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THE IRON / VITAMIN C CONNECTION -- Looking for a natural way to enhance your absorption of iron from food? Including at least 75 milligrams of vitamin C with a meal helps you get the most from its iron. So take your pick from any of the following choices ­ all provide at least the minimum amount of vitamin C needed to maximize iron absorption: one-half cantaloupe, five ounces of frozen strawberries, or one cup of any of the following: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, cranberry juice cocktail, grapefruit juice, kale, orange juice, papaya chunks, pineapple juice, or fresh strawberries.

OLDER PEOPLE AND DEPRESSION -- Most of the nearly two million older Americans who have severe depression are never treated, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). That fact, the NIMH says, has major implications for older people, whose suicide rates were more than 5 times the national average of 10.8 per 100,000 people. Overall, 19 million Americans are hit by depression each year. Older people are especially vulnerable. Those who have heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases, are more likely to have severe depression. Older people make up 13 percent of the nation's population and account for 20 percent of all suicides. Only 10 percent of older people with depression receive treatment.

EUROPEAN VS AMERICAN COFFEE -- An interesting recent study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that drinking boiled coffee does in fact raise blood levels of homocysteine. Increased levels of homocysteine has been shown to dramatically increase your chances of having a heart attack because it increases the chances of arterial damage and clot formation. This possibly answers the debate as to why European studies show that drinking coffee increases the rate of heart attacks, while studies in the United States do not. The European coffees are generally boiled but not filtered, while American coffee is usually filtered, thereby removing the homocysteine. Until more is known about this subject, it is a good idea to filter your coffee. Of course, most automatic coffee makers in the United States do use filters.

RELAX WITH VALERIAN -- Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) root is widely used as a sedative. It has been used to treat nervousness and insomnia for thousands of years in both India and China. Its effect has been compared to the tranquilizer benzodiazepine without the harmful side effects. It is not recommended during pregnancy.

SUMMER HEAT AND EXERCISE -- Vigorous exercise produces 15 to 20 times the amount of heat that is produced during rest. Problems arise when the body produces more heat than can be evaporated through sweating. Heat remains in the body, raising body temperatures to dangerous levels. Heat stress may result in cramps, heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, and heatstroke. If you develop excessive thirst, confusion, headaches, leg cramps, weakness, dizziness, nausea, very rapid pulse, or other unusual symptoms, stop exercising. Get out of the heat. Remove any excess clothing. Drink plenty of fluids. Take a cool sponge bath. If you are exercising with a friend whose skin is extremely flushed, whose breathing is labored, or who loses consciousness, you need to get him or her immediate medical help.

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HEALTHY RECIPE-OF-THE-MONTH

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For best results, this cheesecake needs to chill for about eight hours - so, you should plan on making this a day ahead. The Cranberry Glaze can also be made ahead and chilled.

• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup gingersnap crumbs (about 6 cookies, finely crushed)
• 1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3 -less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat sour cream
• Cranberry Glaze

Coat bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with cookie crumbs.

Place cheeses in a food processor, and process 2 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once. Add sugar and next 6 ingredients (sugar through sour cream); pulse just until smooth.

Pour the cheese mixture into prepared springform pan, and bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in closed oven for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; cover and chill at least 8 hours. Serve with Cranberry Glaze.

Cranberry Glaze: Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoonfuls of cornstarch in a medium saucepan; stir in 2 cups of fresh cranberries and 2/3 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes or until cranberries pop. Cool.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge and 2 tablespoons glaze).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 226 (29% from fat); Fat 7.4g (sat 4.1g, mono 2.3g, poly 0.5g); Protein 9.8g; Carbohydrates 29.6g; Fiber 0.3g; Cholesterol 61mg; Iron 0.5mg; Sodium 254mg; Calcium 74mg

