Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

I'm breathing a big sigh of relief as the holiday season is finally over and done with for another year. Although I had a great time visiting with family and friends, I'm finally getting to enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation down time. About a couple of weeks before Christmas my son sent me a cell phone text message, telling me about a movie he had recently watched. He thought I really ought to take the time to rent it and watch it too, as he knew the main theme is about a subject I feel very passionately about which is, ' quality food is so important to your health'.


This documentary style movie came out in June of this past year ( 2009 ) and is called "Food, Inc.". If you have already read "Fast Food Nation' by Erich Schlosser, or "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan, both authors are also featured in this film, you may find the movie a bit of a repeat in learning anything new. However, if you have not read either of these books then this film should cause most viewers to open their eyes to the hidden health hazards that have been infiltrating the U.S. food supply over the last 50 years with questions and justified concerns.


The films director, Robert Kenner, basically decides to trace back, to the point of origin, the bulk of the food products being sold on super market store shelves today. What he finds is that most manufactured food products are not only nutritionally stripped and empty sources of calories, most manufactured food products can be tracked back to a corn or soybean field in the mid-west.


The film pretty much lays the hard-core facts out on the table for everyone to see, whether those make you feel good or not is up to each individual who chooses to watch the film. He goes on to say that nearly 80 percent of the corporate food farming operations (CFO's) in the U.S. is now controlled by only 4 or 5 major companies. Never before in our nation's history have we had so many powerful influences over the food most of us are eating. And while we, as a nation, have had many unprecedented success stories in feeding ourselves on a massive scale (and the world at large) this unique tale has not been without its down side. Raising it faster, fatter, bigger and cheaper has had some unintended consequences, in that we have traded our desire to have cheaper food for expensive health care solutions threatening to bankrupt America.


The American government practice of subsidizing of corn and soybean crops, over the last 15 years, have made these two main sources of grain the basic 2 kingpin ingredients from which nearly all food manufacturers include at least one, or even both, in their recipes. Heck, we can't even escape it in the meat or dairy products, as we are also feeding genetically modified corn and soybean grains to livestock from cattle to fish in all corporate meat farming operations. A source of food, that you will find out from watching this flick, that animals, poultry, and fish were not actually designed by nature to eat. If we can grow meat sources of food faster, fatter, and bigger, doesn't it make sense that it's going to make most of us fatter, bigger real fast if we eat a lot of it too? But how cheap is it really, when you are sick and can not afford decent health care insurance coverage?


The truth is sometimes a bitter pill to swallow, and this is the dark side of corporate meddling with our food supply chain that, for the sake of the lucrative money trail, all the 'Monsantos', 'Smithfields', 'Tysons' and several others would prefer that you do not know about. Because, if you did, many of you just might not want to buy or eat their food products. In fact, they were asked for an interview in the making of this film, and all of the major food companies mentioned in this movie declined to tell their side of the story.


As the film shows one side of a dark ugly truth, you will also find it also tells a story of hope for the future. You will find that you do have a choice by voting with your hard-earned money, in what you choose to purchase when the item is passed over the scanner at the check-out counter. Wal-Mart (the world's largest retailer) is also featured in this film, who is mostly concerned about their public image, has decided to include some organic brands of food to fuel the new rising consumer demand for cleaner food. Wal-Mart isn't stupid, they also see a new way to please the ever growing health conscious public, as well as create a hot new money trail to their stores.


Now my thoughts on this movie, as I'm sure I'm not the only one that has come to this conclusion. One of the most interesting, and important, health experiments of the industrialized food revolution over the last century, has been the modification, refining, and laboratory tweaking of raw food ingredients. How food looked, tasted, smelled, and how little it cost took top priority over our health. Over the last decade the mass public has went from being complacent to concerned over the type of foods they are putting in their mouths. There is hardly a person living in the U.S. that hasn't heard about the dangers of over eating high-fructose corn syrup, or heard about the health benefits of eating free-range, grass fed beef, chicken, or poultry.


Maybe that's why quality supplements are a booming business in these hard times. It just makes more sense, than ever before, to pay attention to what we are eating , or not eating, to help cheapen up the cost of health care.


