After getting to know many of you as individual people and friends, and not just customers, I have spent many hours on the phone talking about Health and Nutrition.  Virtually all of us take better care of our Test Equipment than our own bodies!

The following IS NOT medical advice, but only a discussion of what I have learned and what works for me.  It is a compilation of excerpts from conversations with many of you, the last one being Tom.

"The Clock of Life is wound but Once"
(from the wall of my second grade classroom)

Your health is your most important asset.  When equipment goes down, that's when you really read the Service Manual.   DON'T WAIT FOR YOUR HEALTH TO GIVE OUT BEFORE YOU EXAMINE YOUR OWN LIFESTYLE AND WHAT YOU EAT. 

I am not a doctor, so DO NOT construe this as medical advice.  I can only tell you what I have learned that works for me, and give you food for thought.

After BBC broke the news on a  2x increase of suicides  in power plant workers exposed to high magnetic fields, I would be cautious of reading a paper with my chair propped up against a 3-phase transformer for a 50kw transmitter.  The article also brings up an association with depression and decreased Melatonin and Seratonin levels.

Keep up with Consumer Groups that are looking out for your health.

• Exercise is one of the most important thing in life. 
  

• Drink more than half gallon of water a day!  Stay away from the "purified" stuff if you can.  Your car battery and steam iron do not need the Calcium, Magnesium and other minerals found in water, but your body does.  I've heard that a lack of fluids can even cause an irregular heart beat.  You regularly change the oil in your car, so why pump sludge through your arteries?  "CLUSTERED WATER" is HYPE.   "VITAMIN O"  is salt water, sold for up to $65.00 an ounce.  The FTC took it's HYPEsters to court! 
  

•  CANCER MAY BE PREVENTABLE  
  

• If your job requires you to sit for a long period of time, the most important thing you can do is get up and walk around every half hour or so.  If you've been sitting for a long time, massage your "hindquarters" and the back of your thighs.  All of us form small clots when we sit because we restrict blood flow.  The small clots formed are usually broken down by the body, before they can cause serious damage.  Some however, get lodged in the lungs, brain (stroke), or elsewhere.  It is not enough to exercise 30 minutes a day if you sit for hours at a time! You can also drink 100% PURPLE Grape Juice! CAUTION: Check with your doctor first if you are taking blood thinners or any other drugs. While Vitamin D can PREVENT COLON CANCER.  Aspirin is not only good for your heart, but reduces your chance for various cancers, including genetically pre-disposed families, by 35%.
  
  

•  If you don't mind having Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, Arthritis, et., don't Read This.
  
  

• Vitamins and minerals are NOT SUBSTITUTES for food; they SUPPLEMENT it.   NOTE (and this is only MY belief):  Don't rely on foods cooked in a microwave oven for full nutrition ! ! !    Enzymes, Vitamins, and other Nutrients in foods are broken down under high temperatures, so what do you have left???  You still have the minerals and some vitamins, but a mother who breast-feeds her child is told NOT to microwave her stored frozen milk, because it breaks down the enzymes.  Think about it !   Maybe those old cauldrons and crock-pots were really the best way to cook.  Avoid overcooking and overheating your food and you will avoid changing its chemical structure and nutritional value.  You are what you eat. 
  
  

• Fiber is a must. You should be getting 24 grams per day, but most people are lucky to get less than half of that.  Take a close look at the nutrition labels on the foods you eat.  Lack of fiber promotes Colon Cancer, so I've been told (my own mother recently died from it).  Eat whole grain breads, plenty of fruit, and lots of veggies.   The best book I have found is by Dr. Barry Sears, "ENTER THE ZONE".   I use it as a guide, but not as a bible.
  
  

• I avoid  irradiated food and PRESCRIPTIONS sent through the mail.   
  
  

•  NOTE ON IRRADIATION 
  
  

• There are 10 foods that you should eat.
  
  

• Avoid  GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS.
  
  

• AVOID THE "SOY HYPE"
  
  

• As an average ACTIVE person, I should get about 60 grams of protein per day.  I should keep my Carbohydrate intake between 100 to 200 grams per day, and my total fat intake should ideally not exceed 45 grams.    I DO eat FREE RANGING beef sparingly because it contains CLA, a potent anticarcinogenic. My Saturated fat intake should not exceed 20 grams per day.  I try to eat smaller meals, usually 4 or 5 per day, but I don't hesitate to "pig out" at my favorite restaurant.  I try to keep my portion of meats and fish no larger than the size of the palm of my hand, eat plenty of different colored vegetables, and go easy on the breads, buns, gravy, salad dressing, and butter.  (Did you know a Caesar Salad can have in excess of 60 grams of fat?)
  
