly found sizes and shapes…

* Pedunculated polyps, which resemble mushrooms.

* Sessile polyps that look like stemless mushrooms.

* Nonpolypoid lesions, also called flat lesions. These growths look like small pancakes on the wall of the colon.

Not surprisingly, the larger a polyp is, the more dangerous — with the greatest risk associated with those more than a centimeter wide.

Lab Tests Reveal Yet More…

Upon removal, a polyp is sent to a pathologist for diagnosis, where it is looked at for different cell structures that signal more about cancer risk.

You may see one of the following terms in your pathology report…

* Hyperplastic polyps… these are not considered precancerous unless they are found up high in the colon. These polyps look like pale white scabs and usually measure less than 5 millimeters in width.

* Adenomatous polyps... are precancerous. But even among these, there are some important distinctions relating primarily to the “architecture” of the polyp, or how its cells are arranged, Dr. Raju said.

* Tubular adenomas. Small (less than a centimeter in width) polyps with tubular structures and cells, these usually aren’t cancerous, but cancer is increasingly likely as they grow. If the doctor finds more than three or four or any that are wider than one centimeter, you may be advised to get more frequent colonoscopies.

* Villous adenomas. These have fingerlike projections and are less common than tubular adenomas but pose a higher risk of becoming cancerous as they grow.

* Tubulovillous adenomas. These precancerous polyps, which have a combination of both tubular and villous type of architecture, are more common than the villous variety but less common than the tubular type. The risk level also lies somewhere between those two.

Another level of classification describes the appearance of the cells. Cells that look immature are called “low grade,” while mature-looking ones are “high grade.” High-grade dysplasia describes cells that look like cancer (and are close to becoming cancerous) but are still contained and have not breached the inner lining of the colon.

What’s Next?

Dr. Raju said that gastroenterologists usually snip out all polyps during a colonoscopy. A second surgery may be necessary to remove larger polyps and/or if the colonoscopy shows that cancer is present.

A colonoscopy takes about 20 to 30 minutes, but you’re likely to feel groggy for several hours afterward. As soon as you’re reasonably alert, the doctor tells you the basic results of the test. But since you may not be completely clear-headed then, it’s usually smarter to follow up in a few days or after you get results of the biopsy… at which time you can also discuss what the findings mean, whether any follow-up is required — and when you’ll need to get your next colonoscopy.

Gottumukkala Raju, MD, professor of medicine, department of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, Houston.

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News is a registered trademark of Boardroom, Inc. Copyright (c) 2010 by Boardroom Inc.

Don’t Let Conflict Keep You from Success

by Chris Widener

Anytime you are making ground and moving toward success, there will inevitably be the opportunity for conflict. That is just a fact of life. You put two people or more in a group and there is potential for conflict – and conflict, improperly handled, can destroy your ability to continue on and achieve your goals.

This is true in many areas of life, from the boardroom to the schoolroom. It can happen in marriage and it can happen between friends and business associates. And when conflict goes bad, success doesn’t happen. The good news is that conflict can be healthy and can actually move you closer to success. Success is based on relationships and relationships offer the chance of conflict, so to get success, you must master conflict. So with that in mind, here are some ideas for handling conflict.

When you are the one who is confronting the problem with someone else:

1. Don’t assume. Don’t assume the worst. Don’t assume that they meant what you think they did. Don’t assume they know any better. Don’t assume they did it on purpose. The fact is that most of the time our assumptions are incorrect and all our assumptions do is cause us to get out of a deeper hole.

2. Ask questions. Since you can’t assume anything, you must begin your confrontation by finding out the facts as that person sees them. Here are some questions to ask: What was your intention in saying or doing that (Maybe they had good but misguided intentions)? What were the thoughts behind those words or actions (Maybe they actually have a well thought out position that you hadn’t thought of)? Are you aware of how that might have been perceived (Maybe they just missed how that would be seen. Everybody is entitled to blow it)?

