Fat Tissue Growth In Rodent Models Suppressed By Turmeric ExtractCurcumin, the major polyphenol found in turmeric, appears to reduce weight gain in mice and suppress the growth of fat tissue in mice and cell models. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA) studied mice fed high fat diets supplemented with curcumin and cell cultures incubated with curcumin."Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue, which cannot happen unless new blood vessels form, a process known as angiogenesis." said senior author Mohsen Meydani, DVM, PhD, director of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the USDA HNRCA. "Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets."Meydani continued, "It is important to note, we don't know whether these results can be replicated in humans because, to our knowledge, no studies have been done."Turmeric is known for providing flavor to curry. One of its components is curcumin, a type of phytochemical known as a polyphenol. Research findings suggest that phytochemicals, which are the chemicals found in plants, appear to help prevent disease. As the bioactive component of turmeric, curcumin is readily absorbed for use by the body.Meydani and colleagues studied mice fed high fat diets for 12 weeks. The high fat diet of one group was supplemented with 500 mg of curcumin/ kg diet; the other group consumed no curcumin. Both groups ate the same amount of food, indicating curcumin did not affect appetite, but mice fed the curcumin supplemented diet did not gain as much weight as mice that were not fed curcumin."Curcumin appeared to be responsible for total lower body fat in the group that received supplementation," said Meydani, who is also a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. "In those mice, we observed a suppression of microvessel density in fat tissue, a sign of less blood vessel growth and thus less expansion of fat. We also found lower blood cholesterol levels and fat in the liver of those mice. In general, angiogenesis and an accumulation of lipids in fat cells contribute to fat tissue growth."Writing in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the authors note similar results in cell cultures. Additionally, curcumin appeared to interfere with expression of two genes, which contributed to angiogenesis progression in both cell and rodent models."Again, based on this data, we have no way of telling whether curcumin could prevent fat tissue growth in humans." Meydani said. "The mechanism or mechanisms by which curcumin appears to affect fat tissue must be investigated in a randomized, clinical trial involving humans."This study was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. Asma Ejaz, a graduate student who worked on this project received a scholarship grant from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.Ejaz A, Wu, D, Kwan P, and Meydani M. Journal of Nutrition. May 2009; 139 (5): 1042-1048. "Curcumin Inhibits Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and Angiogenesis and Obesity in C57/BL Mice. 919-925."Source:Andrea GrossmanTufts University, Health Sciences
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UQ Research Finds Kava Is Safe And EffectiveUQ research has found a traditional extract of kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety.To be published online this week in the journal Psychopharmacology are the results of a world-first clinical trial which found that a water-soluble extract of kava was effective in treating anxiety and improving mood.The kava was prescribed in the form of tablets supplied by Queensland company MediHerb Pty Ltd.Lead researcher Jerome Sarris, a PhD candidate from UQ's School of Medicine, said the placebo-controlled study found kava to be an effective and safe treatment option for people with chronic anxiety and varying levels of depression."We've been able to show that Kava offers a natural alternative for the treatment of anxiety, and unlike some pharmaceutical options, has less risk of dependency and less potential of side effects," Mr Sarris said.Each week participants were given a clinical assessment as well as a self-rating questionnaire to measure their anxiety and depression levels.The researchers found anxiety levels decreased dramatically for participants taking five tablets of kava per day as opposed to the placebo group which took dummy pills."We also found that kava had a positive impact on reducing depression levels, something which had not been tested before," Mr Sarris said.In 2002 kava was banned in Europe, the UK and Canada due to concerns over liver toxicity.While the three-week trial raised no major health concerns regarding the kava extract used, the researchers said larger studies were required to confirm the drug's safety."When extracted in the appropriate way, kava may pose less or no potential liver problems. I hope the results will encourage governments to reconsider the ban," Mr Sarris said."Ethanol and acetone extracts, which sometimes use the incorrect parts of the kava, were being sold in Europe."That is not the traditional way of prescribing kava in the Pacific Islands."Our study used a water-soluble extract from the peeled rootstock of a medicinal cultivar of the plant, which is approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia and is currently legal in Australia for medicinal use."In addition to benefiting sufferers of anxiety, allowing the sale of kava in Europe, the UK and Canada would significantly enhance Pacific Island economies, which have lost hundreds of millions of dollars by not being able to export the plant over the past several years."SourceThe University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia
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Scientists Warn Of Serious Health Consequences If Governments Don't Prioritise Natural FoodLeading scientists, including Dr Shiv Chopra, ex-Health Canada whistleblower, and Dr Robert Verkerk, from the Alliance for Natural Health, were among several speakers at last weekend's Total Health Show 2009 in Toronto to call for urgent reform of governmental policies on the global food supply.Dr Chopra stated that the removal of just 5 groups of products from the food supply, namely antibiotics, hormones, slaughterhouse waste, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and pesticides, would transform the safety and sustainability of the food supply. These products, claimed Dr Chopra, were hazardous, in most cases unnecessary and offered relatively few long-term benefits. Their use, he said, was driven less by need and more by the profit motives of major corporations. Dr Chopra, while evaluating on behalf of Health Canada virtually every red-hot topic in public health for a period of some 35 years, ranging from vaccines, to drugs and GMOs, had also been largely responsible for preventing the Canadian population's exposure to recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) induced milk. He subsequently exposed corruption within Health Canada in his recent Canadian bestseller, 'Corrupt to the Core: Memoirs of a Health Canada Whistleblower' (KOS Publications, 2009).Dr Chopra's cynicism over the ability of governments to regulate the food supply in the best interests of the public was clearly evident when he said, "People have to take charge of their destiny, they cannot any longer rely on government".In his presentation "Our Right to Natural Health", Dr Robert Verkerk explained that in some parts of the world, including Canada and the European Union, fundamental human rights and freedoms were being abused by disproportionate legislation limiting consumer access to beneficial natural health products. "Natural health products are statistically the safest things we put in our mouths, being on average tens of times safer than foods and thousands of times safer than the average pharmaceutical drug. It makes no sense to develop ultra-restrictive regulations that stop those who choose to use safe, therapeutic natural health products from managing their health naturally".Shawn Buckley of Canada's Natural Health Products Protection Association warned consumers that they should expect to lose up to 85% of natural health products presently in Canadian health stores over the coming years. These losses, he said, were a direct consequence of full implementation of the existing Natural Health Product Regulations (2004). However, he also made clear that if proposed consumer protection laws (Bill C-6) were passed by parliament, enforcement powers of Health Canada, together with restrictions on further products, could damage the natural products industry in Canada irrevocably.Also attending the Total Health Show was Jeffrey Smith, long time anti-GMO campaigner and author of two best-selling books on the subject, 'Seeds of Deception' and 'Genetic Roulette: Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods', the latter of which documents 65 known health risks linked to the consumption of GM crops. During his six hours of lectures over the 3-day show, he argued that a rash of animal studies showing negative health effects of GM crops would be likely to be sufficient to create a world wide 'tipping point' against GM that would cause even major North American food suppliers to avoid genetically modified ingredients. This shift against GM, said Jeffrey Smith, would be assisted by continued resistance to GM foods by European consumers and health ministers.Mr Smith also warned that if governments, especially that of the USA, did not act quickly to ban the outdoor cultivation of GM crops, we would need to face serious and long term consequences caused by the unpredictable flow of modified genes into other organisms.Dr Shiv Chopra is the most recent appointee to the ANH's Expert Committee where his decades of experience as a government regulatory scientist-as well as his understanding of the way in which regulators are influenced against the public interest by the corporations-will be of great benefit to the ANH's wider campaign.
