That's Fit

I'm skeptical of supplements, alternative remedies, herbal fixes, and the like. I'm holding back, in fact, on purchasing something called Bromelain, a mixture of enzymes found in the juice and stems of pineapples. Bromelain is believed to help with the digestion of protein and believed to help combat inflammation. But does it really? Will it perhaps help reduce the swelling of my post-tummy-tuck belly? I'm not sure. Science isn't sure either.

Science is sure about these 10 natural cures, according to this St. Petersburg Times newspaper article.

• Tea tree oil for dandruff

• Acupuncture for migraines

• Yoga for insomnia

• St. John's Wort for depression

• Echinacea for the common cold

• Aloe vera for sunburn

• Chiropractic treatment for back pain

• Peppermint for indigestion

• Glucosamine and chondroitin for joint pain

• Chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome

Take a tour of the following gallery for the lowdown on these tried-and-true treatments. And don't forget to consult your physician before embarking on any medical journey.

I was in the checkout line at Target the other day and spotted a steam mop on the conveyor belt behind my stuff. I asked the woman behind me about it. She was trying it for the first time. At $40, she figured she couldn't lose. Well, anything but $40. But anyway, it piqued my curiosity. Turns out, it's the hot new trend in cleaning supplies.

A recent Washington Post article on the subject offers a pretty nice overview of the method. As for effectiveness and the potential to provide relief for allergy sufferers, steam cleaners seem promising. They are not a "magic wand," but myriad types of steam cleaners can apparently clean things from floors to outdoor grills pretty well. And because hot steam is touted for its ability to kill dust mites, mold and other allergens, they appeal to allergy sufferers.

Another lure is that the method offers a healthier alternative to chemical cleaners and is therefore kinder to the environment, especially waste water. But as with many eco-friendly efforts, there's an "inevitable weighing of pros and cons." Steam cleaners require electricity to use and energy for production and transport and will eventually add to solid waste in landfills.

Agave nectar has shown up as tidbits in various post on That's Fit before, whether it's an ingredient in a hot chocolate recipe or an element of a celebrity's diet. But for those of you who don't know the details of what this sweet syrup is, where it comes from and why it's a good alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners, this is for you:

Agave nectar is derived from a Mexican plant and considered a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners because it's naturally derived and has a low glycemic effect, which is explained thoroughly in this article on Shake Off the Sugar a web site devoted to low-carb options and reducing sugar intake. And here's another article about the trend in use of agave as a sweet alternative.

As for me, I use it in tea and baking recipes as well as in my morning oatmeal. The other day, I used it in lemonade. But I found adding a little organic sugar made the taste of the lemons come out more. Call me crazy.

My experiments have been fun and mostly successful. And I can vouch for agave's low glycemic load as I'm a type 1 diabetic using an insulin pump to control blood sugar and testing often. The effect of agave nectar on my blood sugar is minimal. But of course other experiences might be different. Our bodies are not entirely identical in how they react to various substances. And I'm not your doctor, so talk to yours about how you might use agave in your diet.

You can usually find agave in your local health food store. My local Super Target stocks it too. And you can buy online too. Sweet!

What exactly is VirtualGym TV? It's an online gym with a huge variety of top quality instructors, and when you subscribe, you have access to all those instructors and all of their "classes" at your convenience. Oh, and all of this is available at a fraction of the cost of a gym membership. Sound good?

Well, I think it has some good possibilities, but as to their claim of being the future of personal fitness ... I'm not entirely convinced. This is a great option for companies that want to provide fitness opportunities for their employees who are scattered across various locations, making the provision of gym memberships difficult. And, for the motivated but busy individual, it could probably work.

Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Paul Watford

Age: 61

Occupation: Retired

How often do you exercise? Five to six days a week

What type of exercise do you do? Two to three days a week I do stadium steps. Two to three days a week I do core body exercises: sit-ups, push-ups, varying plank exercises, and yoga stretches.

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? Its up to me. I am the only active person in my family.

I'm a big believer in home remedies and natural approaches to various health issues, but I also believe that in some cases "natural" just won't cut it and technology may have the answer instead. But when dealing with alternative health approaches understanding the pros, cons, limits, and risks is imperative. Do you think you have a solid understanding of the basics? Here are a few of the biggest misconceptions people have about alternative medicine:

• "All natural" automatically translates to "all safe." Not true. Natural and herbal compounds often vary in strength, and they can interact and have serious side effects just like many prescription medications.
• "Alternative therapies are cheaper than conventional ones." Not true in many cases. Although they may have a cheaper price tag they often aren't covered by insurance.
• "There's little to no solid research to support the effects of alternative medicine." Not true, although many times research on alternative medicine is not documented and written about in scientific language, which can have a negative influence with doctors.

There's more on this list from Forbes so pop over there and take a look, and then share your thoughts on alternative medicine in our comments section!

This story was exciting to me when I first read it. The jist: a medical student becomes frustrated with the health care system and the politics of medicine before even graduating.

Finally -- a story about a to-be doctor who doesn't just follow along with the "fix it" mentality and worries about preventing so many health issues using preventive maintenance and natural methods, not solely prescription drugs and such.

In the world's richest country, we have arguably one of the most troubled health care systems available for both doctors and patients. What about limited time with patients, fears about insurance and practicing defensive medicine? Are there room for alternative treatments as well? This goes far beyond cynicism and more into reality.

