Articles from Bette Dowdell | Selfgrowth.com
- ***The Reach-Out-And-Touch-Everything Immune System
- by
Submitted on Jan 27, 2015 from Bette DowdellDid you ever wonder how your body protects itself from disease? More important, did you ever wonder how you could help get the job done? Well, you probably know that your immune system leads the battle against diseases. And you may even know this defense system is the most complicated system ...
Views:1409
- ***Hypoglycemia: First The Truck Hits You, Then You Pass Out
- by
Submitted on Jan 13, 2015 from Bette DowdellMost of us know that our bodies create insulin to handle the sugary treats we eat. And most of us know we get diabetes if our insulin can’t get the job done. What few of us know is what happens when insulin does its job too well. It’s hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, and it’s the pits. I’ve ...
Views:1520
- ***How Much Protein Do You Need?
- by
Submitted on Jan 06, 2015 from Bette DowdellThe government’s food pyramid and leading poobahs recommend that we eat very little protein, which is a no-science, no-facts recipe for disaster. In fact, most politically-correct thinking about health leads to poor health, even disease and death. How much protein you need is a case in ...
Views:1517
( 1 vote) - ***Mold Allergies And The Immune System
- by
Submitted on Dec 16, 2014 from Bette DowdellMold allergies are as common as dirt. Perhaps because the mold spores that cause the allergy are in dirt–from sea to shining sea and around the world, and dirt is out to play dirty tricks on you. Of course, any body of water, such as a lake, produces clouds of mold spores to play havoc with ...
Views:2042
- ***Bette’s Excellent Adventure
- by
Submitted on Dec 02, 2014 from Bette DowdellMold is my enemy, and it’s everywhere! In fact, it lives in all the soil, in all the world. Well, you ask, if mold lives in the dirt, how can it jump up and attack? Ah, my little chickadee, it has no need to do anything. The gentlest breeze wafts mold spores into the air where they weasel ...
Views:1450
- ***The Unknown Glands of the Immune System
- by
Submitted on Nov 19, 2014 from Bette DowdellOur thymus gland, leader of the immune system’s world, starts out strong, but as the years go by, sayeth the poobahs, it becomes a shadow of its former self, ending as just a few, lonely fat cells with no power, no glory. And that’s when cancer and other bad guys take us down. This is just ...
Views:1408
- ***We Are Seriously Doomed
- by
Submitted on Nov 13, 2014 from Bette DowdellA while back, Dr. Steve Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology, along with ten other prominent physicians, offered an outstanding proposal that would immeasurably improve medical care in this country. And what is this great idea? Take control of medicine back from Big Pharma, ...
Views:1280
- ***The Wonder of Parsley
- by
Submitted on Oct 25, 2014 from Bette DowdellParsley is the Rodney Dangerfield of herbs; it gets no respect. Probably not even from Rodney Dangerfield. We’re talking NO respect. Once upon a time, most restaurants used parsley as a perky, colorful accompaniment on your plate, whatever you ordered. Most eaters ignored it, though, pretty ...
Views:1394
- ***Facing Down Ebola
- by
Submitted on Oct 04, 2014 from Bette DowdellI tell you true, this Ebola thing is a mess, and the reactions to it are not promising. Medicine has nothing to offer, so they’re in a panic. Which means the media is beating a very loud drum about death and mayhem marching in shortly. Meanwhile, the President has sent soldiers, trained ...
Views:1341
- ***The Misery of Nerve Pain
- by
Submitted on Sep 24, 2014 from Bette DowdellJane asks: "Will you please write about neuropathic pain and ways to alleviate it?" Neuropathic pain, a form of neuropathy, comes from nerve damage that causes pain, tingling, and burning–alternately or all at the same time. Some liken it to electrical shocks. It's estimated that more than ...
Views:1571
- ***Thyroid, Metabolism and All That Jazz
- by
Submitted on Sep 09, 2014 from Bette DowdellThyroid, Metabolism and All That Jazz Kelly asks, “How can my husband jumpstart his metabolism to lose weight? His TSH is ‘in normal limits’ at 1.1 and his Free T3 is low at 2.3, but his doctor won’t treat him since his TSH is normal.” Well, Kelly, before I launch, let me explain your ...
Views:1173
- ***Three More Health-Improving Tips
- by
Submitted on Sep 05, 2014 from Bette Dowdell1. Today’s first tip is you should breathe. Well, that sounds pretty obvious, but there’s breathing and then there’s breathing. Most people, especially those in less than tip-top health, take shallow breaths. And that’s part of why they’re dragging their ...