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Disease, illness, and other physical and mental difficulties are serious issues which we can prevent only with awareness, sustained dedication, and conscious effort. Part of this effort should go toward making time to unwind and take a break too. In our busy world, it's sometimes easy to make fun and personal time a low priority. In addition to healthy eating and exercise, social connections have been proven to strengthen us against illness and disease. The title of this post is a quote by ee cummings and was found on the webpage for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The CTCA offers humor therapy sessions to help cancer patients and their families use and enjoy laughter as a tool for healing. Although there is some debate in medical research as to the details and amount of benefit laughing provides in preventing and treating illness, there can be no argument that laughing decreases stress and makes us feel good. So, e mālama i kou kino and yuk it up today, and remember, "half the fun in laughter, as well as in healing, is sharing it."*For more, just web surf using "Laughter Therapy" - there are plenty of sites, but here's a small sampling:News articles:NPRABCPatch AdamsResearch articles:2007. Hayashi et al. Laughter modulates prorenin receptor gene expression in patients with type 2 diabetes.2006. Bennett and Lengacher. Humor and laughter may influence health: II.Complementary therapies and humor in a clinical population.*2003. Balick & Lee. The role of laughter in traditional medicine and its relevance to the clinical setting: healing with Ha!If you know some clean ;) jokes, websites, stories, maybe share the laughs with us on our Group page. It's about finals time, we could use some extra cheer.
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Cancer is obviously a very serious disease - the information posted below is not meant to incite fear, but rather to educate and empower; La'au Lapa'au provides comprehensive curative programs for all types of cancer. If you are interested in obtaining more information, please contact the 'Ahahui La'au Lapa'au.NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS & CANCERSTATISTICAL CANCER FACTS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERSNATIVE HAWAIIANS:- Native Hawaiians had the second highest overall incidence rate of cancer, and the highest age-adjusted cancer mortality rates in Hawaiiwhen compared with other ethnic groups. Cancers of the lung and bronchus, prostate, colon and rectum, and stomach, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are the five most frequently diagnosed cancers for Native Hawaiian males; for females they are cancers of the breast, lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, corpus uteri, and stomach. (6)- Hawaiian women living in Hawaii have a mortality rate 2.6 times higher than the general state population, and a national breast cancer incidence rate placing them second among all US women. (7,8)- All-site cancer mortality rates for Native Hawaiians, the largest of the Pacific Islander populations, are the second highest of all racial/ethnic groups (207.2 per 100,000 population), and closely rival those of African Americans (209.8 per 100,000 population). (8)- Native Hawaiians have the third highest breast cancer mortality rate in the nation and the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the state of Hawaii. (8)- In Hawaii, when compared with the four other major ethnic groups (Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino), Native Hawaiian women had the highest cancer mortality rates for all cancers combined, and for cancers of the lung, liver, pancreas, breast, cervix uteri, corpus uteri, stomach, and rectum. Native Hawaiian males ranked highest for all cancers combined, and for cancer of the lung, liver, and pancreas. (8,9)- Native Hawaiians have the highest mortality rates in the Nation for cancers of the corpus uteri and stomach; second highest mortality rates in the Nation for all-cancers combined and for cancers of the lung, pancreas, and ovary; and the third highest mortality rates for breast cancer as seen in disaggregated Asian/Pacific Islander cancer data. (9)- For Native Hawaiian males, mortality rates (1976-1990) have increased 62% for all cancers. (10)- By site, the largest increases between 1976 and 1990 in mortality rates for Native Hawaiian males occurred in cancers of the colon (228%), rectum (117%), pancreas (83%), lung (74%), and prostate (117%). (10)- For Native Hawaiian females, mortality rates increased 123% for all cancers combined between 1976 and 1990 and for all cancer sites listed, particularly for cancers of the colon (134%), liver (135%), lung (293%), breast (158%), and corpus uteri (313%). (9)- Native Hawaiian women have the highest incidence and mortality rates of endometrial cancers for all US women. (8)- The percentage of Native Hawaiian males and females who die from pancreatic cancer each year is actually greater than the percentage of Native Hawaiians who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year. This implies that for many Native Hawaiians, pancreatic cancer is found only upon autopsy. (8)- While Native Hawaiian males and White males and females all have lower mortality rates than incidence rates for lung cancer, the lung cancer mortality rate for Native Hawaiian females is 2% higher than the incidence rate for lung cancer. (5)- Native Hawaiian males and females both show higher incidence and mortality rates than Whites for lung cancer - the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US. This same phenomenon is observed with colorectal cancer for Native Hawaiian men aged 55-69, and pancreatic cancer (overall), which accounts for only 2% of new US cancer cases but is more likely to lead to death than any other cancer. (8)- Overall, Native Hawaiian females have lower cancer incidence rates but higher mortality rates than their White counterparts. For example, although their uterine cancer incidence rate is lower than that for White females, Native Hawaiian females have a disproportionately higher uterine cancer mortality rate than do their White counterparts. (8)- For Native Hawaiian males, incidence rates for liver and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are lower than that for their White counterpart, but mortality rates for these cancers in Native Hawaiian men exceed that for White males. (8)- Once diagnosed with cancer, outcomes are poorer for Native Hawaiians as indicated by a 5-year relative survival rate that is 18% lower than Whites and 15% lower than US (all races) for all cancer combined. With the exception of cancers of the stomach and ovary, Native Hawaiians had lower 5-year relative survival rates for 12 other cancer sites when compared to US (all races). (9)US ASSOCIATED PACIFIC ISLANDERS:- For American Samoan males in Hawaii, the most common cancer sites are the same sites as for those in Los Angeles, whereas for females the most common cancer sites are breast, uterus, blood, cervix, and thyroid. In Hawaii, when compared with Native Hawaiians, American Samoans have a higher age-adjusted, site-specific relative risk for cancers of the nasopharynx (especially males), liver, prostate, thyroid, and a lower relative risk for cancers of the colon, rectum (especially males), lung (especially females), and breast. Compared with whites diagnosed with cancer in Hawaii, American Samoans have a higher relative risk for cancers of the nasopharynx (especially males), stomach, liver, lung (especially males), uterus, thyroid, and blood, and a lower relative risk for cancers of the colon, skin, breast, testes, cervix, bladder (especially males), and lymph nodes. (11,12)- Marshallese Islander females have higher breast and cervical cancer rates that are 5 and 75 fold, respectively, compared to overall US rates.