3. Tell them how you perceive things, or how you feel, rather than what they did. It is never good to start out with telling somebody, “You did this!” Instead, you can say something like, “I feel like your action may have been better if you would have…” Or, “I think that the way that came across may have been…”

4. Deal with one issue at a time. If they battle back a bit, you may be tempted to say, “Well, that isn’t all! As a matter of fact, a number of us here think that you also need to work on…” If there is another issue, then deal with it at a separate time. Too many conflicts go around and around and don’t end up solving the original issue. Stick to one point and see it through to understanding.

When someone is confronting you:

1. Don’t take it personally. Worst-case scenario, you blew it. But that doesn’t make you a bad person. So don’t act like they have accused your character (unless they have, in which case you should try to get the conversation back to the facts). When we take things personally we become even more protective and we tend to become defensive and in the end escalate the conflict even more.

2. Don’t counterattack. This gets back to dealing with one issue at a time. Don’t try to justify or hide from the conflict the person has with you by showing him or her their problems. If they have a problem, great, talk about it later. Don’t muddy the waters with debate about who is better, or as the case may be, less guilty. As hard as it may be, let the conversation run its course until it is solved.

3. Ask for some time to give it objective reflection. One way to stop conflict from escalating is simply to ask for time to consider it. Most of the time when people confront us, we had no idea it was coming. Our natural tendency is to fight out of reaction. If we go and think about it, we can be objective and approach the situation objectively, or at least more so.

4. Set a time to get back with them and discuss the issue. Let the person know that you take their concern seriously and that you want to deal with it in a timely manner. Set a time, no more than three days away, to get back together. You will keep from reacting, and they may even find that they had confronted too soon themselves.

Either way:

1. Keep your eye on the big picture. Is this the hill you want to die on? Determine how important this issue really is. Most things simply aren’t worth getting too upset about, or so upset that the relationship breaks down. Is a productive business relationship worth sacrificing over the fact that you partner wears too much cologne or their spouse talks loudly at parties? Of course not, but some people go to war over those things. Is your husband worth giving up on because he leaves his underwear on the floor? Now, for the sake of argument, the reverse is true: The other person could wear less cologne or pick up their underwear, because that is an easy way to make the other person happy. Ask yourself if this is really a big deal. If it is, proceed.

2. Always respect the other person as a person. No matter what they have done, they are a person of value and deserve to be treated that way. They are not summed up and defined by their mistake. They have hopes and dreams, fears and worries, strengths and weaknesses. Take some time to picture them outside the office, playing with their kids or doing something fun. This will personalize your issue and keep you from going overboard.

3. Be solution oriented. Whatever you do, don’t focus on the problem. Ask yourself and the other person to approach the issue with the idea that you are both working for a solution that will be mutually beneficial. Rather than ask, “Why in the world did you do that stupid thing? What were you thinking?” Ask, “Okay, what is done is done – what can we do to fix this again?” That is much more productive. The goal is to get things going again, not continually punish the other person

Conflict doesn’t have to end in a bad way. In fact, it can cause you to develop a deeper and more trusting relationship with the person you have had conflict with. So the next time you have to confront, or you are being confronted, follow the advice above and you will be much further along toward getting through your conflict in a positive way.

You are made for Success, Chris Widener

Copyright © 2010 Beliefnet, Inc. All rights reserved.

For the Smoothest Skin, What Matters Most Is What You Put in Your Mouth

By Tamara Eberlein

Ladies, lots of us spend big bucks on facial creams and other lotions and potions that promise to minimize crow’s feet, lip creases and other wrinkles.

Problem: The latest research shows that our skin would benefit more if we focused on what we put in our mouths rather than in our cosmetics cases.

Alan C. Logan, ND, of Harvard’s School of Continuing Medical Education, explained to me, “The same metabolic factors that contribute to chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes also can damage the skin’s cellular structures, leading to wrinkling. Those factors are highly influenced by the nutrients we ingest.” Here’s what really keeps skin looking young…

Antiwrinkle Foods

Among the chief metabolic factors that harm skin (as well as other body tissues) are chronic inflammation… oxidation (a kind of biological rust)… and high blood sugar. Certain foods help prevent such damage — other foods make it worse.