Views:1183
- ***Three Easy-Peasey Health Tips
- by
Submitted on Aug 15, 2014 from Bette DowdellYou deserve a break today, so let’s talk about some things you can do for your health that don’t require heavy lifting, grunting, panting or any other sort of exhaustion. Some people like extreme exercise, but most don’t. Either way, healthy living shouldn’t feel like punishment. And here are ...
Views:1148
- ***The Power of Garlic
- by
Submitted on Aug 08, 2014 from Bette DowdellWell, now, you probably think I’m talking about the odor, but no. Powerful as it is, the smell of garlic can’t hold a candle to all the wonders this homely herb can do. And garlic’s no newcomer on the block. Back in 3748 B.C., Egyptian slaves went on strike when they didn’t get their ration ...
Views:1193
- ***A Close Look at a Multi
- by
Submitted on Jul 31, 2014 from Bette DowdellA doc from Harvard Medical School published some findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association a while back. The two top-notch names like Harvard and AMA aside, you’ll want to know a few things before you start believing all the article said. This study says multivitamins ...
Views:1104
- Is Your Liver Talking to You?
- by
Submitted on Jul 18, 2014 from Bette DowdellLiver disease is on the warpath–from sea to shining sea and around the world. If you have endocrine problems, the liver tsunami probably hit you. Perhaps your endo problems whacked the liver. Or maybe vice versa. It’s kind of like a tag team of misery. And since liver problems put a world ...
Views:1218
- ***INNOCENT-LOOKING ENEMIES
- by
Submitted on Jul 03, 2014 from Bette DowdellWe’re surrounded by health enemies, and that’s a fact. Trouble is, they seem like such a part of everyday life, we don’t realize they might not be friends. One enemy was born in 1974, fluorescent lights. First, it was long tubes; now it’s curly-cue bulbs. Trouble, I ...
Views:1144
( 1 vote) - ***Have You Poked Your Lymph System Today?
- by
Submitted on Jul 03, 2014 from Bette DowdellI tell you true, our bodies are a wonder. Leading the parade of wonder is our endocrine system, a model of intricate cooperation. Part of the endocrine system, the immune system, is a complex mystery all on its own. And a part of the immune system, the lymphatic system, raises ...
Views:1043
( 1 vote) - ***THIS SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT . . .
- by
Submitted on Jun 27, 2014 from Bette DowdellThe immune system is kind of a mystery. We don’t hear much about where any of our immune system parts are, what they do, how they do whatever it is they do, etc. Well, maybe you’ve heard of lymph glands. Perhaps a huge lump showed up on the side of your neck–which, you decide, ...
Views:1353
- ***The Blank Slate of Seeing What Isn’t There
- by
Submitted on Jun 20, 2014 from Bette DowdellIn my articles, The Blank Slate Myth and The Dietitian’s Blank Slate, I wrote about the blind spot of seeing only what you want to see so you can do what you want to do. Today, let’s talk about the blank slate of doctors. With so many examples and so little time, where do I ...
Views:1047
- ***The Dietitians’ Blank Slate
- by
Submitted on Jun 13, 2014 from Bette DowdellIn The Blank Slate Myth, I talked about parents who see newborn babies as blank slates, an invitation to push, pull and otherwise shape their kids to fit their parental fancies. Well, good luck with that. And parents aren’t the only blank-slate believers. Hoo boy! Medicine comes ...
Views:1142
( 1 vote) - ***The Blank Slate Myth
- by
Submitted on Jun 05, 2014 from Bette DowdellHave you ever met people committed to the idea that babies arrive as blank slates. Beyond body parts, a lot of noise at one end and foul deeds at the other, babies, they believe, have nothing. No personality. No talents. No will. No inbred likes or dislikes. Just pure nothingness, a blank ...
Views:1328
( 1 vote) - ***Enemies Are Everywhere!
- by
Submitted on May 23, 2014 from Bette DowdellHave you been reading about phthalate? (Phthal as in thal, rhymes with Hal.) Yikes! Talk about your basic poison! This stuff is murder! Phthalate is a toxic “softener” added to plastics, cosmetics and everything else they can lay their hands on. For starters, it throws the endocrine ...
Views:1229
( 2 votes) - ***A Glimmer of Marginally Good News
- by
Submitted on May 09, 2014 from Bette DowdellOn May 1, 2013, neuroscientists announced, in the journal Nature, that the hypothalamus is important. Well, yeah! That baby is part of the brain and controls both the nervous system and the endocrine system, which, in turn, control everything that happens in our bodies. I think we can all ...
Views:1127
( 1 vote) - ***Saturated Fat: Friend or Foe?
- by
Submitted on May 02, 2014 from Bette DowdellAccording to just about everything to you read or hear, saturated fat is bad, bad, bad. Dietitians say so. Doctors, too. Magazines follow along. Televisions shows such as “The Biggest Loser” agree. It’s kind of like some sort of mantra that gets repeated endlessly. One teensy little ...
