Yikes! Another form of staph infection and it’s drug resistant. This one called is Mersa (short for MRSA which stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This is a fast-acting bacterial infection, one of many we are now commonly seeing. Why? Researchers believe one reason is the overuse of anti-biotics. When you add poor health, environmental toxins, impure water, unmanaged stress, lack of sleep and a few other wild cards to the mix, you have a recipe for disease.
Before you decide it’s time to nail the door shut forever, consider this:
You can disease-proof yourself.
If you are already ill, you can heal yourself.
If you’ve never heard this before, it may sound too good to be true. Rest assured, it is true. I challenge you to prove it to yourself. How? Learn how to take excellent care of yourself. Find out what you can eat and drink and do to build dynamic health. Seek out a highly skilled and experienced natural health teacher/counselor to guide you. When you learn how to care for yourself, the knowledge will be yours for a lifetime.
When you have this kind of energy and vitality, there is nothing that can touch you. I’m not kidding.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Balancing Your Hormones Naturally
Confused by HRT and “bio-identicals”? Still trying to memorize which hormones do what? Nervous about the slippery slope of taking drugs, the expense and inconvenience of constant medical monitoring, or side effects that are even worse than the problem?
Unless you have a keen interest, it’s not necessary to know all about physiology or the medical terminology in order to stay hormonally balanced. Basically, the same advice your grandmother gave you is still correct except now we have the science to back it up.
The foundation of health, including hormonal balance, is still the same – a nutritious diet, exercise, rest and managing stress effectively.
In every stage of life, including menopause, a healthy body is capable of compensating for changes. For example, when the ovaries slow down the production of hormones (like estrogen, DHEA, testosterone and progesterone), other glands, particularly the adrenals, can take over that job.
We humans are dynamic creatures who experience a wide range of emotions, engage in many diverse activities and eat various diets. Throughout it all, every aspect of our being engages to keep our bodies in homeostasis (constant balance). Sometimes we over-extend or neglect ourselves for long periods of time, even years. Over time, the body is unable to continue compensating and we develop symptoms.
What can you do right now to reverse this trend?
· Be diligent with diet. Eat a wide variety of wholesome foods in their natural, organic state. The more processing you do to your food, the more de-natured it becomes. Many plant foods and herbs have the raw materials to produce hormones on demand. If not needed, they simply pass through the body. Consider adding whole food supplements and superfoods such as spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, etc. to your diet.
· Exercise and get outside air everyday. Exercise makes every aspect of life better. Begin where you are – even if all you can do is go outside and breathe. Continue to add more challenge.
· Rest will be aided immensely by getting exercise and eating well. If this is a problem for you, ease yourself to sleep by starting to wind down several hours prior to going to bed. Avoid late night eating, drinking and news. Consider taking an old textbook to bed with you (it always worked in school!).
· Manage your stress. Stress can be a good thing and we all experience it. Find ways to make it work for you.
There is no substitute for any one of these 4 elements of health – diet, exercise, rest and managing stress. They work together and when you offer your best effort in one area, the others become easier too.
Unless you have a keen interest, it’s not necessary to know all about physiology or the medical terminology in order to stay hormonally balanced. Basically, the same advice your grandmother gave you is still correct except now we have the science to back it up.
The foundation of health, including hormonal balance, is still the same – a nutritious diet, exercise, rest and managing stress effectively.
In every stage of life, including menopause, a healthy body is capable of compensating for changes. For example, when the ovaries slow down the production of hormones (like estrogen, DHEA, testosterone and progesterone), other glands, particularly the adrenals, can take over that job.
We humans are dynamic creatures who experience a wide range of emotions, engage in many diverse activities and eat various diets. Throughout it all, every aspect of our being engages to keep our bodies in homeostasis (constant balance). Sometimes we over-extend or neglect ourselves for long periods of time, even years. Over time, the body is unable to continue compensating and we develop symptoms.
What can you do right now to reverse this trend?
· Be diligent with diet. Eat a wide variety of wholesome foods in their natural, organic state. The more processing you do to your food, the more de-natured it becomes. Many plant foods and herbs have the raw materials to produce hormones on demand. If not needed, they simply pass through the body. Consider adding whole food supplements and superfoods such as spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, etc. to your diet.
· Exercise and get outside air everyday. Exercise makes every aspect of life better. Begin where you are – even if all you can do is go outside and breathe. Continue to add more challenge.
· Rest will be aided immensely by getting exercise and eating well. If this is a problem for you, ease yourself to sleep by starting to wind down several hours prior to going to bed. Avoid late night eating, drinking and news. Consider taking an old textbook to bed with you (it always worked in school!).
· Manage your stress. Stress can be a good thing and we all experience it. Find ways to make it work for you.