The soaring cost of health care insurance has steadily eaten away at the average worker's take-home pay. From 1999 through 2006 average monthly single-coverage contributions rose from $48. to $76. We have all been 'sold' on cheap food. Has anyone, besides me, made the connection to what is in our food, or not in our food, to our physical and mental health?


Maybe that's where the proposed health-care-reform bill proponents ought to be focusing more of their attention on. It just seems like one of the most simplest places to start reforming health care in a nation of sick people. Or, would that just be too easy, as a lot of people are still not totally convinced that this would make much of a difference at all?


I'm sure American farmers would be up to the task of producing cleaner, more nutrient dense food sources if given the chance. All they would really like to do is preserve their way of life, without the Monsantos,Tysons, and other major corporations telling them to them how it's going to be done. The organic, free-range, and grass fed revolution is starting to catch on. Maybe the family farm is in a perfect position to make a big come-back in the not-so distant future. It's surely about time, as they've almost been wiped completely out by modernized agricultural practices.


As a consumer the only vote that really counts in this arena, is what you choose to spend your money on when it comes to the food you and your family eats. It's the only thing corporate America really understands anyway, the almighty dollar.

Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

With the holiday season already in full swing for many folks, I found this article in this month's issue of Taste For Life, and I wanted to pass it along to you.

It is my desire to reprint it here in good wishes that you may find a useful tip or two inside of it to help you survive the month long madness that is thrown upon us each year. Hopefully, we will all flow right on through it with a little more style and grace.

Here is the reprinting of that article written by Roon Frost:


7 Sure-fire Tips for Healthy Holidays
By Roon Frost


The season of giving is upon us and the flurry of holiday activities can seem like one more ball to juggle in an already frenzied schedule. If you’re unable to be with family, you may have to work even harder to fight the blues this time of year. Mix in stress and the tendency to overindulge and it’s no wonder that health suffers this time of year—whether that’s as benign as acne outbreaks or as serious as heart attacks. Consider these commonsense ways to enjoy the holidays—and stay healthy—no matter what the world throws your way this December.

1. Keep it simple. Moderation is a cornerstone of both mental and physical health. Don’t overschedule yourself or your family. Do enlist your family’s help in holiday decorating and preparing the big feast or party fare (see “Holiday Cooking” on page 22 for family-friendly recipes). Plan a creative card- or gift-making session with family or friends; stamp recycled paper for gift wrapping, put your favorite herb or spice mixes in pretty bottles, and wrap your baked gifts in dish towels and real ribbon that can be reused. Because the holidays are somewhat predictable, prioritize the activities you really want to enjoy. Don’t be afraid to say “no.” Set a budget for holiday spending, then stick to it! Establish realistic goals for yourself and your loved ones, allowing enough free time, especially for anyone who’s traveling. We all need a breather to reflect on what the holidays mean and to enjoy a little spontaneous activity.

2. Take time to relax. A recent survey finds that, in addition to holiday pressures, 80 percent of Americans are stressed out over the economy or work and family issues. Of those polled, 60 percent say they’re angry and irritable—not exactly feelings conducive to holiday cheer. Even more cause for concern, 53 percent admit that they’re fatigued and 52 percent aren’t sleeping. That makes it all too easy to overeat, overimbibe, or take stress out on others. “People can’t multitask very well,” says MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller, PhD, “and when people say they can, they’re deluding themselves.” Turn off the cell phone, e-mail, and television. Actively practice stress management techniques: deep breathing, meditation, t’ai chi, visualization, yoga. Treat yourself to a massage or a manicure. Take breaks with relaxing herbal teas, and watch your caffeine intake. Taste for Life editorial advisor Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, recommends drinking a naturally caffeine-free herbal coffee, Teeccino, made from herbs, fruits, grains, and nuts. If you’re having trouble sleeping, make sure you’re getting enough calcium and magnesium (along with vitamin D), especially at bedtime. A number of herbs (California poppy, hops, kava, lemon balm, passionflower, and valerian) help induce sleep, as do many homeopathic sleep formulas. Rescue Remedy is a terrific stocking stuffer, even for four-legged friends who may be agitated and confused by all the holiday activity.