Views:1142
( 2 votes) - ***A Closer Look at Protein
- by
Submitted on Apr 25, 2014 from Bette DowdellAll proteins are not created equal. For instance, animal protein provides more health benefits than plant protein. To make the imbalance larger, a lot of plant protein comes from soy. Besides not having the oomph of animal protein, soy is really hard on the body. It beats up your thyroid, ...
Views:1226
( 1 vote) - ***Body Connections
- by
Submitted on Apr 18, 2014 from Bette DowdellQuite a few of you responded to the 2014 “What Should Bette Write About” Contest saying you wanted me to continue to write about how the endocrine system works. Well, murder mysteries never go out of style, and neither do the mysteries of the endocrine system. According to studies, 50% of ...
Views:1170
- ***Your Thyroid on Drugs
- by
Submitted on Apr 10, 2014 from Bette DowdellPrescription drugs are dangerous, a leading cause of death year in and year out. Some drugs slay you in one fell swoop, but most just nibble your health away. To give you examples, I went to a health site that lists drug side effects. Since I write about the endocrine system, I looked at ...
Views:1176
( 1 vote) - ***Coconut Oil
- by
Submitted on Apr 07, 2014 from Bette DowdellWhat with all the publicity it’s getting lately, it probably won’t come as news to you that coconut oil’s pretty astonishing stuff. A medium-chain saturated fat, wondrous coconut oil blesses the socks off your body. First, since our endocrine system makes its hormones from saturated fat, ...
Views:1429
( 1 vote) - ***Death by Caffeine?
- by
Submitted on Mar 28, 2014 from Bette DowdellPerhaps you read about the death of John Jackson, of West Midands, England. The 40-year-old Mr. Jackson, unable to work because of advanced liver cirrhosis, the result of years of heavy drinking, is said to have died from eating mints. How could mints, specifically Hero Instant Energy ...
Views:1380
- ***Symptoms vs. Causes
- by
Submitted on Mar 17, 2014 from Bette DowdellMedicos diagnose and treat symptoms. All day, every day, only symptoms matter. The cause of the symptoms gets scant, if any, attention. But putting Band-Aids on symptoms–which I call the patch, patch, patch approach–doesn’t work. For instance, diabetes shows up when the body can’t handle ...
Views:1144
( 1 vote) - ***Medicine’s View of the Immune System
- by
Submitted on Mar 07, 2014 from Bette DowdellOur thymus gland, located behind our breast bone, leads the immune system into battle against evildoers intending to snatch our health away. So we know where it is and what it does. And that about sums it up for most of us. It seems like we should know more about such a big-time player, but ...
Views:1020
- ***Your Connected Body
- by
Submitted on Feb 28, 2014 from Bette DowdellWhen it comes to our bodies, everything affects everything because everything’s connected. And our endocrine system sits smack dab in the middle of all this connecting that’s going on. Here’s a quick look at the parts of the endocrine system and what they do (24/7, I might ...
Views:1210
- ***You Mean Cholesterol’s Not A Problem?
- by
Submitted on Feb 21, 2014 from Bette DowdellThe crusade against cholesterol seems to be losing steam, so the poobahs are working on the real cause of heart problems. WooHoo! You shouldn’t hold your breath, howsomever. First off, cholesterol drugs bring in really, really big bucks, and that won’t stop until patients start ...
Views:1075
( 2 votes) - ***Where Medicine Goes Astray
- by
Submitted on Feb 21, 2014 from Bette DowdellMedicine sees our various body parts as separate and entire unto themselves. Each speciality treats a specific body part–with almost no reference to anything else. There’s no point in asking, say, a heart doctor about your digestion. Heart doctors don’t do digestion. And while nobody can ...
Views:1039
( 1 vote) - ***Thyroid, Cholesterol and Statins
- by
Submitted on Feb 14, 2014 from Bette DowdellHalf of us have thyroid problems–most without realizing it. And thyroid problems can cause high cholesterol levels. Few doctors know this however. Besides, it’s easy to prescribe a statin drug, but harder than blue blazes to figure out thyroid problems. So guess what you’re getting, ...
Views:2433
( 1 vote) - ***Unmentioned Ingredients
- by
Submitted on Feb 05, 2014 from Bette DowdellIn 2009, Ronald Ball bought a can of Mountain Dew from the vending machine at work. One swig, and Good Old Ron was throwing up all over the place, sicker than the proverbial dog. Upon breaking the can open and pouring out its contents for a look-see, what to his wondering eyes did appear but ...
