The 78 million baby boomers who are about to turn 65 might face a health care system that significantly limits access to quality care, according to a mid-April story from The Associated Press.

In fact, the AP says traditional medicine for the aging U.S. population faces many challenges:

· One geriatric specialist is available per 2,500 seniors
· Sufficient medical training does not exist
· Turnover of nurses aides is 71 percent per year
· Within their first two years on the job, about 90 percent of home health aides quit
· Some elderly patients need team care, which Medicare doesn’t provide

The story also says Medicare lacks coverage for preventive care, focusing on treating conditions rather than promoting long-term health.

Thankfully, U.S. seniors have chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists and other alternative health practitioners on their side. Whether it’s nutrition or enzyme therapy, these practitioners provide baby boomers and the elderly with safe, effective and natural choices for sustaining long-term health.

On May 6, the American Chiropractic Association will play host to a teleseminar called “Geriatrics: Comprehensive Care for the Senior Population.” This educational seminar will provide information on holistic health care options for the aging population.

Several national health observances during May focus on conditions for which enzyme supplements and enzyme therapy might help provide support. Call Enzymes, Inc., at 800-637-7893 to learn more about nutritional enzyme supplements and practitioners in your area who can recommend the right therapies for your needs.

For the month, health observances include:
American Stroke Month
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Better Sleep Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Mental Health Month
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month
National Arthritis Month
National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month

Week-long health observances include:
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 4-10)
Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-17)

May 12 is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Now that probiotics are popping up in everything from cereal to chocolate to cheese, the mainstream press is pushing praises toward beneficial bacteria.

A mid-April story from the Washington Post asserts probiotics might help “thwart an array of conditions from allergies, asthma and eczema to gastrointestinal ailments.” The story goes on to say the friendly bacteria fit with a trend toward promoting overall health and using fewer prescription drugs.

The Washington Post says the following about probiotics:

- They might fight off food-borne infections and the gastrointestinal illness C. difficile
- Probiotics seem to thwart rotavirus in infants and children
- Friendly bacteria might keep people regular and could prevent antibiotic-induced diarrhea
- A German study found probiotics might decrease the duration of colds and dampen cold symptoms

In the WellZymes™ line of nutritional supplements is Colon Health, a probiotic that provides a blend of more than 3 billion friendly bacteria to restore the colon’s flora balance. Colon Health impedes the growth of harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeast while it raises the colon’s pH to resist harmful tissue changes.

Some adults might be using stimulants – with potentially harmful side effects – simply to enhance concentration, according to an early April CNN story.

In an unscientific online survey, 20% of respondents told the journal Nature they had used drugs, in some cases without a prescription, to improve brain function. The most popular pharmaceutical was Ritalin, which is prescribed for attention-deficit disorder, CNN said.

The survey went out to people in 60 countries, and most said they worked in science, medicine or education, CNN reports. Headaches, anxiety and sleeping problems were among side effects of these drugs, according to respondents.

Instead of abusing prescription drugs, there are several natural ways people can enhance brain function. To keep the brain young, a posting at ouralzheimers.com recommends the following:

- Doing crossword puzzles
- Reading books
- Participating in card games, such as bridge
- Interacting with friends and family
- Eating a healthful diet
- Sticking to a good exercise routine

Also for brain support, WellZymes™ Mental Focus™ could enhance memory, concentration and energy. It could also protect the brain from oxidative damage.

Mental Focus™ contains ginkgo biloba leaf extract, along with several other herbs, and the enzyme blend pHysioProtease.™

“…Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, I don’t care if I ever get fat …”

OK, maybe that’s not the tune most of us baseball fans will be singing at the ballpark this spring, but it’s certainly something to keep in mind before biting into another hot dog, cheese-laden nacho or chocolate malt.

This season, about half of major league baseball stadiums will offer all-you-can-eat seats, according to a late March story from The Associated Press. Tickets for these seats, often in little-used areas of the stands, can cost up to 50 percent more.

But how much more will fans eat? Will they drink 25 percent more soda? Will they double, or even quadruple, the number of hot dogs they send down the chute?

For some, the amount of food, and calories, might be hard to digest. According to the Associated Press story, a single hot dog and 20-ounce soda contain about 530 calories, in addition to loads of fat and sodium.

Although the story mentions that some stadiums have tried salad bars, fruit cups and garden burgers, it seems these options might not be economically feasible to catch on in other major league markets.

And economics, in fact, provide a good illustration of what’s, in part, helping to fuel obesity and other poor health conditions in “markets” across the U.S.

A variety of factors can contribute to obesity, including vitamin and mineral deficiency, poor sleep and individual choice, according to a mid-March Reuters story. But our environments, whether we’re in inner-city neighborhoods, public schools or ballparks, can also add weight to the issue.

There’s been a lot written about how poorer neighborhoods often lack grocery stores and in some cases carry higher-priced and less-nutritious options, including limited availabilities of fresh fruits and vegetables.

In particular, members of the New York City Council approved a bill in late February that will boost the number of produce carts in poor neighborhoods, according to the New York Times. These neighborhoods were cited as having “high rates of obesity, diabetes and other health problems.”

In Canada, a study from the University of Alberta found that compared with middle-class or high-income areas, less affluent Edmonton neighborhoods had 2.7 times more fast food restaurants, Reuters reports.

But, as Annie, Ray Kinsella’s wife says in the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams”:

“What’s it got to do with baseball?”

Maybe not a lot, as baseball and the sometimes calorie-dense decisions that come with watching it probably poorly represent society’s eating practices. Baseball, after all, offers an escape from some of the concerns of life, letting some of us take a holiday from healthful fare.

However, it could be argued that not everything that happens in the ballpark, stays in the ballpark. If we create an environment bent on binge eating and cheap calories, then it’s likely to reflect on other parts of our lives, especially in the lives of children.

For example, a study from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia found rates of obesity among children were down by more than 50% in schools that had $100-per-student nutrition programs, according to Reuters. That was compared with schools that had no, or only basic, nutrition programs.

Education on proper diet and nutrition – now that’s something to send children home with.

(Editor’s note: This article first appeared as a column in the April 7 issue of The Packer newspaper.)

About 14,000 people will die this year from esophageal cancer, and nearly 16,500 Americans will be diagnosed with it, according to a late March story from MSNBC.com.

In fact, in the past 20 years, esophageal cancer has increased six-fold. Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus, which can trigger the development of cancerous cells, are partly to blame, reports MSNBC.

In GERD and Barrett’s, stomach acid creeps back into the esophagus, damaging stomach lining and in some cases spurring the development of cancer. The story says those with Barrett’s esophagus are 30 times more likely to get esophageal cancer.

For gastrointestinal disorders, including heartburn, many people use over-the-counter and prescription medications that suppress acid production.

However, drugs that inhibit natural acid production are associated with increased risk of hip fractures, intestinal infection and bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and small intestine. According to another MSNBC story, the overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach could lead to pneumonia, vitamin B12 deficiency and stomach cancer.

Digestive enzyme supplements, including broad-spectrum products in the WellZymes™ line, assist in the digestive process. They appear to decrease distension of the stomach, which might help relieve symptoms of GERD, according to MSNBC.

For those with ulcers or other damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, WellZymes™ Gastric Ease™ is recommended in place of antacids.