
Your Life-Your Choice                                 January, 1998
=========================                               issue 4

I hope everyone has had a terrific Christmas! Now is the time that we 
all gear up to start a New Year. We set new goals, make new promises 
to ourselves, and start the new year with a clean slate. This is the 
time when people decide to lose weight, get fit, and are ready to try 
something new. Help out your friends who have made these commitments. 
Introduce them to Your Life-Your Choice and let us help them take the 
confusion out of where to begin.
It is particularly timely in that we are still compiling questions for 
our new Question & Answer segment coming in the New Year. You and your 
friends can have your specific health questions answered by Dr. Abrams; 
Your Life-Your Choice's new health care specialist. Visit the newsletter 
headquarters http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/yourlife/DrAbrams.html 
to read his bio and get to know him. You can expect to see the first 
Question & Answer segment in mid-February. Email your questions to
"mailto:b.synesael@odyssey.on.ca?subject=Questions Your Life-Your Choice".

Ringing in the New Year is always cause for celebration and often this 
includes alcohol. I know that people who share the mindset of taking
responsibility for their health will also be responsible on this festive 
occassion. So please watch out for those who may not have planned ahead. 
Encourage others to take a taxi to their party, or bring along a designated 
driver who will abstain from drinking alcohol. Above all, do what you have 
to do so that you, your family, and others will have a safe and happy New 
Year celebration. 

This newsletter is meant to educate and inform. It is not intended to 
diagnose or prescribe. As the editor of Your Life-Your Choice, I 
encourage you to consult with a reliable professional in your area in 
regards to any specific health issue.

Brigitte Syneasel
Editor of Your Life-Your Choice
Traditional Medicine Isn't Enough Any More!
Your life is your choice-don't make it the doctor's choice!
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/yourlife
*******************************************************************
		@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
		@							@
		@   IN THIS ISSUE:					@
		@							@
		@   1. PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS			@
		@      Our sponsors make this			@
 		@      newsletter FREE to				@
 		@      subscribers. Please take a			@
 		@      moment to visit them.			@
		@							@
		@   2. TESTIMONIES FOR SUCCESS			@
 		@      Discover how others				@
 		@      successfully solved your			@
 		@      problem.					@
		@							@
		@   3. Manipulation for My Back Problem?		@
		@      Thirty-one million Americans have        @
		@	lower back pain at any given time.       @
		@	Because back problems are this common    @
		@	it's probably going to happen to you     @
		@	too! Shouldn't you find out what to do   @
		@	about it before it happens rather than   @
		@	after?			 	 		@
 		@							@
		@   4. PLEASE VISIT OUR OTHER SPONSORS		@
		@      They also make this newsletter		@
 		@      FREE to subscribers. Please take		@
 		@      a moment to visit them.			@
 		@							@
		@   5. St. John's Wort and Depression		@
		@      Most people thought of this plant		@   		@	as a weed. But recently
there has 		@
		@	been a lot of attention drawn to 		@
		@	the possibilities of this herb. Is		@
   		@	St. John's Wort an herbal miracle 		@
		@	for Depression?				@
		@							@
		@   6. Aromatherapy Trivia				@
		@	Below are some little-known facts 		@
		@	about aromatherapy, its uses and 		@
		@	benefits.					@
		@							@
		@   7. CHOICE TIDBITS				@
		@      If you wand to snack well			@
		@      Food with a long shelf life is not		@ 		@			good food			@
		@							@
		@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
	
Subscribe:
mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com.  
Type "subscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the 
quotes.  Or you can subscribe from the newsletter website:
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/yourlife


Unsuscribe:
mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com.  
Type "unsubscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the 
quotes.  Or you can unsubscribe from the newsletter website:
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/yourlife

Copyright 1997 by Brigitte Synesael All rights reserved 
*************************************************************

Section 1.		    PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS

Help your New Year's Resolutions become a reality.
Now you can gain without pain!
Learn powerful methods to control your mind and body.
http://www.icemall.com/picto_super_deal.html


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

There it is! Right around the corner; Aunt Bessie's Birthday! 
Out of ideas and money? Check out this site for unique ideas
and a budget YOU can afford... EVEN right after Christmas.
http://www.spree.com/default.asp?x=alwaysyours
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*************************************************************

Section 2.			TESTIMONIES FOR SUCCESS

Dear Your Life-Your Choice,

     CORONARY RISK PROFILE -  , DOB 1936 Male
				12/88	10/94	6/95	12/95
+-------------READINGS------------------------------------------
              RANGE

