Happy THINdependence Day!	THINspiration July 2000 © 2000 Scott "Q" Marcus, THINspirational Speaker
	Main Topic: Emotional Health Weight Loss Humor Oh To Be Ten Again! Estrogen Issues In The Beginning (A cosmic look at weight loss) Fat Chickens? This Month's Links

Freedom is Not Free

(This was passed along to me and I cannot attest to its truth but it's fascinating.) Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates. Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes this year while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free!

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Emotions Affect Disease: Use Head to Protect Heart

Neala S. Schwartzberg, Medical Writer

Most of us live in a world in which pills make medical problems go away. But our minds, beliefs, and moods can be just as powerful as many medications, especially when it comes to heart disease. Recent studies have shown that our heads are instrumental in keeping our hearts healthy. We often look at someone in the midst of a full-blown screaming fit and think, "If you keep that up, you'll give yourself a heart attack." So, it is not surprising that research has targeted anger as a risk factor for hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease. The same goes for stress. Researchers are finding that getting all riled up isn't the only emotional outlet that may lead to heart disease. In fact, feeling depressed, hopeless, or like you lack control also puts you at risk. Among men and women who have undergone angioplasty to open clogged arteries to the heart, those who were less optimistic and didn't feel a great sense of control over their lives were much more likely to have a second coronary event or require another operation to unblock arteries. A 4-year study of hopelessness and heart disease in middle-aged Finnish men found that men who had strong feelings of hopelessness had far greater chances of developing high blood pressure than ones who didn't, according to Susan A. Everson, PhD, MPH, of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and her co-authors. Men who strongly agreed with statements like "The future seems to me to be hopeless, and I can't believe that things are changing for the better" were three times more likely to become hypertensive compared to men who disagreed. "The current study, together with our previous research, makes it clear that high hopelessness has strong adverse effects on heart functioning," says Everson. The impact of hopelessness is related to the progression of heart disease, regardless of other risk factors (like age or smoking), according to the study. Why the Connection? Researchers now are investigating the changes in the body that come from negative emotions. Alan Rozanski, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians, and director of nuclear cardiology and cardiac stress testing at St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Medical Center, and his colleagues reviewed the research on psychological factors and heart disease. They say that psychosocial factors significantly contribute to coronary artery disease. They mention several effects that may contribute to the relationship. Anything that causes high blood pressure is a risk factor. "High blood pressures can cause turbulent blood flow in the arteries of the heart, and that can injure the endothelial lining of the blood vessel," explains Dr. Rozanski. This is a first step in developing atherosclerosis. "Once you have a locus of injury, it attracts white blood cells, blood platelets, cholesterol, and other substances which gradually build up to cause a blockage."

Dr. Rozanski adds that stress in your head will hurt your body. "New research indicates that chronic stress can rev up the nervous system and parts of the endocrine system under its control. This leads directly to damaging effects on the endothelial lining of the blood vessels, the platelets in the blood, and the control of the heart's rhythm." Everson and her associates will soon look into the role of hormonal changes. "Hopelessness is one of several psychological stresses that trigger changes in brain functioning," she says. They will be looking into the role of serotonin, a substance produced in the brain that can cause depression, as well as stress hormones like cortisol. "Cortisol is involved in regulating cardiovascular functions. We need a certain amount, but an excess can be damaging." Breaking the Connection One way to break the connection is to change your outlook. Although we think that the circumstances surrounding us cause our emotional distress, the way we approach a situation, interpret it, and respond to it is crucial. Be objective. "Put a clear consciousness on whatever you are dealing with," suggests Robert Allan, PhD, co-director of the Coronary Risk Reduction Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, in Manhattan. "Exercise is a great antidepressant and antistress device. If you are exercising, you can actually process the emotional issues with a sense of detachment." Keep a journal of what you are feeling and write down what's troubling you. The act of writing down our problems may make them feel smaller. "Talk about them with objective friends," recommends Allan, but not with someone who is easily agitated. "They'll get you even more upset." Research has also suggested meditation as a method to help calm emotions and physiological reactions. In a study of African-American men and women published in the March 2000 issue of Stroke, researchers at UCLA, the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, and the Maharishi University School of Management reported that those with high blood pressure who practiced transcendental meditation showed reduced thickness of their carotid artery. The control group that participated in a health education group had an increase in thickness. Meditation may not be easy or fast, but we are learning that far from being two separate entities, our body and our mind are part of an interconnected system. We can't really fix one without fixing the other. Jun.2000 © 2000 by Medscape Inc. All rights reserved. Neala S. Schwartzberg is a psychologist and medical writer based in Syosset, New York. Reviewed for medical accuracy by physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Harvard Medical School. BIDMC does not endorse any products or services advertised on their Web site.

The story of the emperor moth has value to each of us trying to change. Click here. Declare independence from the usual fattening barbecue fare, and enjoy a variety of healthful dishes from Cyberdiet: http://newsletter.cyberdiet.com/cgi-bin2/flo?x=dKoEuEAYwAouAuP Want to feel young at heart? Check out www.iskip.com Cyberdiet Poll: How do you deal with food cravings? http://newsletter.cyberdiet.com/cgi-bin2/flo?x=dKoEuEAYwAouKuY

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