3. Move it. Schedule regular exercise to boost mood, relieve tension, and promote sleep. Get out and cycle, jog, skate, ski, or snowshoe, as the weather permits. Take a wintry walk together to enjoy holiday decorations, cut seasonal greens, or count the stars in the clear night sky. Go caroling. Offer to shovel an elderly neighbor’s walk or stack firewood—you’ll get needed exercise and enjoy the true holiday spirit.

4. Shop for value. Useful stocking stuffers and small Hanukkah gifts may be more appreciated than the latest bling or gadget that might end up in next summer’s yard sale. Ask folks on your gift list what they really want, so you don’t waste your money—or their time returning stuff they don’t need. If someone on your list has specific health problems, offer to put together a basket of supportive supplements along with your favorite natural healthcare book. An assortment of digestive supplements (bitters, enzymes, and ginger tea) or cold and flu fighters (echinacea, elderberry, Oscillo, vitamin C, and zinc lozenges) may be especially timely and appreciated. Or wrap up a gift certificate to family or friends’ local health food store. If you prefer to indulge your loved ones, put together a basket of their favorite natural and organic breads, cheeses, chocolate, coffee, honey, jams, mustards, spices, and teas. A bag of carryon-sized natural body washes, moisturizers and exfoliants, shampoos, conditioners, and oral care products makes a great gift for anyone who’s traveling over the holidays. In addition to labels like fair trade–certified and USDA organic, look for the new Natural Products Association (NPA) certification—out since Thanksgiving. “This seal is a great service to shoppers who want truly natural products because they care about what they put on their skin,” says Daniel Fabricant, PhD, vice president of scientific affairs at NPA. And don’t hesitate to wander away from the food and supplement aisles of your favorite natural products store in search of meaningful gifts. This holiday season, you’ll find BPA-free kitchen equipment and water bottles. Avoiding this toxin in plastics is even more important now that it’s been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, and liver abnormalities in adults. Also look for pesticide-free organic bags, linens, socks, T-shirts, and workout clothes, as well as natural pet care products. What dog owner wouldn’t appreciate paw wipes in inclement weather, for example?

5. Don’t forget water. Drink plenty of pure water to stay hydrated. If you’re imbibing alcohol, mix it with water (or drink water before and afterward). Also wash your hands often, especially before preparing or serving food and after blowing your nose, running errands, and using the restroom. Chris Pope Campbell of East Greenwich, RI, lathers up at least a dozen times a day. “I rarely get a cold,” she says, “and there hasn’t been a stomach flu in my family for more than five years.” Choose natural plant-based soaps instead of antibacterial products, which appear to increase the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Children especially need reminders to wash up, so encourage cleanliness with colorful, kid-sized natural hand-washing products.

6. Give green. Our economy and planet depend on it. First and foremost, buy organic, which uses fewer fossil fuels than conventional farming, and sustainable products, which mean the plant supply will be around longer for you, your children, and grandchildren to enjoy. Whenever possible, buy local gifts and foods for your holiday celebration; you’ll support your neighbors and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ask the staff at the store that gives you Taste for Life to recommend items with environmentally friendly packaging and processing, as natural products manufacturers are increasingly going green.

7. Be generous to yourself and others. After all, that’s what this season is all about. Decide what you would most like to do over the holidays—and ask someone you care about to join you. Celebrate in a new way. The year my family and I moved to coastal Maine, we made a trip to the beach a part of our holiday ritual. Whether that meant a romp with our son and dog on snowy sand or snowshoeing to the sound of crashing surf, it remains a treasured memory. The person who has everything might be delighted with a donation in his name to the Environmental Defense Fund, or Heifer International. Or contribute to Vitamins Angels, which donates nutritional supplements to folks in need. These gifts will keep giving long after the holidays are over.

Now for my own pearls of wisdom in helping you fight off the 'holiday blues' and enjoy more abundant physical and emotional health year round. Here are two little things anyone can learn do to cure themselves of nearly anything they want to be rid of, and it's sitting right under their noses. Be very mindful of how you use your mouth to tell your stories, and what you chose to put in to it to feed your body.

Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

It seems like the American media is focused and driven on bringing the health care reform debate into our living rooms via the television, newspapers and magazine articles every chance it gets. It has captured most of our citizen's interest to say the least. Some of us are more focused on this heated argument than others, but most have some sort of an opinion on the eventual and hopeful outcome. I believe this is a good thing, and the importance of it can not be put off much longer.