CHOLESTEROL			161	119	134	122
              20-200
TRIGLYCERIDES			443	137	114	 67
              10-190
VLDL					 27	 23	 13
		  0-40
HDL				 29	 38	 46	 51
               32-72
LDL				 	 54	 65	 58                       		 62-130
BP						170/96  128/70
--------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE REGARDING THE ABOVE:

	I cannot make claims regarding pycnogenol, but the above 
is my own testimonial.  The facts speak for themselves. Apparently, 
in 1988, VLDL & LDL weren't a part of the cholesterol scene, but
as you can see, my blood pressure was quite high (especially when 
compared to Dec of '95).

	In the fall of 1993 (after suffering a heart attack in July), 
I had bypass surgery and two weeks after bypass surgery I had surgery 
to replace my aorta which was ready to burst due to aneurysm (which I 
had known about since 1988).

	Following my surgeries, I exercised, ate no foods containing 
any fat, took all prescription medicines as directed and continued 
to be chastized by my doctor's nurse for not doing what I was doing.  
This was, to say the least, very frustrating to me.

	In the spring of 1994, I began taking pycnogenol (in addition 
to my regular medication).  My next coronary profile (in July of '94) 
showed an improvement(I don't have a copy of it at this time, but will 
get one in the near future).  Anyhow, I lost my wife to cancer in July 
of '94 and as a get-away, I went to Canada (in the backwoods) in Sept 
of '94.  Needless to say, when you're out there, you eat what everybody 
else eats, or go hungry, which I wasn't about to do.

	When I returned for another coronary profile in October of '94, I
thought (boy, i'm really going to catch it now), after eating all of 
the forbidden fruits, etc.  Guess what?  My doctor (who is an internal 
medicine specialist)  said "what have you been doing?" And I thought 
"here it comes!". His next words were "I can't believe how well you're 
doing, your report is great!"  After that, I quit taking all prescription
medicines, including gout medicine, and my profile has continued to 
improve, as shown above.  The Doctor's words were "whatever you're doing, 
keep it up, because it is working".

	I now eat pretty well what I want (within reason), I do continue 
to watch for saturated fat, but if I want bacon and eggs, etc., I have 
them. For the first year following my surgery, I probably didn't have 
half a dozen eggs total.  What more can I say?  I could elaborate a lot 
more, but this was just going to be a short note.

	One last quickie - many people I have talked to about this product
have said, "but my insurance won't pay for this and they do pay for my
prescriptions". How sad - what is your life worth??????

	I have been self employed for the last 30 years and have no-no-no
hospitalization insurance, so, count your blessings for what you've had 
and hope your heirs don't thank you for your untimely demise!

	This is Oct '97, I haven't been to the doctor since Dec '95.
Incidentally, I have not had so much as a common cold in this period of 
time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you, or someone you know, have a testimony you'd like to share, 
it can be submitted to b.synesael@odyssey.on.ca with 
"Testimonies Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. All 
testimonies should be kept to a maximum of about 200 words and 
should include the method of treatment used without naming industry 
specific brands. For example:  "through the use of herbs" is  
permitted. However "by using XYZ herbs" is not. All submissions are 
subject to responsible editing and any reference made to an industry 
specific product will be edited out as this section is not intended 
to be an advertising platform. Share your story and help other readers
who share your health concerns.

*************************************************************

Section 3.		Manipulation for My Back Problem?

	An Informative Guide Outlining the Benefits of Manipulation 
				for Back Problems

		Adapted from a brochure available from ACA Press
	Reprint permission granted from John Wiens The Chiropractic Page
			http://www.cais.net/aca/manip1.htm

Thirty-one million Americans have low back pain at any given time (1). 
One half of all working Americans admit to having back symptoms each 
year(2). One third of all Americans over age 18 had a back problem in 
the past five years severe enough for them to seek professional help(3). 
And the cost of this care is estimated to be a staggering $50 Billion 
yearly--and that's just for the more easily identified costs! (4).

These are just some of the astounding facts about Americans and their 
miserable backs! Is there any wonder why some experts estimate that as 
many as 80% of all of us will experience a back problem at some time in 
our lives?(5).

Because back problems are this common it's probably going to happen to 
you too! Shouldn't you find out what to do about it before it happens 
rather than after? Why wait until you're hurting to learn about your 
treatment options?

When you're hurting you may not give this important decision the time 
and attention it needs to make the best choice.

Here are the facts about manipulation as a treatment for back problems:

	Manipulation is one of several established forms of treatment 
used for back problems. Used primarily by Doctors of Chiropractic 
(DCs) for the last century, manipulation has been largely ignored 
by most others in the health care community until recently. Now, 
with today's growing emphasis on treatment and cost effectiveness, 
manipulation is receiving much more widespread attention. In fact, 
after an extensive study of all currently available care for low 
back problems, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research--a 
federal government research organization--recommended that low back 
pain suffers choose the most conservative care first. And it 
recommended spinal manipulation as the ONLY safe and effective, 
DRUGLESS form of initial professional treatment for acute low back 
problems in adults!(6). 
              Chiropractic manipulation, also frequently called the
chiropractic adjustment, is the form of manipulation that has been 
most extensively used by Americans for the last one hundred years.(7) 
Satisfied chiropractic patients already know that DCs are uniquely 
trained and experienced in diagnosing back problems and are the 
doctors most skilled in using manipulation for the treatment of back 
pain and related disorders(8). 
              As a public service, the American Chiropractic 
Association (ACA) urges you to make an informed choice about your 
back care. To learn more about the federal government's recommendations 
and how chiropractic manipulation may help you, contact a Doctor of
Chiropractic in your area. 

References:

1. Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance 
Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 
1994; 331: 69-116. 
2. Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical 
Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 
1985; 11: 1-98. 
3. Finding from a national study conducted for the American Chiropractic
Association. Risher P. Americans' Perception of Practitioners and 
Treatments for Back Problems. Louis Harris and Associates, Inc. New 
York: August, 1994. 
4.This total represents only the more readily identifiable costs for 
medical care, workers compensation payments and time lost from work. 
It does not include costs associated with lost personal income due to 
acquired physical limitation resulting from a back problem and lost 
employer productivity due to employee medical absence. In Project 
Briefs: Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team (BOAT). In MEDTEP 
Update, Vol. 1 Issue 1, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research,
Rockville, MD, Summer 1994. 
5.In Vallfors B, previously cited. 
6.Bigos S, Bowyer O, Braen G, et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults.
Clinical Practice Guideline No. 14. AHCPR Publication No. 95-0642. 
Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public 
Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December, 
1994. 
7.The RAND Corporation reported from its analysis of spinal manipulation
research literature that 94% of all spinal manipulation is performed by
chiropractors, 4% by osteopaths, and the remainder by medical doctors. 
8. In Risher P, previously cited. 

*************************************************************

Section 4.		    PLEASE VISIT OUR OTHER SPONSORS

Changes concerning your health occur daily.
The Dead Sea Mineral Newsletter addresses the latest news in the 
general health topic, offers a nutrition corner, special offers, 
a bit about our product of the month and features guest articles 
relating to health issues. The more you know about things affecting 
your health the healthier you'll be. To subscribe 
mailto:oren@wolfenet.com Subject: DSMN

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Achieve the health you promised yourself!
Let herbs help your body achieve its optimum condition.
Don't settle for anything synthetic.
Give your body what it deserves; 100% natural food grade herbs.
Visit NOW and make good health a part of YOUR reality.
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/herbal/

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*************************************************************

Section 5.		St. John's Wort and Depression

Until recently, most people thought of St. John's Wort as a weed, but
convincing news of the herb's ability to beat depression has reached 
into the Canadian and American medical establishments.  In 1996 the 
British Medical Journal published a scientific analysis of 23 clinical 
trials of the herb as a depression treatment. The authors concluded 
that St. John's Wort extracts were as effective as standard anti-
depressants and caused fewer side effect, including nausea and 
dizziness. (1) A recent study published by Canadian Family Physician 
noted that St. John's Wort was beneficial in treating depression when
clinically tested in conjunction with both placebos and standard
anti-depressants. Side effects were minimal.(2)

In Europe, empirical research substantiating the use of St. John's 
Wort already exists; and German doctors commonly prescribe 
preparations made from St. John's Wort, to treat anxiety, mild 
depression and sleep disorders. In 1994 German physicians wrote 
prescriptions for nearly 66 million St. John's Wort products, 
states the British Medical Journal.

According to the latest study on depression and anxiety disorders 
in Canada published by the Ontario Government, almost one in five 
Canadians have one or more depressive or anxiety disorders, with 
depression (mild or severe) being the most common. Depression is 
more prevalent in women than men with rates of about 5% and 3% 
respectively. The highest rate of those are women aged 15-24 at 
7%. The rates in women gradually decrease with age but are always 
higher than those of men.(3)

Many of these people are drawn to such drugs as Prozac and Nardil 
to relieve their symptoms. Health researchers believe that 
depression can result from deficiencies of serotonin and 
norepenephrine, mood-regulating chemicals that send signals to 
the brain. Some antidepressants work by correcting these 
deficiencies. However, in the use of St. John's Wort, research 
is continuing, but it is believed that the herb's therapeutic 
components perform in a number of different ways. "One of the 
herb's constituents, hypericin, has been shown to increase the 
concentration of serotonin and norepenephrine in storage sites 
in the central nervous system. Other constituents appear to 
inhibit an enzyme called catecbol-o-methyltansfferase, which 
can reduce the brain's two 'feel good' chemicals".(4)

Some health care professionals warn that St. John's Wort is not 
a panacea for depression. It generally takes up to 3-6 weeks of 
use before it begins to work and caution that the most effective 
way to treat depression is through a holistic approach: the use 
of herbs, a change of lifestyle and the guidance of a qualified 
physician or naturopath.

Cautions: Some precautions must be taken before assuming the use 
of St. John's Wort. Prolonged use of high dosages may make the 
skin more sensitive to sunlight. Prozac and St. John's Wort may 
be a bad combination, so they should not be taken at the same 
time. St. John's Wort may interact badly with wine, cheese and 
other foods, you should consult your family physician or 
naturopath about a proper diet.

FOOTNOTES:
1. Herbs for Health. (1997) "Millions of Americans suffer from 
depression, St. John's Wort offers natural therapy." November/December 
1997. 27-30.
2. Evans, Michael and Morgenstern, Katie. (1997). "St. John's Wort: 
an herbal remedy for depression?": Canadian Family Physician. 1735-1736.
3. Mental Health Supplement. (1990) Ministry of Health Ontario. 
Prevalence and Selected Features of Mental Disorders. 7-15
4. Herbs for Health. (1997). "Millions of Americans suffer from 
depression, St. John's Wort offers natural therapy." November/December 
1997. 27-30.

*************************************************************

Section 6.			AROMATHERAPY TRIVIA

	Reprint permission granted by Kelly Smith from Frontier Herbs
			http://www.frontierherb.com/aromatherapy/
			Weaverville, CA -- July 15, 1996
	
Aromatherapy uses pure, essential oils to create scents that 
provide physical and emotional benefits. Although some may 
perceive aromatherapy as new and relatively unexplored, 
throughout history people have been using fragrance to create 
a positive effect on mind, body and spirit. Below are some 
little-known facts about aromatherapy, its uses and benefits.


Aromatherapy

	Aromatic medicine was practiced in both Egypt and India 
more than 4,000 years ago. 
	In France, there are many doctors who practice aromatherapy, 
pharmacies that sell essential oils and health insurance companies 
that reimburse for treatments using aromatherapy. 
	Aromatherapy is so effective because the human sense of smell 
is so keen. In fact, the sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive 
than the sense of taste. 

Essential Oils

	Essential oils are what give plants fragrance. These oils are 
highly concentrated and volatile. It generally takes at least 50 
pounds of plant material to make one pound of essential oil. For 
example, it takes 66 pounds of rosemary to make one pound of rosemary 
oil. One pound of rose essential oil requires more than 5,000 rose
flowers. Melissa is extracted from the common herb lemon balm. It takes 
up to 600 pounds to yield one ounce of essential oil. 
	Essential oils are 75-100 times more concentrated than dried herbs. 
       One drop of essential oil equals one teaspoon of dried herb or 
spice in cooking. True essential oils vary in price based on their 
properties and the effort required to extract them. For example, one-half 
ounce of melissa essential oil costs approximately $300, while the same 
amount of peppermint essential oil costs only about $6. 

Common Uses

	Adding one teaspoon of essential oils to 12 ounces of shampoo or
conditioner -- rosemary for dark hair, chamomile for blonde hair -- will 
add highlights and sheen. 
	The cherry flavoring in some cherry colas is derived from bitter 
almond essential oil. 
	Myrrh, an essential oil, is one of the oldest-known perfumes. It 
was used 3,700 years ago. 
	Lavender essential oil is commonly used to scent mineral baths, 
massage oils, bath soaps, air fresheners, potpourris and perfumes. Its
aromatherapy benefits include balancing, soothing, clarifying and 
normalizing. 
	Cassia Bark oil has a cinnamon flavor and is used to flavor foods, colas,
toothpaste, mouthwash and chewing gum.

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
This feedback was offered by one of our subscribers. She offers a very 
valid point and I felt it was appropriate to share it with you here. 
Thanks for your input Kimberly

Please stress how critical it is to use NATURAL and not synthetic oils.  
I have MCS and if I were to be in the workplace where someone were to 
use synthetic aromatherapy oils, I could have a SEVERE asthma attack 
along with NUMEROUS other symptoms.  The number of fragranced products 
in the world is absolutely terrifying to me and others with this 
condition because we never know when or where something that someone 
has used will take us down.

Kimberly

*************************************************************

Section 7.			CHOICE TIDBITS

		           If you want to snack well 
 
Remember the old “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” epigram?  
Well, it’s not quite that simple.  However, one thing that will 
improve your health and energy level is to eat more natural food 
(fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds) as snacks and less packaged 
snacks (like Snackwells). 
Real foods, as they are found in nature, are much easier for your 
body to digest, and contain more of the vitamins, minerals and sugars 
as your body expects to find them. This is because humans have lived 
on these foods since the beginning (many thousands of years) and your 
body is programmed to live on them as well.  The conglomeration of 
over-processed plants along with chemical preservatives and dyes found 
in most packaged snacks create unnecessary problems that your body 
doesn’t need to deal with.  

My advice is: 
If you want to snack well, eat an organically grown apple. 

Health University 
The School of Natural Health for Everyone With a Phone! 

Copyright 1997 Health University(R). The Healthy Habit is brought to 
you by David Buck and Kelly Hackett.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

		Food with a long shelf life is not good food.  

I know I've struggled to alter my fundamental concept that food that 
lasts longer is better.  It's annoying when food spoils, however, food 
that spoils fast is the best food for you.  This is because food that 
spoils quickly is live food, the vital life force (i.e. enzymes) is 
still present. Your body needs these enzymes to digest the food. The 
spoiling process and the digesting process are similar in many ways so 
it follows that if the food can spoil by itself, it can almost digest 
itself as well (after you eat it of course).  On the other hand, food 
that won't spoil, won't digest easily either.  This requires shorter 
shopping - eating cycles.  As a helpful hint, there are great new 
plastic bags available in some health food stores in which vegetables 
stay fresh longer.  

So unless you are stuck in a bomb shelter, eat non-preserved food. 

Health University 
The School of Natural Health for Everyone With a Phone! 

Copyright 1997 Health University(R). The Healthy Habit is brought to 
you by David Buck and Kelly Hackett.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Disclaimer

All material appearing in this newsletter is provided for educational 
purposes only. It is provided with the understanding that authors and
contributors are not offering medical advice or services. We strongly 
encourage you to consult with your own physician regarding any 
recommendations with respect to your own medical condition.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

***************************************************************
*									*
*     I know you have friends who are be interested		*
*     in this information. Put them in your debt and		*
*     forward a copy of Your Life-Your Choice to them.		*
*									* 
***************************************************************

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Subscribe:
mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com.  
Type "subscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the quotes.  
Or you can subscribe from the newsletter website:
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/yourlife


Unsubscribe:
mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com.  
Type "unsubscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the quotes.  
Or you can unsubscribe from the newsletter website:
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~b.synesael/yourlife

			******************
N E W ! ! ! N E W ! ! ! N E W ! ! ! N E W ! ! ! N E W ! ! ! N E W ! ! !

Ask Dr. Abrams Your Question! Your Life-Your Choice will be compiling 
questions over the next couple of months, and the first supplement of 
Questions and Answers will be available mid February.
mailto:b.synesael@odyssey.on.ca
Type "Questions Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading.

			******************

For sponsorship & advertising information,
mailto:b.synesael@odyssey.on.ca   
SUBJECT: Send Your Choice Advertising Rates


Send in your testimonies, mailto:b.synesael@odyssey.on.ca with 
"Testimonies Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. 


This is YOUR newsletter! Share your thoughts, what you'd like to see 
by emailing, mailto:b.synesael@odyssey.on.ca with 
"Feedback Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////