Evidence: Australian researchers studied the skin of 453 seniors and, in an article in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, posed the question, “Skin Wrinkling: Can Food Make a Difference?” Their answer, an emphatic yes, identified specific foods and food groups associated with the least and the most wrinkling. According to the study…

Wrinkle preventers: Eggs… fish… fruits (especially apples, cherries, melons and pears)… legumes (especially fava beans and lima beans)… low-fat dairy foods (skim milk, low-fat yogurt)… olive oil and other monounsaturated fats (avocados, nuts)… tea… vegetables (especially dark leafy greens and asparagus, celery, eggplant, garlic and onions)… whole-grain breads and cereals. These foods are high in antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals that protect skin.

Wrinkle promoters: Butter and margarine… cakes and pastries… high-fat dairy foods (whole milk, ice cream)… potatoes… red meat (particularly processed meats)… and soft drinks (the study did not distinguish between sugar-sweetened and diet soda). Researchers found that these foods were associated with a high degree of photoaging (sun damage).

Another nutritional factor that ages skin is the advanced glycation end-product — with the apt acronym AGE. Dr. Logan explained, “Collagen and elastin are fibrous proteins that help maintain the skin’s firm, supple structure. AGEs are sugar molecules that bind with collagen and elastin, weakening and warping those fibers. AGEs also inactivate enzymes that protect against UV rays.”

To reduce AGEs in your skin…

* Avoid sugar. The number-one dietary source of damaging AGEs is sugar — so cut down on candy, cookies, ice cream and other sugary foods.

* Cook right. When certain food is cooked using high heat (above 375°F) and no water — for instance, oven-roasted, baked, grilled or fried — AGEs form. “All foods can form AGEs, even vegetables, though the highest levels occur when protein and carbohydrates are combined, such as in baked goods made with eggs and flour,” said Dr. Logan. Best: Steam, boil, stew, use a slow cooker or roast at 350°F or lower.

* Add spice. Turmeric, garlic, cinnamon and ginger inhibit AGEs’ ability to bind with collagen and elastin — so use these liberally. You’ll add flavor to your food… and subtract years from your skin.

Skin-smoothing Supplements

Even if you are conscientious about your diet, it can be hard to get sufficient amounts of the most powerful skin-protecting nutrients from food alone. That’s why Dr. Logan recommended taking any or all of the following supplements daily (with your doctor’s OK), continuing indefinitely.

* Multivitamin/mineral. Choose a brand that includes 100% of the recommended daily value for vitamin A, which helps prevent dryness… vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium, essential for the manufacture and function of collagen… and zinc, which protects against the sun’s damaging UV rays.

* Fish oil. This is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that shield skin from UV rays… protect against oxidation… and improve skin elasticity. Take a daily fish oil supplement that supplies 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the omega-3 that best protects collagen.

* Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This fatty acid enhances EPA’s skin-saving effects. Dosage: 250 mg to 500 mg of GLA from borage oil or evening primrose oil, taken along with your fish oil.

* Probiotics. These “friendly” intestinal bacteria not only support digestive health, they also combat inflammation and oxidation throughout the body — including in the skin. Dr. Logan explained, “Probiotics help prevent certain harmful substances from passing through the gut wall and entering the bloodstream, where they could provoke a systemic inflammatory response and contribute to oxidative stress.” Dr. Logan recommended Align from Procter & Gamble (800-208-0112, www.AlignGI.com) or LactoFlamX from Metagenics (800-638-2848, www.Metagenics.com), which in clinical trials have proven to be effective at lowering inflammation and oxidative stress. Follow dosage guidelines on labels.

