Your World is Spinning! It Could Be Vertigo
by Dr. Brazos Minshew, Chief Science Officer
There are two times when your world will spin: When you are in love, and when you have vertigo! Since there is no cure for being in love, this Weekly Wellness Report will cover the remedies for vertigo.
 |
| Benign vertigo Vertigo is not usually a sign of a serious disease. It is typically transient (it comes and goes) and resolves on its own without medical care. The most common cause is an upper respiratory infection such as a sinus infection. Most people who suffer with vertigo learn instinctively to sit up slowly and avoid quick movements of the head. If benign vertigo is associated with allergies, Vitamin C is in my personal opinion an absolutely awesome antihistamine. Using the Vitamin C flush* will often bring relief from signs and symptoms of allergies. If the vertigo is associated with bronchial or sinus congestion, adding TriVita’s Breathe Easy formula to your supplement regimen can help. Breathe Easy works by drying out excessive mucous, and thinning normal body fluids. This is important because one of the causes of vertigo is abnormal movement of the fluid and crystals in the inner ear. During a recent TriVita event in Vancouver, Canada, I experienced vertigo following a head cold. I was dreading my presentation because of the dizziness. Fortunately, an enthusiastic TriVita supporter shared her Breathe Easy with me and the vertigo – as well as the head cold symptoms – cleared very rapidly. Dangerous vertigo Head trauma and clogged arteries require medical intervention. These conditions also require extra nutrients called antioxidants. An antioxidant is a special nutrient that reduces oxidation. Oxidation can be likened to rust in your blood vessels, brain and inner ear. One family of antioxidants has a special affinity for the tiny blood vessels in the frontal lobe of the brain, the inner ear and the eyes. These antioxidants are found in TriVita’s VisionGuard. A certain type of tumor called an acoustic neuroma may cause vertigo. These are rare tumors, but the incidence of acoustic neuroma seems to increase with cell phone usage. The evidence for this link is weak but troubling. Certainly, we should take appropriate precautions when using cell phones while scientists further investigate the link between cell phones and acoustic neuromas. Meniere’s disease Unfortunately, damaged nerves heal slowly. Vitamin B-12 may help speed the repair of damaged nerves. Certainly, the antioxidant remedies mentioned above may add to the health of the blood vessels in the inner ear. Learning to listen *Please check with your healthcare provider before starting the Vitamin C Flush. Source: TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report December 6, 2008 |
Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema
| by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer A man with emphysema was asked about his experience with the disease. He answered by describing the desperation of never getting a full breath. “What if you went to take a breath and nothing happened?” he asked. That is what having emphysema is like: you breathe, but nothing happens. Oxygen cannot get in and carbon dioxide can’t get out. The result is a feeling of slow suffocation. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are also called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These two conditions affect more than 25 million people in North America. COPD is the #4 killer right now and, with the current rate of increase, it is destined to be the #3 killer in just a few short years. |
 |
| Common causes Emphysema is triggered by smoking and irritants in the air. Emphysema traps carbon dioxide in the lungs and prevents oxygen from getting into the bloodstream. An interesting facet of our lung physiology is that the urge to breathe is triggered by an increase in carbon dioxide, not a deficiency of oxygen. As carbon dioxide builds up, the urge to breathe reaches a point of panic and desperation. This is the experience of people with emphysema. Chronic bronchitis is caused by inflammation in the lungs from pollution, allergy, infection and certain enzyme deficiencies. Often, medications that open the airways and bring relief to people that suffer with chronic bronchitis cause great distress when they wear off and the airways snap closed again. The rate of COPD from chronic bronchitis is increasing every year as pollution and allergies increase. Reducing your risk Avoiding irritants. Triggers for COPD include smoke and pollution. One key to respiratory health is isolation from these irritants.
Using Vitamin C as an antihistamine can also help protect delicate lung tissues from damaging pollution – including pollen. If inflammation has already developed in the lungs, proteolytic enzymes such as those found in Breathe Easy can be helpful. Another enzyme called CoEnzyme Q-10 is critical for lung health as it helps increase energy in the lung tissues and helps reduce resistance in the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Finally, antioxidants such as those found in Adaptogen 10 Plus and Super Antioxidant Complex can help improve your lungs’ ability to function under even the most difficult circumstances. The importance of breath
Source: TriVita Wellness Report, November 15, 2008 |