(13)- A study of death certificates in Guam from 1971 to 1995 revealed that lung cancer accounted for one-third of all cancer deaths. (14)- With the exception of the Federated States of Micronesia, all the Pacific jurisdictions (Republic of Palau, Guam, American Samoa, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas) listed cancer as one of the top three causes of death. (15)- Age-adjusted, sex- and site-specific cancer incidence rates were higher in virtually every category in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) compared with the US for the period 1985-1994. RMI lung cancer rates were 3.8 times higher in males and 3.0 times higher in females, cervical cancer rates were 5.8 times higher, gastrointestinal tract rates were 1.9 times higher in males and 8.5 times higher in females, breast cancer rates were 1.4 times higher, urinary tract rates were 5.8 times higher in females, oral cancer rates were 3.4 times higher in males and 1.5 times higher in females, thyroid cancer rates were 7.2 times higher in females, and liver cancer rates were an alarming 15.3 times higher in males and 40.0 times higher in females, compared with US rates. (15)- Although cancer deaths may be underreported because many Guam residents die away from home, cancer was the second leading cause of death for the years 1988-1990 and accounted for 15% of all causes of death. (16)- For the years 1989-1991, 61% of cancer deaths occurred in the Chamorro and Pacific Islander populations of Guam. Among Chamorros, the leading site was lung cancer (37%) followed by oral cavity, breast, cervix, and colorectal cancers. Men experienced considerably higher cancer mortality rates than females, and the majority of cancer deaths occurred in persons 60 years of age and older. (17)- A review of data from the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas revealed that the mean age-adjusted incidence rate for cervical cancer was nine times higher for Chamorro females (69.1/100,000) than for US Whites (7.5/100,000). For Carolinian females (151.1/100,000) the rates were 20 higher than for US Whites. (18)- In the Republic of Palau, among both men and women combined, the age-adjusted cancer incidence rate is 177.4/100,000, 201/100,000 for males, and 172.1/100,000 for females. (19)- Among the Department of Energy defined population exposed to radioactive fallout from US atomic bomb testing in the Marshall Islands, thyroid adenomas and cancer began appearing 10 years after exposure and became an acknowledged major long-term medical problem. From 1954 through 1994, 56 thyroid tumors have been identified, and of these 17 were malignant. (20,21,22)- The site-specific cancer incidence (all cancers combined) from 1985 to 1994 for Marshallese males and females is 563.2/100,000 and 883.0/100,000, respectively. The most commonly reported cancers in Marshallese men are lung and bronchus, liver, oral cavity, prostate, and digestive system cancers. For women, they are cervix, breast, lung and bronchus, urinary system, liver, and thyroid cancers. The age-adjusted sex and site-specific cancer incidence rates have been noted to be higher than the US rates for virtually every site in the Marshallese population. (13)- Data drawn from American Samoans living in Hawaii and Los Angeles County in California revealed that American Samoan males were ten times more likely to have nasopharyngeal cancer, seven times more likely to have liver cancer, and three times more likely to have stomach cancer than their White counterparts. (12)- The five most common cancers in American Samoan males in Los Angeles are lung, prostate, stomach, blood, and liver. For American Samoan females, the most common cancer sites are breast, lung, cervix, uterus, and stomach. (12)- The most common cancers in Palauan males are prostate (78.2/100,000), lung and bronchus (38.3/100,000), liver (35.5/100,000), and oral cavity and pharynx (20.8/100,000). For Palauan females, the most common cancers are cervix (38.4/100,000), breast (25.0/100,000), uterus (18.6/100,000), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (18.3/100,000), and lung and bronchus (13.1/100,000). (19)- The five most common cancer deaths for males in the Republic of Palau are liver (47.2/100,000), lung and bronchus (27.9/100,000), prostate (15.4/100,000), and oral cavity and pharynx (3.5/100,000). For females, the five most common cancer deaths are cervix (20.0/100,000), lung and bronchus (16.3/100,000), breast (11.3/100,000), uterus (8.5/100,000), and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (2.1/100,000). (19)- Cancer is the third leading cause of death in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. (20)Additional facts and information on Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander populations can be found at http://iccnetwork.org/cancerfactsREFERENCES:1. Honolulu Star Bulletin. Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders tallied. 2001 March 13; pg.1.2. US Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census. We the American Pacific Islanders. Washington, DC.: US Government Printing Office, 1993.3. Institute of Medicine. Feasley JC, Lawrence RS, editors. Pacific partnerships for health: charting a course for the 21st century.Washington DC.: National Academy Press, 1998.4. State of Hawaii, Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Native Hawaiian Data Book. Honolulu; 1999.5. Shinagawa SM, Kagawa-Singer M, Chen M, Tsark J, Palafox N, Mackura, G. Cancer registries and data for “Asian Americans” and “Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders”: What registrars need to know. Journal of Registry Management 1999; 26(4):128-141.6. Chu KC. Cancer data for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Asian American and Pacific Islander Journal of Health 1998; 6(2):130-9.7. Look MA, Braun KL. A mortality study of the Hawaiian people 1910-1990. Honolulu (HI): The Queen’s Health System; 1995; 10-11.8. Miller BA, Kolonel LN, Bernstein L, Young JrJL, Swanson GM, West D, Key CR, Liff JM,Glover CS, Alexander GA, et al., editors. Racial/ethnic patterns of cancer in the United States 1988-1992. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 1996. NIH Pub. No. 96- 4104. Available from: URL: http://www-seer.ims.nci.nih.gov/Publications/REPoC/9. Tsark J. Cancer in Native Hawaiians. Pacific Health Dialog 1998; 5(2):315-27.10. Cancer Research Center of Hawaii. Hawaii Tumor Registry Data Report. Honolulu HI, 1998.11. Hughes CK, Tsark JU, Kenui CK, Alexander GA. Cancer research studies in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Ann Epidemiol 2000; 10(8 Suppl):S49-60.12. Mishra SI, Luce-Aoelua P, Wilkens LR, Berstein L. Cancer among American-Samoans: site-specific incidence in California and Hawaii. Int J Epidemiol 1996; 25(4):713-21.13. Palafox NA, Johnson DB, Katz AR, Minami JS, Briand K. Site specific cancer incidence in the Republic of the Marshall Islands Cancer 1998; 83(S8):1821-4.14. Haddock RL, Naval CL. Cancer in Guam: a review of death certificates from 1971-1995. Pacific Health Dialog 1996; 4(1):66-75.15. Institute of Medicine. Haynes MA, Smedley BD, editors. The unequal burden of cancer. An assessment of NIH research and programs for ethnic minorities and the medically underserved. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1999.16. Bach F. Cancer registration in Guam. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, 1992.17. Department of Public Health and Social Services. Annual Statistical Report. Office of Vital Statistics, Department of Public Health and Social Services, Territory of Guam, Agana, 1993.18. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Health (CNMIDPH). Annual Public Health Progress Report 1995. Saipan, 1995.19. Republic of Palau Ministry of Health, Bureau of Public Health. Annual Report 1997. Koror, 1998.20. Bureau of Health Planning and Statistics. Marshall Islands Vital and Health Statistics Abstracts 1992-1996. Majuro: Ministry of Health and Environment; 1997.21. Cronkite EP, Bond VP, Conrad RA. Medical effects of exposure of human beings to fallout radiation from a thermonuclear explosion. Stem Cells 1995; 13(Suppl 1):49-57.22. Howard JE, Vaswani A, Heotis P. Thyroid disease among the Rongelap and Utirik population—an update. Health Phys 1997; 72(7):190-8.Information provided by theIntercultural Cancer Council1720 Dryden, Suite PMB-CHouston, TX 77030(713) 798-4617 • (713) 798-3990 (FAX)Email: info@iccnetwork.org • Website: http://iccnetwork.org
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The PDF document below provides statistics from 2006 about the state of Native Hawaiian health in Hawai'i as compared to other ethnic groups. It is an enlightening, useful resource and reference - and we were taught that epidemic illness was a thing of the past! It also contains contacts for healthcare systems/practitioners on every island who focus on native health issues. The ‘Ahahui Lā‘au Lapa‘au may also be a helpful resource. Please join our group and add us as a friend. E mālama pono kākou.OHA DataBook 2006 - Health.pdfRead more…
I took a short walk tonight – it was a beautiful night despite the humid and voggy conditions we’ve been having lately. I could not help but notice the Hua moon, full and bright. Well, Saturday is the night of Hoku (full moon), an important time for many activities, including planting of lāʻau, and so here is some moon-related info.Maoliworld resourcesKaulana Mahina, Maoliworld Group, created by Aunty KaleiLunar phases, video of Kalei (Tshua) Nuʻuhiwa, courtesy of Noʻeau, 2009The Native Hawaiian Moon Calendar, blog post by Jon Ching, 2008ʻIke Mahina, forum topic created by ʻOhukaniʻōhiʻa, 2008Other sources of info regarding kaulana mahinaThe Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium, Bishop MuseumThe Hawaiian Moon Calendar, Hina AdventuresLunar Days, KCCHawaiian Antiquities, David Malo, PDF, courtesy of Bishop Museum; widely available on the internet (Google Books, etc.) if you don't want to download a PDFHawaiian nights of the moon, a chapter from Maori Division of TimeEmail requests for very informative newsletters courtesy of Kalei (Tsuha) Nuʻuhiwa to hawaiianmooncalendar@yahoo.comNews articlesConnecting with the past, INPEACE perpetuates Hawaiian culture through outdoor classrooms, Honolulu Advertiser, 2008Hawaiian moon calendar, article by Paul Wood in Maui Magazine, 2006Hawaiian way is to let moon guide planting, article by Duane Choy, Honolulu Advertiser, 2005NASAThe Lunar Science Forum, July 21 – 23, 2009Picture of the century, Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project Update“The Moon”, Lunar and Planetary Science ProgramWhat is your experience with gardening by moon cycles? Feel free to also join us on our group page to share your stories and insight.What the heck is a "bower" and who said that quote?A bower is a "shady leafy shelter in a wood or garden", and it was William Blake (1757 – 1827) in the poem "Night"------------------------------------For those in the UH Mānoa lāʻau lapʻau classes, don't forget to review your planting notes for the final on Thursday! The resources above will help you further your knowledge of best planting times.-----------------------------------
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Wai'anae has more diabetes cases than rest of state, by farTuesday, September 9, 2008By Will HooverAdvertiser Staff WriterThe Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center sits at the epicenter of Hawai'i's diabetes crisis.As the primary medical facility in this disadvantaged region, it treats more Native Hawaiians than any other facility — and diabetes among Hawaiians is four times the national average. At the same time, the number of all adults on the coast with diabetes is double the statewide rate.The Wai'anae Coast also leads the state in the percentage of residents who smoke, have high blood pressure, don't exercise, and are obese — all of which compound the diabetes epidemic.The result, says Dr. Stephen Bradley, associate medical director for the center, is a catastrophic surge in people of all ages and races with diabetes on the coast. The costs are diminished lifestyles, shorter life spans and an overburdened healthcare system, he says. But as bad as things are here, Bradley knows they could get worse."There is an enormous number of undiagnosed diabetics out there," said Bradley, who worries that the epidemic could expand beyond the center's current 26,000 annual patient load and overwhelm its $38 million annual budget.Holding back the tsunami is the job of the health center, and it does so with a comprehensive array of tools that are as much down home as high tech.To be sure, the center offers the latest in clinical and medical services. But on any given day, patients might go on a supermarket tour where they learn how to choose healthy foods, visit a farmers market sponsored by the center, watch a cooking demonstration or work out in the center's gym.Still others