There is no substitute for any one of these 4 elements of health – diet, exercise, rest and managing stress. They work together and when you offer your best effort in one area, the others become easier too.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Resolving Hormone Imbalance Naturally
If you’ve been hearing about bio-identical hormones – make no mistake: there is nothing outside the body – nothing that is produced in a lab – that is biologically identical to what the body produces. Even if it looks, tastes and smells the same, the body has wisdom beyond our understanding and it is never tricked. This term is very misleading when applied to chemically produced hormone products.
When healthy women approach the time when their ovaries produce fewer hormones, other glands (especially the adrenals) and organs can take over the job of subsidizing hormone production. When these alternate glands and organs are not able to produce our “individual normal” amount of hormones, we can experience symptoms as diverse as hot flashes, depression, insomnia, weight gain, forgetfulness, and brain fog.
The antidote is always the same. Dig beyond the symptoms and get to cause. You can heal yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to see the problems in our own lives. If this is your situation, then find a highly skilled and experienced natural health teacher/counselor to guide you. When you learn how to care for yourself, the knowledge will be yours for a lifetime.
Many plant foods and herbs contain hormone precursors – raw materials that the body can convert into hormones on demand. If they are not needed, they simply pass through the body and produce no side effects. These foods and herbs can help bridge the gap until a woman has built her body up to the point where it can handle normal hormone production.
There are also plant foods and herbs that can help relieve your symptoms with no ill effects. Again, consult a highly skilled and experienced natural health teacher/counselor who can work with your specific needs.
When healthy women approach the time when their ovaries produce fewer hormones, other glands (especially the adrenals) and organs can take over the job of subsidizing hormone production. When these alternate glands and organs are not able to produce our “individual normal” amount of hormones, we can experience symptoms as diverse as hot flashes, depression, insomnia, weight gain, forgetfulness, and brain fog.
The antidote is always the same. Dig beyond the symptoms and get to cause. You can heal yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to see the problems in our own lives. If this is your situation, then find a highly skilled and experienced natural health teacher/counselor to guide you. When you learn how to care for yourself, the knowledge will be yours for a lifetime.
Many plant foods and herbs contain hormone precursors – raw materials that the body can convert into hormones on demand. If they are not needed, they simply pass through the body and produce no side effects. These foods and herbs can help bridge the gap until a woman has built her body up to the point where it can handle normal hormone production.
There are also plant foods and herbs that can help relieve your symptoms with no ill effects. Again, consult a highly skilled and experienced natural health teacher/counselor who can work with your specific needs.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
How Iridology Can Help You
There has never been a more important time to take care of yourself. There is much uncertainty in many areas of life – yet when you know how to care for yourself, you can have confidence in your own well-being. Using natural methods, you can get healthy and stay healthy.
Iridology offers a non-invasive and cost-effective way to discover your body’s unique strengths and sensitivities. Your eyes can provide a wealth of information about your health – things that may be happening on cellular level which have not even manifested yet. If you are looking for deeper insight into your genetic inheritance, that can be seen in your eyes as well.
When you learn how to overcome health problems and rebuild your health, you take your power back. You regain the confidence in yourself that you were born with.
Iridology offers a non-invasive and cost-effective way to discover your body’s unique strengths and sensitivities. Your eyes can provide a wealth of information about your health – things that may be happening on cellular level which have not even manifested yet. If you are looking for deeper insight into your genetic inheritance, that can be seen in your eyes as well.
When you learn how to overcome health problems and rebuild your health, you take your power back. You regain the confidence in yourself that you were born with.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Who Keeps You Healthy?
Are you waiting for the U.S. government to come up with a plan to keep you healthy and disease-free? Or how about provide you with insurance to overcome whatever ails you? Be prepared to wait a very long time.
Even in a perfect world, there is no entity other than you that can keep you healthy. It is your everyday habits of thought and self-care that keep you well. Your intention to take care of yourself outweighs even the worst effects of environmental exposures, things unknowingly ingested, even negative experiences from the past.
You must be willing to take responsibility for yourself. Shifting that responsibility to your parents, your employer, your country will always leave you frustrated and disconnected from your real power to heal yourself. When you take responsibility for yourself, there is nothing you cannot overcome.
Even in a perfect world, there is no entity other than you that can keep you healthy. It is your everyday habits of thought and self-care that keep you well. Your intention to take care of yourself outweighs even the worst effects of environmental exposures, things unknowingly ingested, even negative experiences from the past.
You must be willing to take responsibility for yourself. Shifting that responsibility to your parents, your employer, your country will always leave you frustrated and disconnected from your real power to heal yourself. When you take responsibility for yourself, there is nothing you cannot overcome.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Vegan Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids. Our bodies do not produce these fats so we get them from foods or whole food supplements. Wild Alaska salmon is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, but many people are choosing not to eat fish. There are numerous and compelling reasons to forego fish. Maybe you are a vegetarian, vegan or just concerned about the contamination in our waterways.
Whatever your reasons, take heart – you don’t have to choke down (and burp up!) fish oil capsules anymore!