My feelings surrounding the health care reform debate is not that this sort of thing is not sorely needed, because it is painfully obvious to me that preventable diseases are running rampant in the United States. With no negative emotion felt towards pharmaceutical interventions any longer, I have come to view it all as a dismal failure of an experiment in treating diseases for most folks. Not everyone of course, for those who faithfully believe this sort of treatment for disease works, then it works for them.

For those of you who have a hard time swallowing this form of treatment, then it just will not cut it for you. No matter how many different man-made, chemical cocktails you are willing to try, or not try. In taking the treatment, you seem to have a negative reaction to the idea that 'something' is dreadfully wrong with you, and that you (somehow) will be unable get better without some type of intervention. You may also feel like you deserve to have more unbiased options presented to you.

This way is costing you a lot of time and money, not to mention some undesirable side effects. In other words, your confused and scared. You fear that you won't get better with the medications, and your scared that if you do nothing it will only get worse. And, your probably right on both counts because that is your emotional response to the problem.

This is the big mess the health care delivery system in The United States (and other modern countries) is in right now. Until a more open-minded approach to reforming health care, by teaching us how to prevent diseases, is brought out on the table for an intelligent discussion, the lack of one will only come back to haunt us again and again until we open up to doing just that.

There has been no discussion of how to control the rising costs of the current medical health care system. Those that have a personal self-interest, and are heavily invested in the current system, are going to try and keep it the only option available no matter what the costs. The rest of us are not going to be overly thrilled at the thought of paying for someone else's medical expenses that would rather have some of the finer, material things in life than pay for their own health care costs. Why not buy that new 'Blackberry' instead of medication for my newly diagnosed diabetes. Why don't I just let the system pay for my dismal health, because I'd rather have fun playing with my new toy!

In the same way some people would prefer to eat a well-balanced meal, as apposed to eating an artery clogging fast food meal, we choose our lifestyles based on what we would prefer to be doing or eating. But,if we make too many unwise decisions, our lifestyles will begin to control how comfortably we are able to live out our lives. In other words, our lifestyles will end up controlling us. Regardless of what your perception of health reform should be, some common sense approaches in changing a few of your lifestyle habits would probably go a long way in helping you appreciate how efficiently your body was actually designed to perform.

Or, should the minority among us have socialized health care reform imposed upon us all because the majority are neither inspired nor motivated to make better choices for themselves?

What about those among us who are willing to make those changes on our own, shouldn't we have the option of opting out of the system if we can prove, in some way, that we are taking better care of ourselves than others are?

Tough but honest questions, your thoughts?

Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

Water is so critical to every system in the body. Most everyone knows and understands this information, yet most people will find it really tough to implement the psychological effort in developing a life-long water drinking habit, much less stick with a good intention long enough to reap the cheap and simple health benefits associated with it. There are so many manufactured beverages available on the market that can distract a person's good intentions. It has been said, and I have no clue who first uttered this statement, that the road to hell has been paved with good intentions. I find this applicable to this post, and very amusing when it comes to all types of recreational, health, sport, and energy drinks vying for our attention and $$.

It seems like I have spent a lot of time on this page repeating this same old important health message. That is because it is so relevant to today's modern lifestyles. Informing, persuading, and reminding are often the most effective strategy tools I know of. It seems to help those who are resisting their own health improvements, by becoming a little better at allowing themselves more enjoyment of the great health changes they say they so desperately want.

Learn to love, forgive, and own, the many mistakes that we all make while traveling down this road we call our 'life', because that is where changes of the heart, and eventually our minds, will come from. And, from these changes comes a very motivating mantra that says, "it's never too late to start turning things around". What is even more powerful is you can start right now.


So why is it important to drink plenty of water?


Did you know that we can survive more than a month without food, but only a few days without water? Water helps regulate our body temperature, protects vital organs and tissues, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, helps lubricate joints and tissues, helps keep skin moist and supple, and flushes away built up toxins in the body. These are just a few of the highlights. There are many more reasons and some, I'm sure, that we do not fully understand just yet.

Those that are in resistance mode will argue that too much water is bad for you. It is true that too much of anything, even a good thing like water, can have a negative impact on the body. But far, far more people are suffering from the health effects of extreme water shortages than the opposite. With that in mind, when one is in a true, allowing state of mind this next question will often be asked.


How much water should I be drinking every day?


On average, a healthy adult needs about 8 to 12 cups of water per day. Some studies have suggested this may be the bare minimum amount one could get by with in replacement of the amount that is lost due to perspiration, breathing, urination and bowel movements. Each individual is different in their water requirements due to many factors such as age, gender, weight, health status, level of physical activity, foods eaten, weather conditions, and medications that are being taken.


When is the best time of day to drink water?


Beginning first thing in the morning upon arising, and throughout the day's activities. Slow down about one to two hours before bedtime. Start the day out with filling a 64 ounce (2 quart) to 96 ounce (3 quart) container of water. This helps remind you of how much you are actually drinking so you won't have to guess.

Be aware that more water may be needed before and after a long and strenuous physical work out, and in extreme hot and humid conditions. Just replenish what you are, inevitably, going to lose. That's all your body requires of you.


What are some of the lesser known facts about the benefits of drinking enough water?


Drinking a full glass ( or two ) of water about an hour before a meal helps give you a feeling of fullness. Drink very little during your meal, just enough to help wash it down. Resume drinking water again about an hour after your meal. Too much liquid intake during a meal can weaken stomach acid juices from properly breaking down food on their own before it empties the contents into the intestines. Water, after that point, plays a huge role in the digestion process.

Water is your body's preferred liquid source, and an extra added bonus is it's calorie free! High fiber diets also require additional water to process the extra roughage, and to keep you from becoming constipated.


What happens to the body if it does not get enough water?


Dehydration occurs when you do not have enough water to help your body function properly. Dehydration causes a multitude of symptoms ranging from fatigue/tiredness, low energy, depression, headaches, nausea, dizziness/light headed, heat strokes, joint and muscle pain, stomach ulcers, hiatal hernia, excess body weight, and high blood pressure. This is not an exhaustive list, to learn more about this subject read this interesting book.

How can I tell if I'm drinking enough water?

The color of your urine is one of the easiest visual assessments of hydration. Dark colored urine usually means you need to drink more. However, vitamin supplements can cause darker urine colors. After allowing for that, your urine should be a very light color otherwise. The lighter in color, the more hydrated you are. The amount or volume that is being excreted may be a better indicator though.

The only downside, that I can see, to drinking more water is you will be stopping to let it out a little more often. The upside is self-explanatory from the many health benefit examples listed above. So tell me which problem would you rather have?

No doubt that bottled water has been a huge success over the last ten years or so. Now, there is a surge of new flavored waters available on the market. Keep in mind that flavored waters are more expensive, add to the growing landfill problem, and some contain calories. If you are bored with plain water and need a little variety once in a while there are a few calorie-free products out there. Read labels carefully because some have added sweetening ingredients that you may not want. Or, you can try adding a few squirts of your favorite fruit juice to make it taste a little differently.

In the debate over which type of water source to drink from, tap or filtered, I will leave this decision up to you. Do what ever makes you feel the most comfortable. Purified water is water taken from any source and has been processed to remove most contaminants, minerals, and impurities by a filter system.

Avoid distilled water, as it is not recommended to be used as drinking water. You can filter your own drinking water, and many choose to do so. How elaborate of a filtration system you choose will probably depend on what you can afford, but in the long run will save you quite a bit of money when compared to buying filtered bottled water. The bottom line is this, it comes down to your personal choices and consuming plenty of it for optimal health.

Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

With the recent election of a new president, health care reform has come to the forefront yet again. In the minds of many Americans this issue has been talked down many times before, and has been conveniently put on a back burner to simmer and stew a little bit longer. Now it seems as if the pot is starting to thicken and bubble over, and it is causing quite a stink!

All this pushing, pushing over the matter is starting to appear rather rude elementary school like behavior to me. We all seem to want the same things here, but we all have so many different opinions on how that should be done. But, it also seems to me like as long as the driving force behind the new health care reform is being pushed on everyone out of a sense of fear, doubt, and with no confidence in the current system, why are we wanting to throw more money at a way of treating health that is clearly not working very well? I really don't get it, do you? Nothing new or novel is really being talked about here. If most people were doing great under the current cut, drug, and burn way of health care treatment we wouldn't even be having this debate.