might get a visit at home from a community health worker."Our philosophy is to treat folks in the most complete way possible regardless of their ability to pay," said Bradley.The center has focused on a two-fold preventive approach: keeping younger patients who don't have diabetes from getting it, and stabilizing patients who do have diabetes so it doesn't progress to debilitating and costly related disorders — kidney failure, blindness, leg amputations, strokes, obesity, or nerve and heart disease.Diabetes Police PatrolTusi Taumua, 50, playfully refers to herself as "The Wai'anae Diabetes Police Patrol." Actually, she is a diabetes education specialist and one of the center's traveling community health workers.With the facility's number of primary diabetes patients reaching 2,000 and rising, Taumua's workload can be heavy. On any given day she visits eight to 10 patients, sometimes more. These are home visits, and sometimes home is a tent on the beach.It doesn't matter to Taumua.A recent session at the home of Junedale Pakele on Hokuukali Street in Wai'anae was typical.Pakele, 62, was referred by her doctor because the patient's average daily blood sugar level was dangerously elevated. The doctor hoped that if Pakele better understood how diabetes affects her body, her self-management of the disease might improve.Although Pakele had a vague comprehension of diabetes, she was confused about the specifics, as well as her insulin injection procedures. Taumua outlined in simple but specific terms the causes and effects of diabetes, and the details of using insulin."Your body can adjust to having abnormal blood sugar levels for a long time," Taumua told Pakele as the two sat at a table on the patio. "The problem is that it's eating at you. The longer your blood sugars are high, even though you feel OK, the more it's not good for you."Taumua explained that the pain and numbness Pakele now feels in her legs and feet are the lasting effects of her high sugar levels throughout the past decade. Unchecked, the problems would only magnify.The better wayTaumua's initial visits can take up to two hours, with follow-up chats lasting from 45 minutes to more than an hour. Taumua bases her responses on the patient's questions and concerns, patiently reiterating her responses as many times as necessary."I don't often tell them, 'OK, you need to do this,' but I suggest that this may be a better way of doing it. It's easier for them to grasp when you do it that way."Part of Taumua's job is to explain practical and affordable ways in which patients can manage their diabetes in order to lower and maintain their average sugar levels. For example, when Pakele mentioned that Spam is one of her favorite foods, Taumua suggested boiling, not frying, a smaller portion of Spam, dicing it and mixing it with, say, cabbage and possibly other vegetables in a soup."It's not what you eat, it's how much of it you eat," Taumua told her. "Smaller portions are better."Taumua has diabetes herself. She says she tries to be diligent about managing it to set a good example."But, I'm like everybody else who likes to eat everything," she said with a laugh. "At least I know when I should really not be doing it.""Not doing it" however, goes to the heart of the diabetes dilemma in today's complex society, said Mary Francis Oneha, the center's Quality and Performance director."It's not as simple as 'Well, just do it — go and exercise this much and eat this type of food and it will be OK,'" she said."It's being able to get the right foods, having the money to get the food; it's what's easy to get that stretches the funds the furthest, and being motivated to exercise, and getting the right type of exercise that will work."Add to that time demands, work schedules, family obligations, personal problems, financial difficulties, and it's not hard to understand why so many people develop diabetes and are unable to manage it, she said.Lisa Zick-Mariteragi, nurse practitioner at the center, spends much of her time trying to help diabetes patients break down barriers to controlling disease.It's an uphill battle. Yet she sees hope. Her task is to present options and help patients make informed decisions."I tell my patients, 'You can ignore diabetes, but it will never ignore you,' " she said. "I find that when you respect people they end up making good decisions. This is an incredibly resilient community."decision-makingStill, making good decisions can be a formidable task, say Arnold and Leilani Ujimori of Ma'ili, who both have diabetes. For more than a decade the two have worked with center health providers to manage their disease — with mixed results.In the beginning, both say, they were in denial. Later, between raising a family and work, proper diet and rigorous exercise seemed out of the question.Now that they've reached the consequences stage of the disease, Arnold Ujimori, is ambivalent."I just take it in stride," said Ujimori, 51, who began giving himself insulin injections for the first time in late July. "I'm still obese, I still smoke, and I still like a drink."He admits he's done poorly when it comes to self-managing his disease. Being laid off from his plumbing job this summer has only made matters worse, he said.His wife, on the other hand, gives her own self-management effort better marks."I've been where he is," she said. "I had to go on insulin. I was taking shots two times a day."That was two years ago. Since then, she has shed more than 20 pounds through exercise and improved diet. As a consequence, she no longer needs insulin injections.Managing her diabetes remains tough, she stressed, and there's room for improvement. Still, she's pleased to be heading in the right direction.Even her husband has felt a tinge of motivation. For him, insulin injections were the wake-up call. He's talked of working out at the Comp Center gym, and paying attention to the personal trainer and nutritionist there. His goal is to eventually no longer need insulin shots.irony of exerciseOne irony associated with the diabetes crisis, said Richard Bettini, the center's chief executive officer, is that health plans are leery of paying for diet and exercise programs. Yet diet and exercise offer the best hope for bringing the epidemic under control, he said."You can give people expensive drugs to control their diabetes," said Bettini. "Or, you can get them walking and exercising and eating the right foods. That way you keep them out of emergency rooms and hospitals."To change the health plan status quo, the facility has pioneered an Innovation and Design Center dedicated to finding ways of developing diet and exercise programs that have positive, measurable outcomes.Once results can be guaranteed, health plan providers will be motivated to provide coverage for diet and exercise because it could save them money, said Bettini."That's the wave of the future."In the meantime, success against diabetes on the coast is measured in tiny