From the mouths of babes

According to a WorldNetDaily.com article by reporter Mollie Martin, "Breast-fed babies have an IQ of six to ten points higher than formula-fed babies. Scientists and nutritional experts attribute this to Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, not to be confused with DHEA), an omega-3 fatty acid that is an essential structural component of the brain and retina." And it's not too late to put DHA to work for you.

The human brain is roughly 60 percent fat. Twenty-five percent of that fatty tissue is DHA. However, the human body does not produce its own DHA; we must get it from the food we eat.

WorldNetDaily.com reported that "A study done on Japanese students during the high-stress period of final exams showed that students who received DHA supplementation were significantly less aggressive than students who did not."

The WorldNetDaily.com report also related some findings that may be more relevant to you personally: "low levels of DHA contribute to many major physical and psychological disorders in adults such as depression, aggression, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and multiple sclerosis."

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis like muscular weakness, impaired coordination, and disrupted speech and vision have been linked to low DHA (and other fatty acid) levels.

As a final note, the WorldNetDaily.com article related the following encouraging news:

"Over 1,200 patients participated in an epidemiological study showing that people with high DHA levels were 45 percent less likely to develop dementia than people with low DHA levels. This suggests that proper DHA intake may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease."

And as if all of these benefits weren't enough, DHA also helps supply the brain with serotonin, which regulates moods and thereby makes one less vulnerable to stress and depression.

DHA supplements are available in most health food stores. Take two 200 milligram capsules daily.

Just recently, the FDA finally approved the use of DHA in infant formula. If it isn't on your store shelf yet, ask for it.  Or you can purchase liquid DHA and mix it in your child's formula yourself.  Consult a physician for dosage recommendations. To locate one in your area, contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) at (800)532-3688 or on the Internet at  www.acam.org. 

Walking away from vascular disease

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD), also called intermittent claudication, occurs when the great vessels that branch off from the abdominal aorta and make their way down to the toes become hardened. This condition is characterized by pain, usually in the calf, when walking. Other symptoms include numbness or tingling in the toes, coldness in the feet, and sores that won't heal on the lower leg.

PVD is not a trivial disease; it is not something you can "live with." If untreated, it will progress with further blockage, resulting in amputation of part, if not all, of the leg. Luckily, it is treatable and often with dramatic results.

Dr. Zhad Korduba, a New York City anesthesiologist, related his own story to Associated Press reporter Lauran Neergaard: Korduba began having leg cramps after playing tennis. "I kind of chucked it off to getting older and being out of shape," he said. When it got so bad that he could hardly walk a block, he came to his senses and sought medical help. Korduba only lost a toe from gangrene, it could have been much worse.

Mainstream treatments often call for angioplasty (performed the same way as in the heart), an arterial prosthesis (a plastic tube to replace one of the larger arteries), or bypass surgery.

But it may be possible to avoid these radical approaches by doing something that may surprise you: walking. If it hurts to walk, how can more walking help? Well, it can be very effective in opening up new arteries to relieve the obstructed ones. It will hurt at first, and you may have to very gradually increase the distance you walk, eventually increasing your tolerance to the recommended three miles per day.

Another simple step you can take on your own is to quit smoking. Smoking is blamed for many things, often without proof, but in the case of PVD, it is a strong contributing factor.

One of the best alternative treatments for PVD is chelation therapy. You can learn more about this treatment from the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) by calling (800)532-3688 or on the Internet at  www.acam.org.