I'm also seeing two different resolutions of this issue being offered, both sides of the coin have different motivations in proving their 'righteousness' on the subject. Natural health care advocates are going after the conventional 'status quo' health care system, and they are literally fighting each other tooth and nail for dominance. Maybe both ways are needed until more people can begin to feel better about the approach that would work best for them. Not for their best friend, spouse or favorite celebrity, you as an individual. What would inspire you to do better?

What is plain as the nose on my face, is that if the current system is all so healing and life sustaining, why are so many people not feeling wonderful about all of that? Why are so many experiencing unhealthy relationships to money, food, family, sex and their overall physical well being? No matter how well a healthy lifestyle works for many, there will always be some that will be depending on something outside of themselves to keep them feeling safe and secure. That is a human trait, we are all susceptible to the influence of our external world to a certain degree.

It does not matter what challenges you find yourself up against really. Health care is as simple as tapping into your positive energy flow. When you manage to find that feeling, milk it for all it's worth.

Keeping that feeling going is going to require your intentional participation, however. You are always going to have to be monitoring your thoughts as carefully as you possibly can, by crowding out most of the thoughts that just drag your energy level down. Not only that, but you are also going to have to guard against the thoughts of others! Think about the way you would like your life to be before you speak about it. If you feel the least little bit of resistance in your interactions with others (bad feelings) back off. Pushing your point (no matter how right you are) gets no one anywhere.

Americans have long prided themselves on the fact that they have managed to accomplish the raising of massive amounts of 'cheap' food to feed not only their fellow countrymen, but millions of other people around the world. This was an impressive feat and was, in part, due to the micro-management of corporations that convinced the farming profession that chemical pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and antibiotics would help increase their yields and add more money to their coffers. It did increase the farmers yields and expenses, but did not do much for increasing their profits. Corporate executives pushed their ideas and beliefs off on the farmer, along with many others, that man-made interventions were a superior way to natural farming in getting the desired results that many were seeking. Many people were influenced by the positive energy surrounding what seemed like brilliant ideas at the time, and a lot of people seemed to be quite happy about this new way of doing things, at least for a while. After all, the old way of producing food, although efficient in many ways, was also inefficient in several other ways. A better way was wanted, and it was given.

Many are beginning to see the down-side of cheap food, however, and from living in this contrast a new way of doing business is now being formed. As time marches on, more and more people seem to be wanting the availability of cleaner more sustainably produced food. There are many small scale farmers who are riding this new rocket of desire. They are finding it becoming increasingly easier, than in the past, to market cleaner meat, dairy, and produce.

One of these days, not too long from now, those who run large corporations are going to have to wake up and accept a tough lesson. Just like the lessons many of us have had to learn, at one point in our lives, it's either go with the flow of what most people are wanting and willing to focus their attention on, or lose out. And by golly, I don't think they are going to want to be left behind. They will pay attention to a loss of profits being funneled to those smaller scale guys who have a better idea. Wouldn't it be nice if corporate agriculture could ride this wave and begin producing larger amounts of cleaner, more nutritious food just as cheaply as before so many people became concerned about this?

Isn't it funny how the old way of doing things usually makes a come back when the newer ways have unproven themselves? What is the convincing factor is weighing out the long-term pros and the cons to several different methods. That takes time and comes with experience.

I believe this will happen, and we all just need to lighten up with each other until that becomes a reality. Besides, there are many ways that lead to a healthier existence. It all starts with each of us, and how we choose to let in what might make us feel better. How do you know what might work, or not work, for you until you try it?

If we think that we must turn over our relationship with our self, and give it to someone else in exchange for our well being, there will never be any type of health care reform that will save you from what you have already had the power to do for yourself all along. That makes a lot of people feel somewhat awkward and uncomfortable, because we simply don't understand that our bodies respond according to how we are feeling.

We have never been taught this message. But, how boring would life be if we knew everything there is to know?

Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

For the time being, health care reform legislation seems be to getting quite a bit of flack from the public in its current one thousand page written form. It's looking less likely that the first rough draft will pass the critics analysis to become a reality. For all that are hoping for 'true' health care reform this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Congress is getting some much needed feedback from often angry voters voicing their opinions at town hall meetings across the country. If our legislators are wise, they will tune out most the loudness and anger, and listen only to what is really being said.

Obama and his health care reform supporters say they intend to pay for health care transformation by squeezing out inefficiencies in the current bureaucratic Medicaid and Medicare systems. They are proposing a tax increase on the wealthiest 2 percent of wage earners to help pay for it. They claim that most people are not going to see an increase in their taxes whatsoever.

But, most of us know that there is probably going to be some 'misleading' cost saving projections in both of these governmental health care systems, and some 'miscalculations' in the projected tax revenue of the upper 2 percent of wage earners. You have got to give yourself some room to cover the possibility of human error. I'm just curious as to where the rest of the money is going to come from.

All in all, it is still going to be a very expensive program to implement, as it it could turn out to be another 'inflexible' fix to an already complex system. Anyone ready for some more red-tape?

The way it appears to be currently written, the government's proposed public health insurance plan wants to eliminate consumer costs by opting out of co-payments for preventive care, outlawing denial of coverage for pre-existing health conditions and capping extra out-of-pocket expenses. These are just a few of the highlights of a program that have not been thought out nearly long enough.

While on the surface this all sounds good at first glance, what ought to be a troubling image is how this may deepen the hole we are already in. Has anyone ever really stopped to ponder this?

I have thought about it, and there are a couple of things that I can think of that leaves me feeling uneasy.

Number one, is that this model will keep, 'both,' the patient and the doctor blindfolded to the actual cost of services. It separates the recipient from the provider in the transaction, in the sense that the costs are no longer a concern. Not a good thing in my opinion. When you just hand out money, food, or health care services on a silver platter, most folks will not appreciate what is being given to them. They will have no incentive to do better for themselves.

The second thing that leaves me feeling bad about the way it stands right now, is that it leaves the consumer with no real 'incentive' to lower the cost of services by taking any responsibility for their own health. How about offering a tax credit for those who want the flexibility to opt out of the system, or not needing to use it? This would inhibit some abuse of the system.

I don't have any complicated answers to this huge problem. Some may think I'm being too idealistic here, but I think the answer is in letting go of what is not, and has not been working very well all along. Besides it has just been making everyone feel bad. The only way to turn this mess around, as hard as it may be, is to find some good that is coming to the surface because of it all.

Have you ever noticed that when you keep looking at a problem in only one way, there seems to be no real solution? Just like when your trying to figure out how to do something new on your computer, there is always more than one way to get the results you are wanting. As with life in general, and with health care, there is always going to be more than one way to deal with it. You just have to open your mind a little more to let it in.

If our President and his health care reform supporters were talking about ending the suppression of alternative methods, initiating an investment towards public health education in preventing diseases, ending the pharmaceutical companies monopoly on drug patents and pricing, restoring a doctor's ability to practice medicine for the good of the patient, end agricultural food subsidies, and promote honest food labeling then I could feel better about transforming health care in America.

Many conventional doctors are actually promoting more natural approaches, although some patients aren't listening and sometimes it's the other way around. If no one is listening to what would make you feel better, my suggestion would be to find someone who will.

Wouldn't you just fall out of your chair with joy to hear about some truly 'new' ideas about the subject? Change is always unsettling, but don't let it discourage you from desiring changes. The expansion of everything that we currently know occurs because of change. You have the power to do this for yourself, if only you could stop tripping all over your own feet.

Brenda Skidmore's Health Tips

According to a recent, 2006 New York Times survey, at least 48 percent of the U.S. adult population has tried some form of alternative health care treatment. I don't think this information should be considered big news, considering the fact that natural substances was the basic foundation from which our current 'drug', system was created. I also feel fairly positive, that this poll does not reflect the true nature of what is actually being used in alternative health care treatments to combat physical suffering. It does not take into account the population that is 18 yrs. and younger for starters, so I believe this percentage is probably a lot higher. If 48 percent of the U.S. adult population has used this form of health care on themselves, it is probably a safe bet that they have also used it on their offspring.

As time passes, I think more people are fast realizing that there are a lot more choices available, regarding health care, than what we have ever previously been led to believe. No longer is the current type of, 'status quo', health care system considered acceptable, in serving the best interests of the general public. It is becoming painfully obvious that it has become a scare them blind type of marketing system, and the normal American way of doing business-as-usual. More importance has been placed upon generating handsome industry profits than improving mankind's health and well being.

What is really unnerving, is the notion that the mainstream media portrays ( as a common theme ) in the continuance of downplaying complimentary medical treatments, as if this line of treatment is some sort of inferior type of 'voodoo medicine'. Reports of almost non-existent purity testing in the dietary and herbal supplement industry before marketing them ( as if there are almost no pure dietary and herbal supplements available to us at all ) and tainted food supplies are designed to scare you away from natural health approaches. BTW, I wonder how all those unwanted chemicals could have possibly ended up in our food and supplement sources? Let your imagination be your guide on that one.

In spite of all the watch-dog groups, rules and regulations created to police the prescription drug industry ( as pharmaceuticals are among some of the most dangerous substances on Earth ) they often perform no better than alternative methods, and at their worst they actually can do more harm than good. Common sense ought to tell most people that natural therapies have a much cleaner track record, of doing less harm in the long-run, than prescription alternatives. I have never understood why we do not try safer, simpler and more gentler approaches first before bringing out the big guns. What harm comes from thinking that expensive, complicated answers are always much better than simpler ones? For some reason that one seems to defy my sense of logic. Yours too?

The human mind is a natural thinking module driven by instinct to question and ponder what it has never understood before. This is the reason behind the expansion of everything we have ever experienced in our world thus far. This is how we have moved from beyond our very humble beginnings to occupy our present time space reality.

Many pharmaceutical trained physicians will tell their patients that they believe emotional stress plays an important role in the manifestation of their physical symptoms. Yet it is beyond their trained expertise to treat those symptoms with anything other than drugs, surgeries and radiation.

When you seek only one type of health care model (natural or conventional ) to help you through a physical health crisis the end result is, more than likely, going to be somewhat incomplete. Many conventionally trained physicians are now starting to integrate both approaches in treating their patients. This is a small and gradual step in the right direction. However, consumer demand has probably been the driving force in the acceptance of the idea that there is room for both. It's either listen to what your patients have been learning all about, or lose them to a physician who is willing to help guide them.

Now, back to unresolved emotional issues and health. What role do you think emotions actually play in our physical thriving, or lack thereof? This is, largely, an unexplored area of health care as most untrained humans have not been able to completely understand that connection. But, the human mind is not going to rest until it uncovers some answers to that big question. In fact, I believe it is becoming the 'new' health care frontier model of the future. If you are in doubt of my vision, take a sneak peek at how this is already unfolding as I am writing to tell you about it.

This may be an idealistic vision on my part, and the views of many others besides, but take a really good,long and hard look at what is happening in our world. As the way things stand, right now, there is a lot of dissatisfaction among the masses in staying where we are. Each and every day that passes by, more people are discovering how our current health care system has not been able to keep up with what most people are wanting, or expand much beyond that of what we already know. The limited protection of a certain group of people's self-interests will, eventually, not be able to hold up under the current flow of collective consciousness among what many more minds have a desire to create. Then 'Bingo', the change that so many have wanted and waited on for such a long time will begin to take place, as if by some sort of magic.

Today, more than any other time in the history of our existence, we now have the technology to help us expand our thinking minds in solving many of our current health care challenges. With the advent of computers, the internet, and in the compilation of all the timeless amounts of information, that is available at the touch of our fingertips, what are you going to use as your excuse in not being able to find a better solution to improving your state of well being?

Universal law, as I have come to understand it, dictates that it is the very essence of our nature to be selfish. We are designed by a benign force to protect our own self-interests in any type of situation. What may not be so obvious to most people, take my opinion for what it is worth to you, is that you must become very selfish at claiming your own right to survive. You have to take responsibility for your own health care needs. Health care reform starts with not expecting someone else to completely solve all of your health problems because, by nature, everyone else is simply being selfish in protecting their own self-interests!

So, my question to you is when are you going to get scrappy and fight for your right to thrive in your life? Now, not at this time, or never?