steps, said Bradley."Can we get our diabetics healthier in the sense that they're not doing further damage to their organ systems?" he said. "If we can stem that a little bit by whatever we're doing — medically or nutritionally — that's a success."And if we can get some of the community aware, educated, fed better and more fit, we feel that is also successful. Because those individuals will probably not go on to develop a diabetes at a later age."At a glanceWhat: Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health CenterAddress: 86-260 Farrington HighwayEmployees: Approximately 500Annual budget: $38 millionNumber of patients annually: 26,000Programs: In addition to offering clinical and medical services, it sponsors a local farmers market, provides registered dieticians, nutritional classes, supermarket tours, a workout gym, a gardening program, cooking demonstrations, two nutrition and exercise programs for kids, and manicured walking trails (with shade trees and information kiosks stationed along the brick-laden pathways).Where to call: For information on diabetes programs call 697-3558The state's highest percentage of adults with diabetes — 15.2 percent (more than twice the statewide rate)Lowest percentage of residents with a "healthy weight" at 26.6 percentHighest percentage of obese residents statewide at 42.6 percentHighest percentage of residents who reported no leisure time physical activity at 27.7 percentHighest percentage of smokers in state at 26.2 percentHighest percentage of residents with high blood pressure at 32.1 percentO'ahu's lowest percentage of residents with health insurance at 87.1 percent.Source: State Department of Health's Behavior Risk Factors Surveillance System surveys for 2005-2007Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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‘Ōlena, or turmeric, is a "canoe plant" brought to Hawai'i by some of the first to settle in these islands. It has many uses, including an impressive host of medicinal functions, and is also used widely throughout India as a culinary and medicinal plant. Below is a summary of a study from the American Chemical Society about the physiological way ‘ōlena contributes to bodily health.India's "Holy Powder", Turmeric, Finally Reveals Its Centuries-old Secretfrom Journal Of The American Chemical SocietyScientists in Michigan are reporting discovery of the secret behind the fabled healing power of the main ingredient in turmeric - a spice revered in India as "holy powder." Their study on the ingredient, curcumin, appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication.In the study, Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy and colleagues point out that turmeric has been used for centuries in folk medicine to treat wounds, infections, and other health problems. Although modern scientific research on the spice has burgeoned in recent years, scientists until now did not know exactly how curcumin works inside the body.Using a high-tech instrument termed solid-state NMR spectroscopy, the scientists discovered that molecules of curcumin act like a biochemical disciplinarian. They insert themselves into cell membranes and make the membranes more stable and orderly in a way that increases cells' resistance to infection by disease-causing microbes.
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Nanakuli family's struggle now spans four generationsSunday, September 7, 2008By Will HooverAdvertiser Staff WriterMonica Bell is able to remain calm and cheerful even as her legs swell and ache, and she's feeling nauseous — frequent reminders of the diabetes that has laid waste to three generations of her family and taken hold of a fourth.Like many who feel fine early on despite having diabetes, Bell paid little heed to her illness after she was diagnosed 20 years ago.No more.Today, she's going blind and diabetes rules her very life."I get sick on a daily basis," said Bell. "It's a nasty disease. It's with me at all times. It never goes away. Every day it is a challenge."Her Hawaiian family has suffered profoundly because of diabetes, and to see what it has done to them is to witness the epidemic proportions the disease has reached on the Wai'anae Coast, where Bell and her family live on Mano Avenue in Nanakuli.The disease killed Monica's father, and several of his siblings. Her mother, whose kidney failure is a result of diabetes, spends four hours three times a week attached to a dialysis machine. All three of Monica's sisters have diabetes and take daily insulin injections, as do Monica and her mother.Monica's daughter, Taryn-Courtney Bell — TC to those who know her — was diagnosed with diabetes when she was only 6. At 13, she has been on insulin injections more than half her life. And last year Monica's son, Alika, 16, was also diagnosed with diabetes.As for Bell herself, diabetes has robbed her of the ability to drive, hold a job, walk easily, or ever again enjoy a sense of well-being. The vision in her right eye is gone, and although she still has limited sight in her left eye, she's unable to focus. Even the sight she has left could eventually fade."I do think about the future," she said. "And it is scary. I think you just have to get tight control on your diabetes. You probably can't get better. But you maybe can prevent it from getting worse."Household caretakerOf those who live in the Bell household, only Monica's husband, Gino, a truck driver, does not have diabetes. But the disease has affected his life all the same and rendered him the household caretaker."Gino does everything for me and our kids," said Monica, 38, who married Gino Bell in 1992. "He's just wonderful. He has things he likes to do — he fishes and surfs. But before he does anything, he makes sure that the family is doing well."He has altered his diet to meet the improving eating habits of his family. He dashes to the store on short notice at all hours. Since Monica can no longer see to drive, Gino juggles his work schedule and takes vacation days to accommodate various doctor and dialysis appointments, eye examinations, American Diabetes Association functions, or the diabetes classes his two children attend at the Kaiser Nanaikeola Clinic every month."I'm like the backbone," said Gino, 47, who has worked 17 years for a firm that subcontracts to the military. "I've saved up a lot of hours, so I can help out, taking them here and there."He says he is grateful to be able to do it.His pleasant disposition can be a calming influence on a family often straining simply to function, according to his wife.'Lot of starches'Monica's mother, Archidalia Kawa'a, 64, frets about her fellow Hawaiians who suffer in great numbers from the disease, yet tend to be the last and least to seek treatment, because of cultural pride, shame or a lack of health insurance. By the time many do reach out for medical assistance it's often too late, she says."Diabetes is terrible," said Kawa'a. "My