* Cocoa. An intriguing study showed how much cocoa’s antioxidant flavanols help the skin. Every day, one group of women drank 3.4 ounces of water mixed with high-flavanol cocoa powder… another group drank a low-flavanol cocoa mixture. After 12 weeks: Compared with the low-flavanol group, the high-flavanol group’s skin had, on average, 25% less reddening from UV exposure… 30% less roughness… and 43% less scaling. Their skin also was significantly more moist and firm and had 100% better blood circulation.

Daily options: Mix two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process) with a smoothie, yogurt or glass of water… or take four capsules of cocoa bean extract sold by Nutraceutical Sciences Institute (800-793-2601, www.VitaCost.com). Or consider a cocoa supplement that Dr. Logan helped formulate, Healthy Skin Chocolate Soft Chews from Genuine Health ($50 plus shipping for a one-month supply, 877-500-7888, www.GenuineHealth.com). Three chews per day provide 329 mg of cocoa flavanols (the same amount used in the study) plus additional skin-nourishing nutrients that help promote a smoother complexion.

Alan C. Logan, ND, is a board-certified naturopathic physician and an invited faculty member in Harvard’s School of Continuing Medical Education in Boston… and author or coauthor of four books, including Your Skin, Younger and The Clear Skin Diet (both from Cumberland House). www.DrLogan.com

HealthyWoman from Bottom Line © 2010 by Boardroom Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hospice: A Helping Hand When a Loved One Is Near the End

By Tamara Eberlein-editor

HealthyWoman from Bottom Line

There’s no denying the heartache when someone close to you is terminally ill. Hospice care can ease the strain for patients as well as families — which is why it is troubling that only about half of patients for whom hospice care would be appropriate discuss this option with their doctors within four to seven months of being diagnosed with a terminal illness, according to Harvard researchers.

Why aren’t these vital conversations taking place? Margaret L. Campbell, PhD, RN, past president of the board of directors of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, explained, “Many patients and families do have questions about end-of-life issues, but they wait for their doctors to bring up the subject. Meanwhile, doctors are willing to discuss it but don’t want to be intrusive, so they wait for patients to initiate the conversation. As a result, nobody says anything.”

As painful as the concept of hospice care and the end of life can be, it’s important to find the courage to talk about it — so you and your loved one do not suffer unnecessarily. Here’s what you need to know…

Just What Is Hospice?

Hospice care provides end-of-life clinical and emotional support to people who are expected to live six months or less. The focus, according to the Hospice Foundation of America, is on neither prolonging life nor hastening death, but on providing “comfort and support to patients and their families when a life-limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments.” Ongoing care includes…

* Pain relief.

* Symptom management — for instance, to ease breathlessness, fatigue, nausea or other problems.

* Help for a patient’s depression, anxiety or fear.

* Social-work services, such as helping manage finances or arranging meal delivery.

* Spiritual and pastoral counseling, if desired.

* Grief counseling for family members.

Hospice teams typically include physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physical therapists and perhaps aromatherapists. Most hospice services are provided in the patient’s own home or the home of a family member… or sometimes in a nursing home or cozy inpatient hospice facility (where patients can bring furniture and artwork from home). Medical insurance and Medicare generally cover all or most costs for eligible beneficiaries. In some cases, patients handle room and board charges.

Making the Arrangements

If you think that your loved one might benefit from hospice, Dr. Campbell suggested asking the patient if he or she is open to the idea. If so…

* Talk to the patient’s doctor. To be eligible for hospice, the physician must certify that a patient is not likely to live longer than six months.

* Consider the patient’s functional abilities. Generally, it’s time for hospice when a person has trouble with independent dressing, bathing or using the bathroom… spends more time in a bed or recliner than up and about… or has difficulty managing symptoms.

* To find local hospice programs, ask the doctor for a referral… or contact the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (800-658-8898, www.nhpco.org).

* Meet with a hospice representative to discuss the plan for symptom management, where care will be given (at home or in an inpatient facility), the type of care to be provided and how often caregivers will visit.

* Once hospice services begin, stay apprised of changes in your loved one’s condition and work with the staff to reevaluate the care plan.

* Encourage family and friends to spend time with the patient. Let them know if the end appears to be near so they have time to gather around.