By the way, wild Alaska salmon get their high levels of omega-3 fats from their diet which consists mostly of phytoplankton (algae and various seaweeds) and smaller fish like krill which also feed on phytoplankton. Seaweed is a good source for us as well as is blue green algae. They may not sound as appetizing as salmon, but there are some great recipes for seaweed (like sushi, cucumber and seaweed salad, crunchy and salty snacks, etc.). And the algae comes in powder or capsule form.
A terrific source of omega-3’s is flax. You can use the seeds or the oil. If you use the seeds, buy them whole and grind them yourself fresh each time you use them. You need to grind them to be able to absorb their oil, otherwise, the seeds tend to stay intact throughout your intestines. The seed shell protects the oil from oxidation so just grind what you will use each day. Ground flax needs to be stored in the freezer or refrigerator to keep from becoming rancid. Raw walnuts are another good source and store them in the freezer or refrigerator as well.
Other great sources of omega-3’s are leafy green vegetables like kale, broccoli and spinach and green beans. Beans like navy and kidney are also fairly good sources. They need to be soaked overnight and cooked slowly at low temperature (think crockpot) to keep their nutrition intact.
Most oils are heat sensitive and omega-3 fatty acids are no different. Find ways to prepare these foods without heat or low heat so you can maximum their nutrition.
Whatever your reasons, take heart – you don’t have to choke down (and burp up!) fish oil capsules anymore!
By the way, wild Alaska salmon get their high levels of omega-3 fats from their diet which consists mostly of phytoplankton (algae and various seaweeds) and smaller fish like krill which also feed on phytoplankton. Seaweed is a good source for us as well as is blue green algae. They may not sound as appetizing as salmon, but there are some great recipes for seaweed (like sushi, cucumber and seaweed salad, crunchy and salty snacks, etc.). And the algae comes in powder or capsule form.
A terrific source of omega-3’s is flax. You can use the seeds or the oil. If you use the seeds, buy them whole and grind them yourself fresh each time you use them. You need to grind them to be able to absorb their oil, otherwise, the seeds tend to stay intact throughout your intestines. The seed shell protects the oil from oxidation so just grind what you will use each day. Ground flax needs to be stored in the freezer or refrigerator to keep from becoming rancid. Raw walnuts are another good source and store them in the freezer or refrigerator as well.
Other great sources of omega-3’s are leafy green vegetables like kale, broccoli and spinach and green beans. Beans like navy and kidney are also fairly good sources. They need to be soaked overnight and cooked slowly at low temperature (think crockpot) to keep their nutrition intact.
Most oils are heat sensitive and omega-3 fatty acids are no different. Find ways to prepare these foods without heat or low heat so you can maximum their nutrition.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Healthy Teeth for a Lifetime
Healthy teeth are a great asset and can help you live a long and healthy life.
Interestingly enough, our teeth can reflect our physical health. Gum disease, tooth decay and other oral infections are related to many conditions as diverse as heart disease and skin rashes.
There is no substitute for good food and water – they’re essential for overall health. Beyond that, here are a few simple things you can do to help your mouth cleanse and heal.
1. Eat lots of fresh, organic greens. Chew thoroughly, allowing the food to become liquid and your mouth to soak in the organic vitamins and minerals.
2. Consider oil pulling with unrefined, virgin coconut oil. Oil pulling is a technique that comes to us from Ayurvedic medicine and many have experienced miraculous results. (For details on oil pulling, you can google it or go to http://www.earthclinic.com/ for more information.) Coconut oil is my first choice for this as it is pleasant tasting, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic.
3. Avoid eating between meals – particular sticky and sweet foods that cling to teeth and encourage bacteria to proliferate.
4. Consider rinsing your mouth with water and sea salt when you are not able to brush (like after snacking or eating on the run). Sea salt contains trace minerals and also has antiseptic qualities.
Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime and with a little maintenance, they will serve you well.
Interestingly enough, our teeth can reflect our physical health. Gum disease, tooth decay and other oral infections are related to many conditions as diverse as heart disease and skin rashes.
There is no substitute for good food and water – they’re essential for overall health. Beyond that, here are a few simple things you can do to help your mouth cleanse and heal.
1. Eat lots of fresh, organic greens. Chew thoroughly, allowing the food to become liquid and your mouth to soak in the organic vitamins and minerals.
2. Consider oil pulling with unrefined, virgin coconut oil. Oil pulling is a technique that comes to us from Ayurvedic medicine and many have experienced miraculous results. (For details on oil pulling, you can google it or go to http://www.earthclinic.com/ for more information.) Coconut oil is my first choice for this as it is pleasant tasting, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic.
3. Avoid eating between meals – particular sticky and sweet foods that cling to teeth and encourage bacteria to proliferate.
4. Consider rinsing your mouth with water and sea salt when you are not able to brush (like after snacking or eating on the run). Sea salt contains trace minerals and also has antiseptic qualities.
Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime and with a little maintenance, they will serve you well.
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