husband, John, had both his legs amputated because of it. He died at 59. His mother died at 49. His father died at about 54. I have diabetes. All four of my daughters have diabetes, and my grandchildren have diabetes."Furthermore, those in the community who are diagnosed in time to make a difference frequently fail to heed doctors' warnings that they should exercise, eat healthy, and manage their sugar levels, she says. Since they don't feel ill or exhibit symptoms in the beginning, they are less inclined to work out or give up fast foods and snacks."It's a way of life in Hawai'i," she said. "That's how we eat since we were young — lot of starches."Monica Bell, for instance, wasn't especially bothered when she was diagnosed in 1988 as a senior at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School. She didn't know much about the disease, and although she was overweight, she considered herself generally fit.Her concern rose after her mother was diagnosed a short time later, she says. When her father became seriously ill in the late 1990s, "it opened my eyes to what diabetes is."Still, she didn't alter her habits. By the time her father died on Christmas Day in 2002, she could no longer see well enough to drive. The following year, because of her failing eyesight and debilitating nerve damage in her legs, Bell left her job and began collecting Social Security benefits.She is stoic about the outcome."It was my own fault. I never listened. But now I'm trying to do my best because I've got to help my kids out."For her the alarm bells rang loudest when her daughter was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the kind that has stricken the rest of the family and a form of the disease once associated with older adults."She was so young," she said. "Even the doctors were surprised."pushing healthy lifestyleA genetic susceptibility associated with type 2 diabetes can be triggered by behavioral factors such as obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. There is also evidence that diabetes may run in families, according to experts.Today, Monica worries that TC and Alika won't take diabetes seriously until they're suffering from the permanent or life-threatening effects.TC tends to eat too much and not the right foods, Monica says. Alika, who is lean and trim at 5 feet 10 and 155 pounds, doesn't eat enough of anything. And for the diabetic, eating too little can be as worrisome as pigging out on fries and double cheeseburgers.So their mother pushes them both to watch their diets and take their meds."I tell them, 'You don't want to end up like me.' "To that end, she and Gino encourage TC and Alika to attend two-hour interactive diabetes classes at Kaiser Permanente's Nanaikeola Clinic in Nanakuli, where a doctor, nurse practitioner, dietitian and behavior medicine specialist guide the Bell children and two other young diabetics through the various aspects of managing their disease.While the purpose is serious, the classes are low-pressure, light-hearted affairs in which the participants prepare healthy meals, compete on computer games aimed at diabetes education, and discuss useful ways of coping with their disease.The sessions include playful physical exercises, such as a vigorous match of balloon volleyball, or no-net ping pong waged across conference room tables shoved together. Invariably, these exercises culminate in raucous balloon popping or wild ping pong ball batting, but not before everyone — clinical staff included — has had a good workout.going for the veggiesThere are even encouraging signs that some of it may be achieving the desired effect. In a recent class, dietitian Justin Miyashiro watched as the kids whipped up a batch of healthy dill dip and served it with a platter of delicately prepared celery sticks, cut carrots, and sliced mushrooms and cucumbers.Not only did Alika polish off a plate of vegetables and dip, he quietly returned for seconds, which he also finished. Likewise, TC said she enjoyed the food — "Especially the mushrooms! I like them. We've got to get some of this stuff."As the class was winding down, Miyashiro threw the discussion open to suggestions for next month's healthy meal."Portuguese sausage with eggs," piped up Alika."Is that healthy?" wondered Miyashiro."OK," replied Alika, to the laughter of all present, "Portuguese sausage and eggs — with tofu."Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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Raw for Thirty, whose mission it is to bring together people in a Movemement to Reverse Diabetes Naturally through the spreading of educational resources on nutrition, has named April 25th to be Reversing Diabetes Action Day *.According to the 2007 Hawai‘i Health Survey, over 90,900 people have diabetes in Hawai‘i. Although there are other factors involved, there is a well-established link between good health and decreased susceptibility to diabetes. The 2007 American Diabetes Association Position Statement is just one source that asserts that beneficial nutrition therapy is an important part of diabetes prevention and intervention: Nutrition Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes. So on this day, we especially advocate an evaluation of diet and exercise regimens. Additionally, lā‘au lapa‘au classes can help identify other medicinal plants used for diabetes. If you're interested in learning more, check out the classes at UH Mānoa for the Fall 2009 semester. There are also a number of lā‘au lapa‘au classes offered elsewhere.*Please note that we are not endorsing any products sold by Raw for 30 or any of their affiliates. We do support an action day to reverse diabetes naturally. In addition to their website, the organization's press release is available here. Another, more well-known diabetes awareness day, World Diabetes Day, is celebrated on November 14.Finally, as we reflect on overcoming diabetes in our society, please consider lending your support to the following event:‘Ohana Concert for Janell ArakiThis is a fundraising effort to help Janell and Darren Araki in their battle against the rare disease “Calciphylaxis“ that is jeopardizing their ‘ohana. The goal is to raise awareness of Diabetes, Kidney Disease, and Calciphylaxis while raising money to help with the cost of Janell's ongoing healthcare. They hope to bring agencies and people together in an effort to combine strengths, raise awareness, overcome disease, and assist in medical treatments.This is a family event at the Aloha Tower featuring Hawai‘i's best local musicians such as: Nā Leo, Weldon Kekauoha, Kapena, Vaihi, Kupaoa, Mauna Lua, and much more . . .Lots of prizes, raffles, food, and beverages will be available. Bring the entire family and come help a very worthy cause at the same time!Sunday, May 3, 20092:00pm - 10:00pmThe Waterfront (formerly Kapono's), Aloha Tower Marketplace, 1 Aloha Drive$20 donation, ages 12 and Under are Free!For ticket information contact KAHAKU REIMANN @ 808-864-1638 or DARREN ARAKI @ 808-479-0606Parking Details: $5 at Aloha Tower Marketplace or across the street--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information:Name: Darren Araki or Kahaku ReimannPhone: (808) 479-0606Alternate Phone: (808) 864-1638Email: theplacetobeproductions@yahoo.comWebsite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calciphylaxis--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Information accessed at http://hawaiieventsonline.com/quicksearch.php?eventID=16082To read more:Honolulu MagazineStar BulletinExaminerK5---------------------------------------------------------------------------------More food for thought in a April 15 article from the Guardian News: Experimental stem cell treatment an alternative to insulin for diabetes
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Hawaiian herbal healing kept alive at universityby Leah Gouker, Ka Leo Contributing WriterIssue date: 10/12/05 Section: NewsThe Center for Hawaiian Studies has the only curriculum in the nation that has institutionalized a traditional healing practice.Levon Ohai began teaching lā`au lapa`au, the Hawaiian practice of herbal healing, at UHM in 2001. "What we're offering here is one of a kind," he said."[It's] a process of restoration," Ohai said.Uala Lenta teaches the introductory course. She was raised in south Kona, where her mother regularly used Hawaiian and other herbal remedies. Lenta has been learning the practice of lā`au lapa`au from Ohai for the last four years.Lenta's class involves identifying the plants and their characteristics, a skill needed before students move into Ohai's advanced classes."I try to practice as much as I can because the more you practice, the better you get," said Lenta, who believes the craft should be used in each students personal life. "It is one thing in saying 'this plant is good for this,' but you can say 'yeah I used it and it works.'""The only way to preserve Hawaiian culture is to practice and take action," Lenta said. "The only way to keep the language alive is to speak it, so the only way to keep lā`au lapa`au alive is to practice and teach it. So that's exactly what this is."Ohai said that teaching lā`au lapa`au at UH has its problems."You can't do it the way it was really done, but at least there is some semblance of it here," he said.Lenta agreed that it can be difficult to teach lā`au lapa`au, which is as much spiritual as it is physical, in the university setting."Usually there is just one teacher with just one haumana [student], who usually trains for years," she said. "This way it can get passed on to more people."Graduate student Anna Holt is enrolled in the Hawaiian Medicinal Herbs introductory course. She says the opportunity to learn lā`au lapa`au serves as a reminder."For Hawaiian people, it's important to remember the way that people used to heal themselves, and they're still applicable," she said. "It just reinforces the knowledge that Hawaiian people have and used to have. I think, like anything, you can't let anything be forgotten."Anthony Ortiz, a plant pathology graduate student, said he loves Lenta's class. "I think it's really important to practice traditional methods of life, period," he said. Ortiz often uses his knowledge of herbs to heal himself. "People are always getting sick, or if you're like me, always getting cuts and bruises," he said. "Usually if I get hurt, there's something right next to me to cure me."Ohai said he is very thankful to the university for making this opportunity possible. "Its objective is to share the knowledge," he said. "That's what the students like - anything that's new. That's progress, that's progression to me.""It's been received very well out here by the students," Ohai said. "Most of them come from a range of backgrounds: medical, botany, biology, nursing and broader areas like engineering and English."Lenta has 42 students in her class although the number of student places available is 30. "I don't want to turn anyone away if they want to learn," Lenta said. "This subject is so personalized and I want to work one-on-one with everyone, but it is difficult."Ohai was born and raised on Kaua`i. His grandfather passed the lā`au lapa`au knowledge down to him, and he comes from a long family line of practitioners. Although he is teaching fulltime at UH, he continues to practice."I get calls every week," he said. Most of his patients are people he doesn't know personally. "It's just by word of mouth, probably.""We don't deal with treatment; we deal with healing and cures," Ohai said. "If you know what to take, how much to take and when to take - those are the three important questions."Ohai says people tend to associate price with quality when it comes to medicine. "But it is not so with the herbs. The herbs are true and honest," he said. "If you take it, you will be healed."Andrew Affleck contributed to this article.
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There have been some troubling findings in health news recently. Gertraud Maskarinec and colleagues from the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii found that, regardless of weight, diabetes was at least two times more common among ethnic groups than whites.Also, from a Honolulu Advertiser article: More people are visiting community health centers which provide medical, dental and mental health services to underserved populations, including the uninsured, under-insured, low-income people, immigrants, the elderly, those who live in rural areas and the homeless. Although patient use is increasing, current funding will not provide for program growth. Emmanuel Kintu, Kalihi-Palama Health Center executive director, said his center saw a 21 percent increase in the number of uninsured people it served in 2008, compared with 2007. He said many of the uninsured had recently lost their jobs or seen big cuts to their work hours. Kintu said the tough economic times are forcing his center and others statewide to consider some difficult choices to stay afloat. Those could include turning patients away, he said, or laying off workers.During these tough times, we urge everyone to take responsibility for improving their health and the health of their families. Lā‘au lapa‘au is a cost-effective, natural way to increase physical, mental, and spiritual health, and it’s something you can easily do for yourself. We hope that you try to eat well, sleep, exercise, drink lots of water, and try to decrease stress (maybe through exercise, laughter, meditation, reflecting on the good stuff in your life). Also, incorporating koa (warriors) such as nīoi (chili pepper), ‘ōlena (tumeric), kalika (garlic), and awapuhi (ginger) will strengthen your body. These koa are easy to find and easy to add to your diet. But to learn more, visit our event on April 17. For more info, there's a listing under Events. Please feel free to contact us also.
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