For the patient, palliative care continues until the end of his or her life. For the family, bereavement support continues for about a year (and is covered by Medicare and some private insurance policies). This service can be extremely comforting when you are dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Margaret L. Campbell, PhD, RN, is nursing administrative director at Detroit Receiving Hospital and assistant professor for research at Wayne State University College of Nursing, both in Detroit. She is a past president of the board of directors of the nonprofit Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.

HealthyWomanfromBottomLine © 2010 by Boardroom Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Healing Power of Do-It-Yourself Music Therapy

By Tamara Eberlein

When a favorite song comes on the radio, we all turn up the volume and listen more closely or sing along — and instantly feel better than we did moments before. It turns out that there’s a lot of science behind this phenomenon.

New research in the field of music therapy continues to expand experts’ understanding of how music contributes to good health. Whether your taste runs to Bach, the Beatles or Beyoncé, you can use music therapy techniques at home to boost immunity, reduce stress, ease certain symptoms, or just feel and function better overall.

“You don’t need to read music, play an instrument or even sing on key to benefit from music therapy. The ability to respond to music is natural within every person,” said Barbara Reuer, PhD, director of MusicWorx Inc., a music therapy practice and training program in San Diego.

Music’s profound effects on health have been demonstrated in many studies. Examples…

* When volunteers listened to joyful music, their blood vessels dilated by 26% on average, improving the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients.

* Increased levels of germ-fighting immunoglobulins were found in the saliva of study participants after they sang and played instruments.

* Patients listened to music of their choice before, during and after eye surgery… a control group did not listen to music. In both groups, blood pressure rose just before the operation. But in the music group, blood pressure quickly came back down, whereas in the control group, it remained elevated during the procedure.

* Stroke patients with impaired vision on one side could perceive objects more accurately while listening to music they enjoyed than while in silence or listening to music they did not like.

In a nutshell: Music has been shown to…

* Boost the immune system.

* Lower blood pressure.

* Ease chronic and acute pain.

* Relieve nausea.

* Improve muscle control (for instance, in Parkinson’s patients).

* Promote visual and auditory abilities.

* Improve brain function, focus and memory (including in Alzheimer’s patients).

* Reduce stress, anxiety and muscle tension.

* Combat insomnia.

* Lift mood.

While almost anyone can benefit from music, for a person with a significant health problem, it is most effective to work with a board-certified music therapist, Dr. Reuer suggested. Treatment might include listening to specific types of music, singing, songwriting, playing simple instruments, moving to music and/or doing tactile exercises involving vibration. Some insurance policies cover the cost. Referrals: American Music Therapy Association, 301-589-3300, www.MusicTherapy.org.

Try this at Home

For an emotional and physical boost, you can tap into the power of music therapy on your own every day. Dr. Reuer explained, “You’re not just putting on a CD as background music. Instead, you are engaged in the music — for instance, by singing or playing an instrument or by listening to music in a focused, intentional way.” What to do…

* Pick appropriate music. No single style of music is more therapeutic than all the rest. What matters most is the effect that you are trying to achieve and your personal reaction to the music, Dr. Reuer said. For instance, to promote relaxation, listen to music that you find soothing while you practice deep breathing. For pain management, look for music that focuses your mind on things other than your discomfort. To stimulate memory, experiment with music you enjoyed as a teen. To lower blood pressure, use a home blood pressure monitor before and after each music session to identify music that has the desired effect for you.

* Sing or hum (remembering to breathe deeply) in the car or around the house. If you used to play an instrument, take it up again. Dr. Reuer urged, “Try not to pass judgment on your singing abilities or get frustrated if you make mistakes as you play your instrument. The idea is to be in the moment and just let go.”

Barbara Reuer, PhD, NMT (neurologic music therapist), MT-BC (music therapist-board certified), is founder and director of MusicWorx Inc., a music therapy practice and clinical training program in San Diego, and author of Group Rhythm and Drumming with Older Adults (American Music Therapy). www.MusicWorxInc.com

HealthyWoman from Bottom Line © 2010 by Boardroom Inc. All Rights Reserved.

