Elisa's Journal

There is new hope for those of any age in the stressed out club as well as the old geezer club. Sadly, I'm a card-carrying member of both. 7-keto-DHEA, folks. It's the form of DHEA that doesn't convert to testosterone or estrogen. It has all the benefits without making us women into drag queens with acne in our beards and giving men size 46-A breasts and a swish in their walk. 7-keto-DHEA is the active metabolite however, so it has all the benefits of regular DHEA: It strengthens immunity, lifts moods, raises endurance and energy levels, improves skin quality and tone, raises lean muscle to fat ratio, lowers harmfully high cortisol levels, combats the inflammatory response at the root of Alzheimers, arthritis, strokes and heart disease, improves memory and cognition, strengthens bones, ameliorates menopausal symptoms, reverses gingivitis, improves the overall sense of well-being, among other things. If it could just take out the trash and mop the floors it'd be perfect.

So why do we feel crappy when we age? DHEA levels decline once we hit the ripe old age of 25 and cortisol levels (implicated in many of the old-age ailments) begin to rise. This same thing occurs when you have a great deal of stress, even in childhood. That's why extreme stress seems to age some: the skin turns wrinkled, hair turns grey, etc. The last thing you want, however, is a cortisol level that is higher than the DHEA level. You want the DHEA to cortisol ratio at around 25 to 1. I recommend anyone over 25 check both hormones and supplement with 7-keto-DHEA accordingly, then recheck these levels in three months. If they looks good, check them annually thereafter. Same thing applies to those under 25. One of my children who has had a lot of stress in the past had a very low DHEA level. 7-keto-DHEA has made all the difference. She's happier, stronger, and has tons of energy. I take it and the difference in just three days is impressive. Plus, I've already gone down a size or two. Try it and then tell me your success stories.

Posted by elisa at 09:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ever wonder if you could improve your child's academic performance without taking him/her to a tutor after school 365 days a year, spending the entire college fund in the process? Are you or is your child an athlete who wishes to excel at a sport? Well hang on to your hats, folks, because I have first hand experience with something that works--Interactive Metronome. It's a computer program that uses a hand trigger and foot switch to perfect the body's inner timing. It does so by synchronizing three important senses for learning, remembering, planning, organizing, and moving your body in 3-D space. These include the vestibular, visual and auditory senses. In 14 different exercises, you try to hit the trigger and/or foot switch within milliseconds of a reference tone which sounds like a cow bell. Visual and auditory cues guide you by indicating whether you're very early or late, slightly early or late, or right on. This usually takes only 15 sessions. Some of the exercises work on upper extremities, some on lower extremities, some on the right side, some on the left side, some bilateral and some crossing midline. For instance, one involves hitting the right hand trigger and tapping the left toe on the foot switch. This "cross integration" helps build nerve fibers in the corpus callosum which is the conduit allowing the left and right hemispheres to communicate with one another. When this conduit is strong, thinking is easier and you feel like yo're in the zone. In fact, athletes report that when they're finished with IM, they feel "in the zone" all the time. The results are phenomenal. Students generally improve reading skills by 2.5 grade levels and math by 1.9 grade levels. Motor planning, high level cognitive, organizational and focusing skills improve, auditory and visual processing gets better, as does gross motor skills and , yep, behavior too. And when all three senses are in synchrony, dendrites (nerve connections in the brain) proliferate like crazy. As for the athlete, the only difference between Beckham and someone else the same age, size and knowledge is inner timing. Beckham's is perfect. It's all about timing. On a personal level, my 14 year old son actually wants to read. He comes when I call him to do something. He's happier and more organized. My seventeen year old has better eye contact, social skills, handwriting, and behavior. His mood is great all the time. My 12 year old daughter just made A team in volleyball. Even though she's like midget size her serve is kick ass! Please realize we haven't even finished all 15 sessions yet! But we'll see how they all do as the school year progresses. I understand that these new skills stick as they've rechecked patients 2 and 5 years after completion of the 15 sessions. In summary, I recommend it for all students, (especially those with ADHD or LD,) for autistics, for athletes, for those suffering from depression, for klutzes (like me,) and for seniors who want to avoid dementia and frailty. Hell, I recommend it for everyone--especially the Houston 'Stros. If anyone of you knows an Astro, tell them to give me a holler. We'll kick ass next season! Anyway, decide for yourself. Visit www.interactive metronome.com and check out the research, particularly the big golf study and the St. Thomas Equinas High School study.

Posted by elisa at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)