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Articles from Bette Dowdell | Selfgrowth.com
- The Case of the Sun Screen Killer - by Submitted on Jul 20, 2009 from Bette DowdellSome years back, about thirty or so, the medicos labeled the sun an enemy agent. We all needed to slather on sun screen all day, every day, or risk dying of melanoma in slightly more than a trice. If, like me, you’ve lost a loved one to melanoma, you reacted quickly and positively, making sun ...
Views: 1520 - Get Off That Treadmill! - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2009 from Bette DowdellIf you belong to the longer-is-better treadmill school of thought, you might want to reconsider. And if long distance running takes your time, you really need to think it through. Especially if you buy into the idea of high carb fueling. High carb fueling burns the fire hotter, that’s for ...
Views: 1966(2 votes) - Talking About Aging and Disease - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2009 from Bette DowdellPeople in the health biz throw around the lingo as if everybody has a clue. Well, some do, but some don’t. And even those that do may recognize the word without understanding its meaning. So, lets talk some terminology. Especially about things that drag us down–including body parts that ...
Views: 1579(2 votes) - How Much Exercise is Good Exercise? - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2009 from Bette DowdellExercise can kill you. Well, so can lots of other things, but people tout exercise as all good, all the time. Before couch potatoes get excited here, life as an inanimate object doesn’t get excellent results either. Well, then, obviously, some middle ground exists. However, since slugs ...
Views: 1716 - Ice Your Muscle Pain Away - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2009 from Bette DowdellMuscle problems tend to accompany endocrine issues, especially adrenal glands that can’t or won’t keep up. Of course, they also tend to accompany life as a jock or a do-it-yourselfer. But with endocrine people, muscles act up without a cause. As the song says, that’s life. Our muscles get ...
Views: 1411 - Coffee: The Health Drink - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2009 from Bette DowdellConventional wisdom says coffee’s bad. Doctors agree. Magazines second the motion. You can hardly find a kind word about coffee. Which is just a tad bizarre because coffee is a health drink. Since nearly 90% of the U. S. population drinks the stuff, this comes under the heading of good ...
Views: 1290 - The TSH Gotcha - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2009 from Bette DowdellWe have before us multiple scenarios, all of which start and end in the same place. (This is going to be a tad long, so grab a cup of coffee to see you through to the end.) The adventure starts when you drag into the doctor’s office complaining about weight gain, extreme fatigue, thinning ...
Views: 2100 - Vitamin C: Good for What Ails You - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2009 from Bette DowdellDid you know that some animals produce their own Vitamin C? They never get heart disease. No atherosclerosis. No heart attacks. Just singing a song all the day long. Sad to report, humans aren’t part of that happy group. Heart disease runs rampant amongst humans. Hark, Sherlock, might that ...
Views: 1532(1 vote) - Phthalate: The Hidden Poison - by Submitted on May 26, 2009 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 “softener” added to plastics, cosmetics and everything else they can lay their hands on. It goes without saying that it knocks the ...
Views: 1566 - In Praise of Cholesterol - by Submitted on May 24, 2009 from Bette DowdellCan we all get over our fixation on cholesterol? I mean, now that it’s clear that cholesterol isn’t what’s causing heart disease? But, but, but, if cholesterol is building up in my arteries, doesn’t that mean cholesterol’s the problem? Actually, no. Your cholesterol is simply trying to ...
Views: 1446(1 vote) - Could it Be Lyme Disease? - by Submitted on May 24, 2009 from Bette DowdellA dismayed grandmother said her precious grandson was diagnosed and treated as autistic–when, in fact, he has lyme disease. She reports that a recent study said 90% of California kids diagnosed with autism actually had lyme. Then she asked the jackpot question: How come doctors don’t know ...
Views: 1499 - The Standard of Care Catastrophe - by Submitted on May 12, 2009 from Bette DowdellThe latest Big Thing in medicine is “Standard of Care.” It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? The name alone makes you believe that no matter what doctor you go to, there’s a Standard of Care ensuring a quality outcome. What a comforting thought. Clever name, that. The sad truth is ...
Views: 1370 - The Mercury Contradiction - by Submitted on May 04, 2009 from Bette DowdellDid’ja ever get the feeling you’re in Wonderland looking for Alice? Where two plus two doesn’t equal four any more, and too much of what you see offers only puzzlement? For instance, our powers that be outlawed mercury thermometers. Better you shouldn’t know your temperature than risk ...