How a Top Brain Doc Protects His Own Brain from Cancer

Keith Black, MD

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

A large study that examined data over a 20-year period found that the incidence of brain tumors had increased by 200% in older adults. In people age 19 years and younger, brain tumors now are the second most common cause of cancer deaths after leukemia. But is brain cancer really on the rise — or simply more likely to be detected? A noted expert explains the latest research — and tells what he does to protect his own brain…

Is the Increase Real?

CT scans are an important tool for diagnosing brain tumors. Before they were introduced in the 1970s, many patients with tumors might have been misdiagnosed as having strokes or other neurological diseases. The increased use of CT scans — along with MRIs and brain biopsies — may have caused an apparent increase in brain tumors.

Using research that took into account better imaging technology, scientists at the National Brain Tumor Registry concluded that the incidence of new tumors has remained stable. The National Cancer Institute Brain Tumor Study actually found a slight decrease in the incidence of brain tumors between 1990 and 2002.

However, the data is murky. There does appear to be an increase in brain tumors in some populations, but it still is unclear if this is due to better diagnostic tests or other factors.

We know that secondary brain tumors (those that originate in other parts of the body before spreading to the brain) are about five times more common than primary tumors (ones that originate in the brain and tend to stay in the brain) — in part, because many people with cancer now are living long enough for the cancer to spread to the brain. About 30% of those who die from breast cancer are later found to have evidence of brain cancer. With lung cancer, about 60% will be found at autopsy to have had the cancer spread to the brain.

Reduce the Risk

Primary brain cancers are relatively rare, accounting for about 2% of all cancers. Each year, about 19,000 Americans are diagnosed with a primary brain cancer. Sadly, only about one-third of patients with brain or other nervous system cancers survive more than five years.

Brain tumors are difficult to treat. Surgery isn’t always possible or effective, because these tumors tend to grow rapidly and invade large areas of brain tissue. Unlike other blood vessels in the body, those in the brain are selective in what they allow to pass. This so-called blood-brain barrier makes it difficult to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to brain tumors.

The causes of brain cancer are largely unknown, but there are some clear risk factors…

Dental X-rays. Most dentists routinely use X-rays during checkups. The danger: Radiation scatters and can potentially irradiate — and damage — brain cells. Even low-dose X-rays may increase the risk for gliomas (a type of brain tumor) and meningiomas (tumors that develop in the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord).

I tell my dentist, flat-out, that I don’t want X-rays. An occasional X-ray probably isn’t harmful, but no one should get them routinely.

Air pollution. At Cedars-Sinai, we’re doing a study now to look at the association between air pollution and brain cancers. We see molecular changes in the brains of rats after three months of exposure to air pollution that are similar to the changes we see just prior to the development of brain cancer.

Electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, cellular antennas and the like. A Swedish study found that the risk for brain cancer is 250% higher in those who used a cell phone for up to an hour a day for 10 years.

This is controversial. Other, shorter-term studies have found no risk from cell-phone use. But we know that it typically takes 20 to 30 years before toxic exposures lead to cancer. Cell phones haven’t been around long enough to know what the long-term consequences might be.

My advice: Use a wireless earpiece when talking on a cell phone. If you don’t use an earpiece, hold the phone as far away from your head as possible. The amount of radiation that reaches the brain drops significantly with distance.

Caution: Children have thinner skulls than adults. It’s easier for electromagnetic radiation from cell phones to penetrate a child’s skull and reach the brain. It’s possible that even low levels of electromagnetic radiation can produce cancer-causing changes in brain cells. Children and young adults should always use an earpiece.

Hot dogs and other processed meats usually contain nitrites, substances that have been linked with brain tumors. I like a hot dog as much as anyone, but moderation is important. Also, whenever possible, buy nitrite-free hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats.