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FEATURED ARTICLE

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A headache, one of the body's most powerful alarm signals, is often a sign of physical or psychological overload. There are several types of headaches, and they differ according to how and when pain occurs. These include tension, cluster, simple, sinus, and combination headaches and migraines - an especially intense form that is often accompanied by nausea and impaired vision. The pain can be triggered by many things. A common cause of headache is tense muscles in the head or neck. Headaches may also be a symptom of stress, caffeine withdrawal, allergies or sinus blockage, certain infectious diseases, or the result of ingesting too much alcohol. Constricted or expanded blood vessels, as well as altered pressure in the head (which may occur when the weather changes), can also produce headaches. Natural methods - including relaxation exercises, massage, and homeopathic remedies - can often be as effective as standard medications in preventing or relieving the pain caused by the different forms of headache.

Although painful and troublesome, most headaches are minor health concerns and can be easily treated with aspirin or another analgesic. However, if they are severe, recur frequently, or are attended by other symptoms, you may need to take additional steps, including consultation with your doctor.

Types of Headaches

A simple or minor headache is one that is short-lived and characterized by hammering, buzzing, or pulsing in the head. It is usually caused by minor stress, sensitivity to weather or changes in atmospheric pressure, high blood pressure, fever, or lack of oxygen.

Tension headache, also called a muscle-contraction headache, afflict almost everyone at one time or another and is characterized by a dull, persistent, non-throbbing pain that can make your head feel like it is gripped in a tight band. The muscles of your neck may seem knotted, and certain areas on your head and neck may be sensitive to touch. Taut muscles that irritate nerve endings in the head and neck are the chief source of pain. Tension headaches can be short-lived and infrequent, or they can be enduring and chronic. Once blamed solely on stress and muscle tension, tension headache may in fact be a mild form of migraine, caused when nerve impulses travel the wrong way along nerves in the head, inflaming blood vessels around the brain and in the scalp.

Migraines are the most debilitating of headaches; they can be completely incapacitating. With some sufferers - a minority - a migraine attack is preceded by a warning sign, called an aura; it may include visual disturbances such as flickering points of light, blind spots, or zigzag lines, or more rarely, numbness in a limb or the smelling of strange odors. Whether a warning sign occurs or not, a migraine will usually begin with an intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head. This pain may spread and is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. A migraine can last from a few hours to three days and can cause oversensitivity to light, odors, and sound. All the various symptoms of migraines seem linked to changes in the diameter of blood vessels in the head. The blood vessels constrict during the initial stage and dilate when the headache pain begins. These changes may be due to an imbalance in a brain chemical known as serotonin. Hormones, too, apparently can play a role; there is a strong correlation between changes in estrogen levels and migraines.

Cluster headaches are so called because they tend to come in bunches. Typically they begin several hours after a person falls asleep and are sometimes preceded by a mild aching sensation on one side of the head. The pain - sever, piercing, and usually located in and around one red, watery eye - is generally accompanied by nasal congestion and a flushed face. It lasts from thirty minutes to two hours, then diminishes or disappears altogether, only to recur perhaps a day later. A barrage of four or more attacks may occur in the course of the day, and cluster headaches can strike every day for weeks or months before going into long periods of remission. The vast majority of sufferers are men.

Sinus headaches are characterized by pain in the forehead, nasal area, eyes, and sometimes the top of the head; in some cases, they also produce a feeling of pressure behind the face. Inflammation or infection of the membranes that line the sinus cavities can give rise to such headaches. Also, the headache pain may stem from suction on the sinus walls, which occurs when nasal congestion creates a partial vacuum in the sinuses.

Causes

Headaches strike for many reasons. Sinus headaches typically result from hay fever and other seasonal allergies, or from a cold or the flu. With tension headaches, stress is the most common trigger; it may stem from anxiety about work or family life, or it may derive from some physical or environmental factor such as excessive or persistent noise. Eyestrain, poor posture, too much caffeine, or the grinding or clenching of teeth at night can also lead to tension headaches.