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard of Tofu, a Japanese soybean curd. It's a low-fat protein alternative, and guess what? It's not just for vegetarians. I for one eat it all the time.

But unless you've been cooking with tofu for a while, you might be at a loss for what to do with it. Here are some suggestions from Glee Magazine:

• Firm tofu is mostly used in stirfrys. I also use it ground beef substitute in recipes like pasta sauce, and when I'm craving fried chicken, I'll sometimes bread it with some spices and fry it. It's delicious!
• Soft tofu is good in soups and in dips
  
• Silken tofu has a custard-like texture and is a great dairy-free dessert alternative
• Baked Tofu is marinated with a variety of flavours and is great in sandwiches.
  

The thing to remember with Tofu is that it's very versatile -- it doesn't have much flavour so it it easily picks up other flavours.

How do you cook your tofu?

Do you love to snack on treats like potato chips, cookies and candy but you worry about the fat and calories? Do you still think they'd taste as good with less sugar and healthier fats? This is the challenge that snack food manufacturers are facing these days as many are demanding more nutritious 'junk' food, but refusing to buy treats that don't taste as good as the old version.

Companies like Kellogg's and Kraft are having to make some major changes in their food, not only due to consumer demand, but also to keep from getting sued by food lobby groups and children's interest groups who don't want tasty, but ultimately nutrition-free, junk food being marketed toward kids.The result is that trans-fats are being replaced by healthier fats, the amount of sugar in treats is getting reduced and snacks are coming in much smaller portions.

I think it's a great idea to make a range of healthier 'junk' food but I wonder how many die-hard snack fans will be so quick to jump on board. It's one thing to eat a smaller amount of your favorite treat but would you still want it if the flavor and taste is gone? What do you think, would you be willing to give a low-or no-fat/low-calorie version of your favorite junk food a try? Or do you already have a tasty-but-healthy-alternative snack to recommend?

What is iridology? I'd never heard of it before now, but it's the study of the iris to determine the overall well-being and health of person. Practitioners of iridology believe that every color, fiber, pattern, and defect in the iris of the eye is a direct reflection of something wrong in the body. At a glance, healers using this method can tell at a glance how well organs and systems are working together by looking at the left eye for the left side of the body, and the right eye for the right side.

Although iridology can be traced back to the days of Hippocrates and is found all over the United States, not all natural and holistic healers believe in it. Do you?

OK! I....I mean the Easter Bunny just finished hiding eggs around the house for my two little tots. At the last minute, the Easter Bunny had to come up with healthy alternatives to stuffing these dear little people full of teeth-rotting sugar tomorrow morning. Mission accomplished! If the big furry one shows up to your house last minute, here are some great alternatives to candy in eggs.

• Goldfish
• Cheerios
• yogurt raisins
• stamps
• stickers
• raisins
• deflated balloons
• coins
• dollars
• erasers
• teeny nail polish bottles
• barrettes
• ribbons
• bows
• key chains
• put a five dollar bill in a surprise egg

Good luck! Happy Easter! Don't let the bunny hide the eggs where they can't be found again!

Today the results of a study 7 years in the making have been released: scientists have confirmed an alternative source of stem cells -- from amniotic fluid and placental tissue. This is awesome news because it allows the research and use of stem cells without harming fetuses. Researchers at Wake Forest University and Harvard University hope that these newly discovered cells will hold the same promise as embryonic stem cells and provide continued hope for tissue repair and even engineered organs, but without the controversy. And they believe the amniotic and placental stem cells offer a couple things that embryonic stem cells don't: an almost unlimited supply (think of all the births in the U.S. every year) and, due to that availability, the ability to find a genetic match for practically any patient in need.

Obviously this concept is not completely new, with research having been done for many years. But I hadn't heard much about it before now, and I'm excited that this study has added confirmation to the idea and that the issue is now getting so much attention and publicity. Yay!

Everybody needs new ideas now and then for either getting in shape or staying in shape. Even the fittest and healthiest people need to switch up their routines now and then, to avoid boredom and reenergize their motivation levels. Here are some ideas for trying something new, from old "tried and trues" to the latest in DVD home workouts:

• Dance! Research has shown that moving your body to music, or dancing, makes the time go by faster and can be great exercise. Need some specific direction? The Samba is a fun and upbeat option, either through lessons or an at home DVD in your living room.
• Jumping rope burns as much as 400 calories for every 30 minutes! And if you want to go at an easier pace, especially if you're just getting started, you can still burn 200 calories in 20 minutes by jumping a little slower. Not to mention it does a great job at toning and shaping your legs and midsection.
• Get in shape for a special occasion with a specially designed DVD called Women's Health: The Wedding Workout DVD. Even though the title says it's for weddings, apparently it's great for any special occasion -- like a vacation or family reunion.

Antibacterial clays are earning some respect as a legitimate medicinal tool. Like most people, I usually associate clay with spas... things like clay facials and relaxing body masks. But new research is uncovering powerful antibacterial properties in certain kinds of natural clay.

I'll warn you that this article gets pretty technical, but if you can wade through the chemistry terminology this information is pretty amazing. Certain clays are powerfully medicinal, while others have no effects at all or can even be harmful, depending on when and where the clay was formed. Soon we may see antibacterial clay being used to fight certain types of bacterial infections where traditional methods, like penicillin, are failing.