Heating plastic in the microwave. There isn’t direct evidence that using plastic containers in the microwave can increase brain tumors, but we know that the vinyl chloride in some plastics is a risk factor. Personally, I don’t use plastic containers or cover foods with plastic wrap in the microwave.

Pregnant women should be especially careful. We’ve found in animal studies that adult females exposed to vinyl chloride or other carcinogens might not develop brain tumors themselves, but their offspring face a much higher risk.

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Keith Black, MD, chairman of the department of neurosurgery and director of Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. A former professor of neurosurgery at UCLA, he was named the Ruth and Raymond Stotter chair in the department of surgery and was head of the UCLA Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program. He is author, with Arnold Mann, of Brain Surgeon: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters with Mortality and Miracles(Wellness Central).

Bottom Line Secrets is a registered trademark of Boardroom Inc. Copyright (c) 2010 by Boardroom Inc.

Two Principles for Financial Success

by Brian Tracy

There are two great principles for achieving financial success. The first Principle is what we call the law of attraction. The law of attraction says that you are a living magnet. It says that your thoughts create a force field of energy that radiates out from you and attracts back into your life people and circumstances in harmony with them. Any thought you have, combined with an emotion, positive or negative, radiates out from you and attracts back into your life the people, circumstances, ideas and opportunities consistent with it.

HOW TO ATTRACT THE SUCCESS YOU DESIRE

Many people feel that this is perhaps the most important of all mental laws. It says that if you have a very clear idea in your mind of your desired goal, to become wealthy, and you can hold that idea in your mind on a continuing basis, you will inevitably draw into your life the resources that you need in order to achieve it. Every person who has become wealthy or successful has become wealthy and successful as a result of holding the idea of wealth and success in their mind long enough and hard enough, until they drew into their lives the resources they needed to accomplish it.

YOUR WORLD REFLECTS YOUR THOUGHTS

The second principle is called the law of correspondence. This mental law is very powerful. It says, “as within, so without.” It says that your outer world is like a mirror that reflects back to you what is going on in your inner world. And this law of correspondence says that everything that happens outside of you corresponds to something that’s going on inside of you. When we say that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, we mean both at a conscious and at a subconscious level.

VISUALIZE YOUR GOALS CLEARLY

If you consciously believe that you have the ability to achieve your goals and you can hold a picture of those goals clearly in your mind long enough and hard enough, eventually your outer world will correspond with it.

THREE REFLECTIONS OF SUCCESS

There are three places where we see this law of correspondence. First of all, your outer world of people will correspond exactly with your own attitude. You will always see your attitude reflected back to you in the faces and the behaviors of the people around you. If you have a positive, optimistic attitude, people will respond to you almost immediately, even before you open your mouth, in a positive and cheerful way.

RELATIONSHIPS SHOW YOU WHO YOU ARE

The second area where we see the law of correspondence is in your relationships. Your relationships will always mirror back to you exactly the kind of a person you are. When you are happy and optimistic and at peace, your relationships will be happy and harmonious and loving. But when your thinking is disrupted or negative for any reason, consciously or unconsciously, this will be immediately reflected in your relationships.

INNER AND OUTER WEALTH

The third place you see the law of correspondence is with regard to your wealth. Your external world of wealth and financial accomplishment will be a mirror image of your inner world of preparation. The only part of the equation that you can control is your conscious thoughts, and if you can keep your conscious thoughts on what you want, on your images of wealth and affluence, eventually your external world of reality and experiences will reflect it back to you.

ACTION EXERCISES

Here are two things you can do to apply these principles in your financial life:

First, guard your thoughts carefully. Whatever you think about, combined with the emotions of desire or fear, you will attract into your life. Be sure that you are attracting what you want by continuing to think only about what you want.

Second, keep feeding your mind with new information, ideas and pictures of the person you want to be and the life you want to live. By creating this inner attitude of mind, you change the outer aspects of your reality.

Excerpts from The Treasury of Quotes E-book by Brian Tracy

Copyright © 2010 Beliefnet, Inc. All rights reserved.