Views: 1379 - Flaxseed: The Ticket to Where You Don't Want to Go - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2009 from Bette DowdellFish oil’s good for you. Everybody says so. Yeah, fish oil, that’s the ticket. Well, what about all the warnings about mercury in fish? Okay then, flaxseed’s good for you. Everybody says so. Yeah, flaxseed, that’s the ticket. Begging your pardon and all, but there’s a teensy problem ...
Views: 1780(1 vote) - One-Diagnosis-Fits-All Medicine - by Submitted on Apr 23, 2009 from Bette DowdellHere’s the scene: You go to the doctor dragging your patooty behind you. Your body got fat, but your hair got thin. Overwhelmed by a whole new definition of tired, you find yourself doing beached whale impressions while life goes to pot. Well, who could cope anyway? For all you know, your ...
Views: 1300 - The Fluoride Fraud - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2009 from Bette DowdellEnough with the fluoride already! Communities began adding fluoride to our drinking water based on “scientific” studies–which turned out to be bogus–claiming fluoride would protect our teeth from cavities. Based on the same “science,” companies put the stuff in toothpaste. Fact is, fluoride ...
Views: 1383(2 votes) - Autism Wars - by Submitted on Apr 03, 2009 from Bette DowdellWanna choose sides in the latest autism war? One side says the mother’s lack of Vitamin D during pregnancy causes autism, while the other side says it’s the glutamate that’s in the many immunization shots babies and young children receive. Let’s take a look-see. Autism comes from brain ...
Views: 1580(1 vote) - Do-It-Yourself Brain Damage - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2009 from Bette DowdellEvery day of every year, people across the fruited plain engage in do-it-yourself brain damage. Sadly, they have no idea. How can this be? I’m glad you asked. First, some background: Along the bottom of the brain is a small, sort of pancake-shaped thingy called the hypothalamus. And ...
Views: 1380 - The Endocrine System is King of the Hill - by Submitted on Mar 17, 2009 from Bette DowdellProblems of the endocrine system are everywhere, often unacknowledged and untreated by most doctors. People talk freely about the thyroid, and they should; it’s estimated 40% of us have thyroid problems. Adrenal fatigue is in style–and uglier than massive shoulder pads ever were–so we’re ...
Views: 1624 - Is Your Hand Lotion Doing You In? - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2009 from Bette DowdellThe incidence of thyroid disease doubled in the last thirty-or-so years. Auto-immune diseases, which relate to the endocrine system, are skyrocketing. So, too, are diseases of the brain, such as autism, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer Disease. A significant part of the problem is the ...
Views: 1232 - Salting Your Way to Energy - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2009 from Bette DowdellSo, let’s talk about salt. Poor salt! It pours out its very life to benefit mankind and gets only disdain in return. Well, maybe that’s a little over the top, but salt doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets. It’s not manna from heaven, but it’s good stuff. Essential to life stuff. Here’s ...
Views: 1250 - Does God Understand Life in a Cubicle? - by Submitted on Mar 02, 2009 from Bette DowdellOr, for that matter, does God understand what’s going on in the life of a road warrior sales person? Or life on a clanging, banging, push, push, push assembly line? Or on an oil rig? As part of a building crew? To tell the truth, the God of our Sunday School days kind of comes across as a ...
Views: 1271(1 vote) - Parkinson's Disease Ain't For Sissies - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2009 from Bette DowdellMy mom lived with Parkinson’s Disease the last seventeen ears of her life, Let me tell you for sure and for certain that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is more like scaling Everest than walking in the park. It’s uphill all the way, with no certainty about the about the twists and turns you’ll ...My ...
Views: 1265 - The Sorry Truth About Soy - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2009 from Bette DowdellThere’s a huge soy bandwagon roaring down the tracks. It’s everywhere; 60% of prepared foods contain soy. Even some vitamins, too. Can we talk about this? Of course it’s everywhere; it’s the cheapest and easiest crop to grow. Farmers make some money. Food ...
Views: 1249 - Thyroid Problems - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2009 from Bette DowdellBack in the olden days–say 1960–doctors diagnosed thyroid problems by asking about symptoms, then working to alleviate them. Simple system, that. And it worked for the 20% of the population with flaky thyroid glands. Ah, but then blood tests, purportedly able to diagnose thyroid ...
Views: 1568 - The Cause of Constant Fatigue - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2009 from Bette DowdellI’ve been dealing with an underperforming pituitary gland most of my life–possibly from a seemingly minor head injury when a drunk driver hit my parent’s car during my eleventh month. However it happened, the deal is this: When the pituitary ain’t happy, ain’t ...