  

• I use butter and  AVOID  HYDROGENATED FOODS,  especially margarine, french fries, and hydrogenated peanut butter (which has the peanut oil removed, and hydrogenated Canola Oil added for that "creamy smooth" texture).   "Mono-Diglycerides"  is just a new name for HYDROGENATED OILS
  
  

• Know the dangers of TRANS FATTY ACIDS:   The New England Journal of Medicine -- June 24, 1999 -- Vol. 340, No. 25
  
  

• Erin recently showed me some articles warning about the   DANGERS OF CANOLA OIL.    Canola Oil is listed as both a food and a PESTICIDE with the EPA.  Despite all these warnings, the debate about Canola Oil is not finished.....  but to be on the safe side, I'll stick with Olive Oil for the time being. 
  
     

• I eat Oatmeal at least 3 times a week (but avoid "Quick" or "Instant" Oatmeal).   Oats provide GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid).  GLA is necessary throughout life, but the human body cannot produce GLA  for the first several months of life.  That's why breast-fed babies are healthier, leaner, and have a head start on life.  
  
  

• Eat Salmon at least twice a week.  The Omega-3 Fatty Acids  combine with the GLA in the Oatmeal, and from what I've learned and felt, is necessary for good health under stress, and proper GH release, which decreases as you get older.
  
  

• STAY AWAY FROM REGULAR USE OF DHEA (just my opinion). This is a Hormone.....   Don't try to fool Mother Nature.    USA WEEKEND: Eat Smart by Jean Carper, 2/15/98     ("DHEA can trigger heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats -- possibly even a heart attack, warns Los Angeles physician Ray Sahelian, author of DHEA: A Practical Guide.)
  
  

• AVOID SWEETS, SODA, AND OTHER SIMPLE SUGARS WITHIN 3 HOURS OF GOING TO SLEEP.  Your body releases GH (Growth Hormone) after you go to sleep, but releases less if insulin is present.   GH directly affects your immune system. 
  
  

• I  AVOID ASPARTAME 
  
  

• Don't cheat your body out of sleep.   No project is more important than your life. 
  
  

• Vitamins and Minerals, especially  iron,  are necessary for good health, but an excess can be detrimental.  A good Vitamin-Mineral formula for me is a product by "SOLARAY" called "SPECTRO".  If you are a male, and take in enough iron through foods,  the "IRON FREE" version is recommended, because additional iron supposedly results in arterial plaque in men.  Women need the additional iron.
  Spectro ^TM Multi-Vita-Min IRON FREE is a favorite.  "BABY ME NOW" is a Pre-Natal vitamin that is quite complete for both women and men.
  

• FOLIC ACID  is highly recommended to reduce fat lipids in the blood, called TRIGLYCERIDES.  Many in the health field say that Triglycerides are a more important risk factor than cholesterol.   I take 800 mcg of FOLIC ACID per day, in addition to what I get in the "SPECTRO" Vitamin-Mineral formula.  
  
  

• Vitamins A, E, and C act synergistically, that is, when they are used together, they are much more potent than their individual sum.  Vitamins A, E, and C are the most well known  FREE RADICAL  Quenchers.  FREE RADICALS can also be a source of health food store hype, so please read about   FREE RADICALS from GRAY Cancer Labs.  BE INFORMED FROM NEUTRAL SOURCES - DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.  For those who have had heart attacks, or to help prevent them, here is a good article from The National Institute Of Health  (nih.gov).
  
  
  I take Supplementary Vitamin C  a couple of times a day, but I take it in a  500 mg CHEWABLE tablet form called "Orange Juce" by "NATURE'S PLUS"      Why burn a hole in your stomach by taking this ACID in a pill form without eating a meal?   I've also heard the body won't absorb more than 250 mg of Vitamin C at one time.  Just because you take a 500 mg dose doesn't mean your body can use 100% of it.  If your body absorbs 50% of it, you're in the ball-park.
  
  

• Many Vitamins are ACIDS, so take them in the middle of a meal.
  
  

• Now we come to one of the most important recent breakthroughs.  This is a class of drugs known as   NSAIDs   (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs).  As medical science traces back the causes of diseases, and the breakdown of the body and its functions, one thing stands out above all others: inflammation.   Inflammation is a by-product of natural body functions, including the immune system.  Remember that swelling when that  #&!!#@  wrench slipped?
  
  Enter a product that is 100% Natural, called ZYFLAMEND.   The more we find out about medical science and COX-2 Inhibitors, the more we have to say that Grandmother was right.  Spices like Turmeric (first prescribed by Hippocrates), Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, et. have been found to have fantastic  anti - inflammatory properties, great for arthritis and pain, supposedly preventing and/or relieving even migraine headaches, replacing Aspirin, extending the quality of life, with claims as an aid in Alzheimer's,  Colon and Lung Cancer, et.   
  
  I now take this faithfully, but for a totally different and unexpected reason: 
  
  For me it has virtually stopped the occasional PVCs that comes along with MVP (Mitrol Valve Prolapse).   SURPRISED?   I know I was.  It may just be a fluke with me, but the darned stuff works for me, and it's not even a prescription drug!  It usually sells for around $25, but I buy it on the internet for $13.95    ZYFLAMEND can be found here    Please be aware of JAMA warnings on some COX-2 Inhibitors.
  
  

•  Another supplement is "GLUCOSAMINE & CONDROITIN".  This stuff is now widely known for it's proven ability to retard and / or prevent deterioration of cartilage in joints.   I started taking this before it became a fad, because I have played PaddleBall on a concrete surface since 1985.  I have seen kids in their teens with knee braces, yet I have had no problems, and I used to play 2-3 hrs per day.  I'll leave the search for the best price to you.  You may want to look into a formula that also contains MSM , but I would personally hesitate to take 2-6 grams per day that some recommend.
  
  

• Dental Hygiene is  EXTREMELY  important.  I've heard some Pharos died very young because of Gum Disease and Rotting Teeth.  See your dental hygienist regularly.
  
  

• GIVE YOUR BRAIN A REST.   After a hectic day at work, think about taking a quiet walk, instead of flooding your body with adrenalin, caused by watching "COPS" on TV.
  
  

• A Cure for Alzheimer's Disease may be around the corner.  Researchers at University of California, San Diego, will be starting trials using Gene Therapy on humans in 2001.  Monkey Brains have been injected with NGF (Nerve Growth Factor) and results are very promising.   "Side Effects" also include a reversal of aging in the brain.  More information about Alzheimer's is available at http://www.alz.org/ 
  

• Many clinical trials are going on for a variety of ailments (including cancer), but are not generally known to the public.  They are listed at  http://clinicaltrials.gov/ 
  
  

• Avoid Pesticides.
  
  

• Avoid MSG.
  
  

• Check for MOLD in your Home or Office
  
  

• Be alert to news on irradiated foods
  
  

Please keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you, and in no way should this be taken as medical advice.  See a doctor before you try anything you are not sure of.   

Many Foods, Herbs, and Spices are Natural Blood Thinners or do not work well with other drugs.  A friend reported that the widely touted "CO Q10" inhibited her prescribed Beta-Blocker Medication.   I recently read that while aspirin and red wine reduce blood platelet clotting 45%, a glass of dark grape juice reduces platelet clotting by 70%.  Don't settle for a bottle of "Grape Juice" that contains "10% REAL JUICE".  Buy 100% Grape Juice.   You wouldn't feed your car "10% REAL GAS".   

Do your homework and determine interactions between foods, supplements, and prescription drugs.

interesting reading:  

 DOSE-RESPONSE CANCERS NEAR BROADCAST TOWERS  

 ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS RAISE 'SUICIDE RISKS'  

http://www.keepantibioticsworking.com/pages/home.cfm 

http://www.relfe.com/microwave.html   Interesting article on microwave cooking 

 FOOD CONTAMINATION 

http://www.health-heart.org/ 

MAD COW USA 

I love playing Paddleball, Tennis, Cycling, and Dancing.  My purpose in sharing this information with you is for YOU to become more aware of YOU, not your JOB.  My feeling is that living to 100 is no good if you've spent your latter years in pain and diminished brain and motor function.  It's never too late to start life anew. 

Enjoy your life, and God Bless.

LLoyd Phillips
PHILLIPS MICROTECHNOLOGY INC.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that these pages are for educational and research purposes only.  These pages are not medical advice. The information on this web site is NOT for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Please consult your physician for your health problems. Thank you.