Migraines are somewhat more mysterious. Although much evidence indicates that constricting and swelling of blood vessels is involved, some researchers believe that the headaches are primarily neurological in origin. Because migraines often run in families, it seems likely that genetics can play a role. In any event, a wide range of factors can trigger an attack; among them are excessive caffeine, various foods or scents, naps, dry winds, changes in altitude or seasons, hormonal fluctuations or birth-control pills, missing a meal, or stuffy rooms. Migraines may also occur in the aftermath of intense emotions such as excitement or anger. Exercise, sexual activity, or very cold foods can also jumpstart a migraine.

Cluster headaches are the most baffling of all. They are more common in heavy smokers than in nonsmokers, and alcohol consumption and certain foods seem to be involved in some cases, but the root cause is unknown.

Call a doctor if:

• A severe headache is accompanied by vomiting, limb weakness, double vision, slurred speech, or difficulty in swallowing; you may have a cerebral hemorrhage or an aneurysm - get immediate medical attention.

• Your headache is of a kind that you have never had, occurs first thing in the morning, is persistent, brings on vomiting, and abates during the day; you may have hypertension or in very rare cases a brain tumor. See your doctor without delay.

• Your headache is accompanied by a high fever and light hurts your eyes, the pain is severe and is accompanied by nausea and a stiff neck; you may have meningitis - get medical help now.

• After a head injury, you are drowsy, with dizziness, vertigo, nausea, or vomiting; you may have a concussion. See your doctor without delay.

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PRODUCT-OF-THE-MONTH

Active Enzymes Supplement
Fights Aging, Improves Digestion,
and Supports the Immune System!

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Enzymes are something that we have all heard of, but most of us do not really know a lot about. Enzymes are specialized protein molecules that are produced by the body and are necessary for biological processes. They regulate the functions of an organism by aiding with metabolism, growth and development. We have all heard of people who are "lactose-intolerant," meaning that their bodies do not produce enough of the enzyme lactase to properly metabolize the lactose in milk.

In recent cancer research, it has been discovered that two sets of enzymes help to eliminate carcinogens from the body. These are known as Phase 1 and Phase 2 enzymes. The phase 1 enzymes break the carcinogens into smaller pieces and the phase 2 enzymes bind with the fragments and eliminate them from the body. If the carcinogen is not properly eliminated by the enzymes, it could bind to a strand of DNA and alter the genes that control its growth. When that happens, the cell grows abnormally and it generates new cells that grow the same way. It is possible that these new abnormal cells could eventually become cancerous.

Other enzymes, specifically bromelain, which is an enzyme found in pineapples, is an effective treatment for severe bruises and hematomas. It promotes healing of injured tissues. Digestive enzyme supplements aid the digestive system to break down substances in foods that leads to gas and discomfort, which is a common complaint. A diet rich in vegetables, especially broccoli, cauliflower and other dark, leafy greens is beneficial because they contain a chemical called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane boosts the production of phase 2 enzymes in the body's fight against carcinogens. However, not many people eat an overly large amount of these vegetables.

SOMAZYME provides a wide variety of the enzymes that support the thousands of biochemical reactions involved in maintaining optimum health. The enzymes break down many of the larger molecules throughout the body, especially in the blood stream, permitting them to be metabolized in a healthy way. These active enzymes naturally and nutritionally fight aging and free radicals, support the immune system and the natural, healthy function of the pancreas. Included in SOMAZYME are the enzymes pancreatin, papayotin, bromelain, lysozyme, trypsin, super oxide dismutase, alpha-chymotrypsin, magnesium aspartate, magnesium sulfate, and zinc aspartate. These enzymes have been cold-processed, thus assuring maximum usefulness and effectiveness to the body. SOMAZYME enzymes have been combined in a proprietary PhytoZyme base of special herbs and other plant enzymes for bioavailability. SOMAZYME is featured on our web site at: http://www.aomega.com/ahs/s0176a.htm

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THE HERBAL CORNER