Views: 1320 - Earning A Praise And Worship Brown Belt - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2008 from Bette DowdellPity the poor novice who innocently walks into a ‘with it’ church to worship. They expect to hear a little music, perhaps a reading from the Bible and somebody talking about God. But in the ‘Church of What’s Happnin’ Now,’ these stunned, would-be ...Pity ...
Views: 1255 - Planeturine.com - by Submitted on May 15, 2008 from Bette DowdellYou know life is not all you hoped it might be when you find yourself spending time at www.planeturine.com. Pray let me tell you a story of staggering to triumph through, over and around adversity. Once upon a time a girl named Bette thought it good to move from Tucson to Phoenix. Bette, you ...
Views: 1196 - Learning Pain's Lessons - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2008 from Bette DowdellI talk to pretty much everybody. Starting conversations with strangers is my normal modus operandi. I mean, why stand in a line mute, an island unto myself, when I can have a perfectly lovely conversation with somebody I haven’t yet met? And I don’t talk about the weather. I talk ...
Views: 1166 - How To Make It Through Life's Train Wrecks - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2008 from Bette DowdellSomehow, despite all our hopes, dreams and efforts, life became a train-wreck. We may or may not have had an inkling of the impending doom. Perhaps we were in denial or maybe completely unaware of what was swirling around just out of sight. We may have seen it coming but didn’t realize its ...
Views: 1045 - It's Always About the Timing - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2007 from Bette DowdellSo, here’s the situation: We’re thinking about making some changes in life, and we’re wondering how to spot the perfect time to act. Perfect timing means perfect success, right? Here's a news flash. There are no perfect times. There are bad times, good times, even excellent ...
Views: 994 - In Praise of Strong-Willed Children - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2007 from Bette DowdellCervantes said, "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady." As a matter of fact, a faint heart never won much of anything. But put a little determination and will into that heart, and it can shoot the moon. What you hear, though, is that parents should prefer the faint heart, that is, the passive ...
Views: 1236 - The Problem With Sheep - by Submitted on Jul 03, 2007 from Bette DowdellYou want dumb as a brick? You want too dense to get out of their own way? Get yourself some sheep. Quarry rocks have higher IQs than sheep. In any cavalcade of dumb things, sheep always lead the parade. Animal lovers argue about animal intelligence. Pigs, they say, are really intelligent. ...
Views: 7857 - What to Do When Life Dumps Lemons All Over Your Head - by Submitted on Jun 20, 2007 from Bette DowdellWe’ve all heard the old saying that goes, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Now there’s a thought. We surely have to do something with the lemons as they come along. Sucking on lemons takes the enamel right off your teeth, so we don’t want to do that. Letting ...
Views: 1259 - Emotional Strength Through Muscle Building - by Submitted on May 24, 2007 from Bette DowdellIt’s a much mourned fact of life that watching exercise videos doesn't build muscles. Couch potatoes who can legitimately boast about six-pack abs don’t exist. Reading bodybuilding books doesn't get the job done, either. Reading can take us on many wondrous journeys of the mind, ...
Views: 1061 - A Shortage of Grownups - by Submitted on May 11, 2007 from Bette DowdellBabies show the world what selfish looks like. On a whim, they set up a wail loud enough to wake the dead–or at least it sounds that way at 2:00 a.m. No matter that others may be tired or sick or have to go to work. Babies want what they want when they want it. So stop sniveling. Some ...
Views: 1334 - Job's Comforters - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2007 from Bette DowdellSo there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks–dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe–or bomb–will drop next, and up walks Job’s comforter. You may remember Job from the Bible. A rich, powerful man, a great father and good in every way was Job ...So ...
Views: 1313 - Death by Label - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2007 from Bette DowdellThe whole world's in the label business. Every time we turn around, somebody's jamming a label on us. Not those “Hi, My name is” stick-ums, Not any sort of tangible, visible label, in fact, but psychological Post-It® notes. Even early on in life, we’re covered with ...
Views: 1068 - The Perfection Myth - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2007 from Bette DowdellYou're not perfect. I'm not perfect. Nobody's perfect. Give it up. Nobody likes their nose. Or their knees, for that matter. Everybody finds annoying lumps, bumps and wrinkles, typically invisible to others, in various and sundry locations on their body. And if you have kids, ideas of ...
Views: 1151 - The Road to Death Goes through Tolerance - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2007 from Bette DowdellTolerance. It’s a good thing, a socially desirable thing, isn’t it? What could possibly be wrong with tolerance? I’m so glad you asked. Here’s what’s wrong: The magnificently sold idea of tolerance is, in fact, destroying our highest and best values in life. ...
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