MRSA is not the only bacterium resistant to antibiotics

Just yesterday I attended a teleconference by David Winston on the subject
of MRSA and Bacterial MDR and how certain herbs and essential oils may be the
solution to the growing problem of infections resistant to antibiotics.
According to the CDC, hospital-associated infections affect nearly 2 million patients
and contribute to nearly 100,000 deaths each year.

I’ll talk more about information that David shared in future blogs as well as some of my experiences in working with clients and customers.

In the meantime, I thought the following article was particularly timely.

A bad germ gets worse
C. diff’ rivals MRSA as the next deadly bacteria
threat, experts say

By JoNel Aleccia, Health
writer, MSNBC

Amy Warren had never heard of the germ that made her so miserable.

In January 2005, weeks after giving birth to her daughter, the Ohio
mother of two knew only that she was in pain, suffering cramping so
severe she felt like she was still in labor. Then came the diarrhea,
uncontrollable bouts up to 50 times a day, which left Warren
weak and raw and stranded in her Maineville home.

"I was so sick; I thought I had colon cancer and was dying," Warren recalled.

Three tests failed to detect the source of her intestinal trouble. A fourth, however, confirmed Warren as part of a toxic trend: She was among growing numbers of people sickened by an
especially virulent form of the bacterial infection Clostridium difficile, known as C.
diff.

Doctors told Warren she’d contracted the NAP1 type of the bacteria, a mutated version that
produces roughly 20 times the toxins responsible for illnesses ranging from
simple diarrhea to blood poisoning — and death.

For the complete
article check here.

Bad Germ Getting Worse

Aromatherapy: help or hype?

The monthly magazine, Central Illinois Health Magazine, just published an article on aromatherapy in its February 2008 issue. The article: “Aromatherapy: help or hype?” by Kelsey C. Blackwell, takes a close look at whether or not aromatherapy can help people become healthier.

Although the article is credited to Blackwell, Greta Hale, the magazine’s editor, is the person who interviewed me in December 2007. Considering the skeptical tone of the article (which, overall, was very balanced in its presentation), I am very pleased with how I was identified and quoted (although I’ve actually been studying and teaching for more than 15 years, rather than the 12 years noted in the article.)

Normally I would just include a link to the article, but unfortunately the magazine is not web-friendly right now. The following quoted material is from p. 33

Catherine Novak also knows the value of essential oils. She owns Beads and Botanicals in Hoopeston and the online business Wise Weeds.net [Please note: this should be wiseweeds.net C.N.] …She believes aromatherapy is a useful and non-threatening tool to complement traditional medical treatments.

“What I see a lot coming into the shop are people who have already seen a doctor and they’re looking for more relief, she said.

Novak sells custom blends and essential oils. One blend, named banish pain oil, contains essential oils mixed in with another oil infused with St. John’s wort. Her customers have found that it works to relieve arthritis and chronic muscle pain and even helps with pain from carpel tunnel, Novak said.

The article also included information on some of the types of aromatherapy blends I offer clients and customers, including my Banish Pain and Clear Air formulas.

I found it sad that one of the scientists quoted in another section of the text said that peppermint oil was not effective for headaches or migraines. I say sad because I’ve seen where a little bit of peppermint oil mixed into a carrier oil has given relief to headache/migraine sufferers.

Still, all in all, this is a great article with a lot of information.

Central Illinois Health Magazine is published by the News-Gazette in Champaign, IL

Staying Young, Develop a Memorable Memory

Staying Young, Develop a Memorable Memory

By Michael Roizen & Mehmet Oz.

Seven ways to prevent memory loss and keep your brain operating at maximum efficiency.

Those seven techniques include teaching, learning something new, living in the moment, eating “brain” food, such as salmon, tomatoes and blueberries, and eliminating unnecessary chemicals from your diet and environment.

Staying Young, Develop a Memorable Memory

Study Finds Echinacea may prevent colds

Study finds echinacea may prevent colds

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

Reuters

Echinacea may not only help reduce the symptoms of a cold but may help prevent infection with some cold viruses, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

People who took echinacea had a 58 percent lower risk of catching a cold, according to the researchers, who did not study the herb's effects directly but looked at the results of 14 studies in an approach called a meta-analysis.

Study finds echinacea may prevent colds

Where to buy Echinacea Tincture