Views:1201
( 3 votes) - ***And Yet Another Health Enemy
- by
Submitted on Feb 05, 2014 from Bette DowdellIt interferes with thyroid function. It gets estrogen and testosterone out of whack. It puts a hurt on your immune system by messing with your thymus gland. It increases your chances of becoming resistant to antibiotics. It sets your kids up for asthma and infections. And it’s ...
Views:1200
( 1 vote) - ***Introducing Your Immune System
- by
Submitted on Feb 05, 2014 from Bette DowdellAs your body’s official Defense Department, the immune system protects against all enemies. Toxins in the air. Viruses and bacteria that get into the body. Everything. And immune system headquarters is smack-dab in the middle of the most interactive, butt-into-everybody-else’s-business system ...
Views:1117
- The Toxin in Your Pantry
- by
Submitted on Feb 05, 2014 from Bette DowdellGather round and hear the story of how we’re losing a war to an enemy most people don’t know about. The whole thing started in the 1930s when chemical poobahs decided to create a synthetic form of estrogen and make boodles of money with it. And so it was that they created Bisphenol A ...
Views:1655
( 1 vote) - How Good Timing Affects Your Health
- by
Submitted on Feb 05, 2014 from Bette DowdellFiguring out what we need to do for good health can get pretty complicated, but here are a few, easy-to-implement tips that pay big dividends for not so much effort. • If you’re still trying to lose the Freshman Fifteen after all these years, you’re more likely to get the job done if you ...
Views:1285
- Six Ways to Get Your Energy Back
- by
Submitted on Feb 17, 2012 from Bette DowdellSo, there you are, dragging your patooty through one grey day after another, wondering where your brain went, why your body aches and if you’ll ever feel good again. Even if your doctor checked for thyroid problems, and the flaky blood tests actually found the problem, you probably ended up ...
Views:1538
( 2 votes) - How to Stay Healthy Every Day
- by
Submitted on Feb 04, 2012 from Bette DowdellPerhaps you noticed that I didn’t joined “The sky is falling!” crowd worried about fallout from Japan’s triple disasters. You know, like the warnings to start gobbling down potassium iodide by the handful. Well, actually, while iodide’s great stuff, potassium iodide is a kinda cheap form of ...
Views:1700
( 1 vote) - A Happy Health Food
- by
Submitted on Jan 23, 2012 from Bette DowdellI’m not much on the idea of eating bugs and twigs. And a lot of so-called healthy diets sound pretty twiggy to me. Seems like efforts to make the right health moves should lead to a reward, as in delicious. So today I’m writing about butter. Not just any butter, but KerryGold Irish Butter. ...
Views:1734
- What Causes Digestive Dismay?
- by
Submitted on Jan 12, 2012 from Bette DowdellPerhaps you’re familiar with setting modern indoor speed records to get to the bathroom. And maybe you know about foods racing through your system, stopping only long enough to liquify before demanding “Out! Out!” I could go on, but if you spend time thinking about your digestive activities, ...
Views:1484
- What's the Truth About Cholesterol?
- by
Submitted on Dec 17, 2011 from Bette DowdellNow that you’ve all been taught that saturated fat is bad because it raises your cholesterol level and gives you heart attacks, give me a few moments to unlearn you. Cholesterol is your friend. Your brain, being mostly cholesterol, doesn’t do much of a job when it runs short of the good ...
Views:1148
- Synthetic Estrogen
- by
Submitted on Dec 09, 2011 from Bette DowdellSynthetic estrogens create a huge toxic threat to our health. These estrogens form an advancing army that surrounds us. And we risk our health–even our lives–if we don’t learn what they are and how to avoid them. Bogus estrogens have cut the average testosterone level in half in the last ...
Views:1740
- I Feel a Sigh Coming On
- by
Submitted on Nov 27, 2011 from Bette DowdellWe moved a lot, so I went to ten schools in twelve years. I was always the new kid. Take it from me, most teachers are a whole lot less than delighted when the new kid turns out to be a loud, energetic tomboy who doesn’t pay attention, but still scores the highest test grades. As if that ...
Views:1522
- Dorito Dangers
- by
Submitted on Nov 17, 2011 from Bette DowdellDoritos Well, looky here! I read that the CEO of Frito/Lay describes Doritos as a ‘healthful snack.’ Well, I had to check that out. Who knows? Maybe I could start eating Doritos. So off to the web! Holey Moley! It takes a special kind of dictionary to describe Doritos as ...
Views:8379
- Killer Milk
- by
Submitted on Nov 13, 2011 from Bette DowdellMilk and cookies make a great snack, right? Well, maybe not so much. Besides the fact the cookies almost certainly have high fructose corn syrup in them, everyday milk is a killer. Literally. I mean, you don’t keel over right away, but take it from me, you’re asking for trouble. Here’s ...
Views:1601
Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour