Why Natural Health Remedies are the Real Solution
Nature has provided for us in every situation. Since the dawn of the civilized world, people have been using natural health remedies to treat health issues. Humans smart like that – when we find something that works, we tend to use it. Unfortunately, the same principle carries over into the medical and pharmaceutical world, where far too often, the problem is how to make money and pushing synthetic symptom-blockers is the solution.

While natural health remedies carry their own risk, such as allergies to certain supplements and over-dosage, the actual risks side effects are fewer and farther between. Some natural health remedies have more to do with diet and exercise than with vitamins, herbs and mineral supplements. Shocked? It is true! Your daily diet can have a dramatic effect on your health. This is especially important when it comes to a preventative solution involving child nutrition.

Natural Health Remedies and Aging
If there is a fountain of youth, it has yet to be discovered, but there are ways and means of maintaining your body and mind so that your age does not shout itself in the “wear and tear” on the body. Smoking, sunlight, alcohol, obesity and stress are all major factors in premature aging. Breaking bad habits, practicing prevention, and using natural weight loss remedies help to counteract those effects.

Raw Food and Health
Cooking, canning and even freezing causes nutrient loss in food. Raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are much healthier than those that are “preserved” and heated to the point of leeching out important nutrients. Those who change their dietary habits and replace processed foods with raw foods expound on the dramatic improvements in their health, increased energy and an overall sense of well-being.

Natural Health Remedies: Good for the Brain
More and more studies involving natural health remedies are finding a correlation between our eating habits and thought processes. Did you know ADHD, depression, anxiety, and even autism have all been linked to the overgrowth of yeast and that yeast is linked to products we consume on a daily basis?

Here at Natural Health Remedies, we are making it our mission to reveal helpful information with our healthy living tips. We are here to provide you with concepts, products and ideas that will not only alleviate health issues and provide a means of curing allergies, but help you feel, think and look much younger than your physical age.

Source: www.101-Natural-Health-Remedies.com

Energy problems, first encountered in the early 1970s, necessitated a re-evaluation of construction practices and materials. The effort to reduce dependency on foreign oil resulted in more energy efficient building practices. Unfortunately, the new buildings were no longer able to “breathe.” As the recirculation of the inside air increased, so did the evergrowing list of contaminants. Gradually the air has become a breeding ground for a number of maladies resulting in Sick Building Syndrome. SBS occurs when building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that are apparently related to the time they spend in the building, but in which no specific illness or cause can be identified.

Symptoms associated with SBS include: headaches, nausea, dizziness, respiratory problems, coughing, wheezing and eye, nose or throat irritations, just to name a few. According to David Levine of Scientific Control, Inc.,”I am called in to test the air in a home when clients have been to their doctor ten times and still can’t find out why they feel so poorly. Often, they’ll say they feel better at work than they do at home.” “Sometimes,” said Ernest Michaelson of ECM Environmental Consultants, “a person may even feel better in one part of a house than they do in another.”

Building Related Illness, a more serious condition, is brought on by exposure to the building air where symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified (e.g. certain allergies or infections) and can be directly attributed to environmental agents in the air. BRIs account for a 69 percent increase in requests for investigation by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health over the last fifteen years.

Basically, the sources for SBS and BRI break down into two major categories contributing to IAQ problems: Heating, Air Conditioning and Ventilation (HVAC) Systems, and contaminants. The HVAC system controls the circulation of air throughout the building, the introduction of fresh air into the mix, and the filtration of airborne particles. Poorly ventilated or seldom cleaned, these systems can pump contaminants through the house again and again.

The list of contaminants is long and getting longer. The number one concern on the part of homeowners today is a naturally occurring gas called radon. (Radon is currently the second leading cause of lung cancer in this country). Residuals from a burning process that find leaking chimneys or gas furnaces can cause an increase in the carbon monoxide levels. Off-gases from the formaldehyde base in new carpet padding or fumes from synthetic fibers can also be irritants. Business machine off-gases and tobacco smoke add to the problem. Biological contaminants such as mildew, mold, dust mites, bacteria and pollens rank high as potential culprits. Jim Flannery of Consolidated Safety Services reports, “People don’t realize that strep and staph infections can grow in their duct work.” Other pollutants are hazardous airborne particulates, such as asbestos and dust from oxidizing lead paint. This list just scratches the surface of the possibilities.

There are many strategies a homeowner can employ to diagnose and remedy the IAQ problems within his or her own environment. Questions about IAQ can be answered by an inspection of the premises, generally over a twenty-four hour period.This inspection results in a report designating the trouble spots. No single test, however, can identify all of the components of ambient air. Testing usually includes: temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, radon, volatile organic air contaminants, fresh air supply and exchange and air velocity. Occasionally, more detailed laboratory testing might be necessary to clearly identify a contaminant. Upon conclusion of the evaluation of the test results, an extensive report including the findings and where they fall on the acceptable standards scale will identify problem areas. Recommendations for mitigation should also be included in the report. David Levine assures that, “This testing is relatively inexpensive.”

Some remedies may be as simple as keeping lids tightly secured on paint and solvent cans or changing the filters on an air handling system. David Levine suggests regular cleaning of the duct work, especially if the home is older or there has been new construction in the area. Jim Flannery recommends a constant airflow in the case of new carpet, draperies or furniture. Ernest Michaelson says, “Off-gases from new carpet will often dissipate over a 3 to 12 month period.” The best precaution against irritation is a proper balance of airflow. Keeping the humidity regulated is also effective. Oneil M. Banks, PhD, a Certified Industrial Hygienist with Scientific Control, confirms, “Molds can not grow when the humidity is maintained between 30 and 50 percent.”

Many other remedies exist; however, those methods may be more complicated or costly. As an example, a ventilation system may be needed to mitigate rate. At this time the Maryland Department of Environment encourages builders to use “safer substitutes” during the design, construction and remodeling of homes in an effort to prevent future problems. Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illness are the environmental buzzwords of the Ô90s. For a chemically-sensitive segment of the society, these words can hold the possible explanation for chronic discomfort that has been plaguing them. Since Americans spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors, be it home, workplace or entertainment spot, perhaps even the less chemically-sensitive are affected. Health care reform will continue to heighten interest in this important environmental issue. Meanwhile, local environmental agencies can supply information regarding “the air you breathe.”

Source: www.All-Natural.com

by Toni Meixner

Originally presented in Baltimore Resource Journal, Vol 9, No. 2, Summer 1995, Baltimore Maryland.

Garlic

“If we were to design a drug that had perfect properties according to what we know about heart disease and associated risk factors, we couldn’t improve on garlic,” says Amanda McQuade-Crawford, herbalist and director of the Ojai Center of Phytotherapy in Ojai, Calif. Regular use of garlic is associated with the prevention of cardiovascular disease, she explains. Garlic raises protective HDLs (high-density lipoproteins), while it lowers harmful LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) and triglycerides (blood fats). Garlic is also known to help lower high blood pressure, she says. Garlic aids in cancer prevention by raising the body’s level of glutathione transferase, a liver enzyme known to detoxify the body of carcinogens, says McQuade-Crawford. In China, researchers found gastric cancer was reduced where garlic intake was high. Other researchers have noted improved helper/suppressor ratios of T-cells in AIDS patients who take garlic. Proven to work against various micro-organisms including bacteria resistant to antibiotics, garlic is known to be antifungal and antiviral, she adds.

Hawthorn

The berries of this flowering shrub are best used for the heart, says McQuade-Crawford. Hawthorn aids the heart’s pumping action by opening the coronary arteries to nourish the heart muscle. The herb can also slow a rapid heart rate and strengthen a failing heart. Hawthorn usually lowers high blood pressure, especially a raised diastolic high blood pressure, and it benefits low blood pressure due to weak heart muscles with arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm).

“Hawthorn takes a long time to do its best — six months or longer. In the style of a true herbal tonic, it can be taken safely and effectively over time for its best effects,” notes McQuade-Crawford.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba extract from the ginkgo tree has been shown to benefit visual function by improving microcirculation to the eyes especially among patients suffering from senile macular degeneration, a common condition thought to involve free radical damage, says Steven Schechter, N.D., author of Fighting Radiation & Chemical Pollutants With Foods, Herbs &Vitamins (Vitality, Ink).

More than 280 scientific studies indicate standardized ginkgo extract prevents and/or benefits ailments such as vertigo, tinnitus, inner ear disturbances, memory impairment, ability to concentrate, anxiety, depression, neurological disorders, senility, circulatory disorders, edema and Raynaud’s disease (a vascular disorder). Ginkgo extract improves the quality and increases the quantity of capillary circulation, thus increasing blood flow to the brain, heart and tissues in organs and glands, Schechter says. In addition, he notes, the flavonoids in ginkgo are potent free radical scavengers.

Ephedra

Also known in Chinese as ma huang, ephedra may be the world’s oldest herb cultivated for medicinal purposes, dating back nearly 5,000 years, says McQuade-Crawford. It’s commonly used in cold formulas as a decongestant.

“Ephedra is a great bronchial dilator,” McQuade-Crawford says. It helps asthma sufferers by opening the sinus passages and has an antihistamine effect which aids chronic and acute allergies. Ephedra also acts as a circulatory stimulant to blood pressure and heart function; it elevates blood pressure. Ephedra’s main constituent is ephedrine, which increases adrenaline secretion in our bodies. The boost you get from ephedra stimulates certain glands, muscles and tissue functions, while it suppresses others.

“In the long term, ephedra’s adrenaline overdrive can lead to chronic stress and even to degenerative disease,” warns McQuade-Crawford. She notes this is important for people using ephedra for dietary weight loss or “pep pill” purposes because the effects of ephedra linger in the body long after the herb is gone. “Ephedra shouldn’t be used with drugs for the heart or for the lungs and never with antidepressant drugs. It’s not for use with the weak or the ill and when used long term, dosages should be conservative,” McQuade-Crawford cautions.

Licorice

Licorice has been most recently researched as an antiviral and in the treatment of gastrointestinal ulceration, explains McQuade-Crawford. Its soothing, anti-inflammatory and relaxing actions help smooth muscles in the gastrointestinal tract on contact. “Licorice gets into a painful, contracted, tight digestive tract and coats the raw places, relaxes the clenched-up muscles and acts as a local anti-inflammatory,” she says. Licorice also increases bile secretion. Licorice is indicated for any gastrointestinal ulcers, including mouth ulcers. The root is indicated for chronic coughs and bronchitis as a soothing decongestant. It’s also indicated in small amounts to reduce sugar cravings.

The Chinese often use licorice to improve the taste and the effects of other herbs in complex formulas. Japanese research has shown licorice to decrease high testosterone levels in women with ovarian cysts and to increase their fertility. Large amounts of licorice or long-term use raises blood pressure in some people.

Bilberry

A strong antioxidant, bilberry benefits your circulatory system, eyes, heart and brain, and helps generate overall good health, says Schechter. Bilberry fruit contains a type of flavonoid called anthocyanosides, which are responsible for increasing flexibility of capillaries and increasing blood flow.

Research shows that standardized extract of bilberry can enlarge range of vision and improve sharpness of images, enhance ability to focus, and improve blurred vision, eyestrain and nearsightedness. Bilberry extract also helps strengthen coronary arteries and helps prevent atherosclerosis and venous insufficiency, which causes swollen ankles and feet. “Since adding bilberry to my own health program, I’ve noticed my muscles seem to recover slightly faster, I experience less muscular pain and my vision has improved from 20/100 to approximately 20/50,” says Schechter.

Echinacea

Decades of research prove echinacea’s value for aiding the immune system, Schechter explains. Studies have determined echinacea’s ability to activate white blood cells and stimulate the regeneration of the cellular connective tissue and the epidermis. Schechter notes that echinacea’s infection-fighting properties stem from its ability to neutralize a harmful enzyme involved in the infection process. Echinacea also increases two vital components of your immune system that consume and eliminate invading organisms and foreign particles.

German studies have shown echinacea extract contains proteins that help protect noninfected cells against viral infections, one reason why echinacea is regarded as an influenza preventor. Another German study found echinacea effective in allergy treatment because it helps prevent tissue inflammation due to harmful foreign toxins.

Milk Thistle

“I consider standardized milk thistle seed extract the most beneficial herbal product for liver detoxification, regeneration and protection, and, in general, one of the most universally necessary herbal products for the 1990s,” says Schechter. He notes that the stress of toxins from chemical pollutants, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, tobacco smoke, drugs and different forms of radiation have cumulative side effects that need to be addressed.

More than 120 scientific studies have shown that milk thistle extract regenerates, regulates and strengthens liver functions. Because free radicals attack the liver, primarily the fat tissue in the liver, the antioxidant qualities of milk thistle are extremely beneficial. Milk thistle stimulates your body to produce superoxide dismutase, which is one of two primary antioxidants the body can manufacture.

Astragalus

Astragalus has been used as an immunity booster in China for nearly 4,000 years, according to Rob McCaleb, founder of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colo. Astragalus extracts can increase immune system efficiency by increasing immune activity. One study found that astragalus extracts could increase the impaired immune function of blood cells up to and sometimes beyond normal cell ability.

According to Planetary Herbology (Lotus Press) by Michael Tierra, N.D., astragalus helps strengthen digestion, raise metabolism, strengthen the immune system and promote wound healing. It can also treat chronic weakness of the lungs, shortness of breath, low energy, prolapse of internal organs, spontaneous sweating, chronic lesions and deficiency edema.

Ginseng

Ginseng is one of the most widely studied herbs, having been the subject of more than 3,000 scientific studies to investigate how ginseng helps improve a person’s physical and/or mental performance, notes McCaleb. Studies have shown ginseng helps increase memory and learning by improving circulation. It’s also been shown to reduce cholesterol and protect the liver from toxins. Ginseng, according to Tierra, is known to strengthen the lungs, nourish body fluids and calm the spirit. It may be used for shock, collapse and heart weakness, as well as for promoting longevity and increasing resistance to disease.

A Japanese study showed cancerous liver cells could be reverted to normal cells in a Petri dish culture when treated with Panax ginseng extract. Siberian ginseng has also been shown to stimulate the immune system.

Source: www.All-Natural.com

by Steven Taormina

Essential oils can evoke smell imagery; sometimes the smell of a certain aroma can instantly bring back memories of a childhood scene. Some scents can make us feel relaxed while others can make us feel energized and alive–this is the power of aroma.
For centuries it has been common knowledge that scents produce mental and physical responses. Using plant, flower, and spice essences for beauty treatments (and to help with physical ailments) is common and has been practiced since ancient times.

Today, aromatherapy is moving out of the “health alternatives” and into the mainstream, such as in the workplace (to improve productivity, especially in the afternoon, when companies release lemon or peppermint through vent ducts – a great “pick-me-up”!). Airlines and hotels are also looking at aromatherapy as a jet-lag cure.

Some believe that essential oils contain the vital force of plants, hormones, vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and the consciousness of the plant. They provide a therapeutic effect by elevating or suppressing action within the body. The oils enhance brain wave functions and improve psychic and spiritual awareness, working directly with the sensory motor system, and thus bringing balance to the body.

The chemical components of the oils, after analysis, show that they have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-parasitic qualities. Many of the oils also support the function of the immune system by acting as an antiseptic and healing agent. Additionally, some oils can affect the hormonal system, while others can stimulate an opening to emotional blocks.

I have witnessed the profound effects of essential oils, creating mental, emotional, and physical shifts. People report feeling more joyful, happier, and uplifted. I like applying lemongrass on the pulse points, such as the temples, wrists, and ankles to enhance emotional expression. In addition, rubbing lavender on the feet aids in relaxation and promotes balance.

Essential oils have a tremendous affect on our bodies, and will continue to play a major role in our health preservation during these times of increasing disease and stress. Sometimes the quality of essential oils can vary greatly. Because essential oils carry specific vibratory frequency, they must be of excellent quality.

Source: www.All-Natural.com

Alternative Health is the focus of discussion for this page, with the emphasis on the history of Alternative Health and the evolution of Alternative Health in the cultures of the Western World. The emphasis of Alternative Health is on herbal medicines and more information on herbals can be found by clicking the previous herbal medicines link.

Alternative Health is as old as mankind and for thousands of years it was the only kind of health around, in other words, it was conventional health care. A bit of imagination and the origin of Alternative Health becomes clear. Virtually every account of the History of Mankind suggests that for a very long time humans were hunters and gatherers. There was a definite allocation of tasks for the men, women, and children of those early societies. Because men were normally bigger and stronger than women and children, the men had the formidable task of bringing fresh meat back to the campfire. They were the hunters.

The women and children were responsible for the less dangerous work of finding fruits, vegetables, and any other edible flora that could be gathered. Women, of course, along with children and injured or disabled men, became the gatherers.

Over the millennia it became obvious to some women that certain particular vegetation had curative properties for some of the ailments that beset humans. The knowledge they acquired was passed down from one generation to another and a huge cultural base of medical information was established, all based on the curative properties of what we now know as herbs. That cultural knowledge base is what we now call Alternative Health and it was then the standard. Certain women who were accomplished at tapping into this knowledge became known by various names that all basically mean “Healer”.

The First Healers

The typical Healer would be adept at identifying the herbs that were effective treatments for the common illnesses and processing those herbs so that they could be used most effectively against those illnesses. Most of the processing would involve using the herbs to make a soup or broth. Because of their important role, the women Healers were highly respected members of their societies.

The Witch Hunts

So it came to pass that some men became envious of the women Healers and conspired to take the healing industry away from them. How, you ask? Why it was easy! They took advantage of the religious hysteria of the Middle Ages and started a rumor that the Healers were consorts of the devil. The Healers were portrayed as witches or hags stirring their brew. The brew was explained as being made up of as evil potions and not health giving herbs. The vicious lies worked and many women were killed and other healers went into hiding. As a result of the Witch Hunts, the healing industry was taken over by men.

The Pharmaceuticals

The first drugs were, of course, processed herbs. As medical knowledge became more sophisticated, techniques were refined and we had Aspirin, derived from the bark of the willow tree and penicillin which was discovered on moldy bread. Then along came companies, the pharmaceuticals, which employed chemists who were able to replicate many plant based medicines in a laboratory. Wow! They became huge profit makers and began to donate large sums of money to medical schools. Then they began to, and still do, dictate that which should be taught in those medical schools. Laboratory-produced medicine was deemed to be “in” and Alternative Medicine, herbal medicine, was “out”.

Today we have the majority of mainstream, “conventional”, medical practitioners who have graduated from those pharmaceutical-sponsored medical schools believing that laboratory produced medicines are very, very good and plant based, herbal medicines are very, very bad. The result of this kind of thinking is shocking. Read it in this newsletter article “The Third Leading Cause of Death“. Wow! Click on the link here if you would like a free subscription for other great articles in this newsletter.

Oh yes, by the way, the foundation of the entire science of healing, herbs, now comes under the category of Alternative Health. How is that for irony?

Conclusions

Health Care is a multi-billion dollar industry. Alternative Health accounts for only a small percentage of that amount. Those billions of dollars mean a lot of political clout and advertising money to perpetuate the smoke and mirrors illusion that treating the symptoms of a disease is better methodology than treating the whole body.

When only symptoms are treated there will be residual disease. When the whole body is treated the immune system is strengthened and then the immune system eliminates the disease.

Use the wonderful technology of conventional Health Care to have your body’s problems diagnosed and use the wisdom of thousands of years of Alternative Health to make your body well.

Source: www.CleanProstate.com

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D also works in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones to promote bone mineralization. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, two forms of skeletal diseases that weaken bones. Research also suggests that vitamin D may help maintain a healthy immune system and help regulate cell growth and differentiation, the process that determines what a cell is to become.

This substance seems to act more like a hormone than a vitamin. Hormones affect our various systems, making those systems run better. Vitamin D regulates and enhances the body’s production of certain antimicrobial peptides called “bacterioncins.” These peptides attack bacteria, mold, fungi, and viruses by dissolving their cell walls. At this same time, the body responds with inflammation, and vitamin D takes a roll in this process by preventing the immune system from releasing too many inflammatory agents (cytokines) especially into the lung area. Thus it’s been discovered that people lacking in vitamin D catch more upper respiratory illnesses than those with sufficient vitamin D. This is another reason that the cold and flu season hits in the winter months when there is less sun to make vitamin D and we simply do not spend as much time out of doors.

Researchers have discovered that Vitamin D is required to metabolize stored fat and that more than 60% of people tested are severely deficient. You can help your body burn abdominal fat and lose weight naturally by regulating your vitamin D intake. The results of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reveal that 59% of young women tested had too little circulating vitamin D and nearly one-quarter were grossly deficient in the active form of the vitamin. Vitamin D insufficiency has been shown to be a factor in the accumulation of excess body fat as the fat-soluble vitamin becomes locked away in adipocytes (fat cells). In the absence of sufficient vitamin D, the body increases the number and size of newly formed fat cells that promote and accelerate abdominal obesity.

Widely used sun-block creams and lotions may shield the skin from dangerous rays, but also keep it from being able to create the vitamin that’s vital to good health. In the attempting to protect their skin from skin cancer, many may have prevented their bodies from making sufficient vitamin D from sunlight.

Vitamin D is widely known for its importance to strong bones. What’s new is that scientists are finding that a shortage of vitamin D can increase the risks of diabetes and hypertension, and can lead to a blood vessel inflammation that can result in acute heart attacks. Some research also suggests that vitamin D may help in preventing osteoporosis, cancer and several autoimmune diseases, according to information presented by the Mayo Clinic. A common sign of a vitamin D deficiency is muscle aches, since muscle fibers need Vitamin D for optimum health.

Source: www.All-Natural.com

Staying healthy in the office can be a complicated matter since the first priority is the job; not focusing on the state of your physical existence. However, taking the body for granted during a regular eight hour-a-day shift can eventually lead to poor performance and real suffering.

That’s why it’s important to try and lighten the load by integrating a number of relief oriented exercises into the schedule so the body can do its part in contributing inspiration for creativity, excellent concentration and success in turning thought into reality.

Doing so doesn’t mean you won’t be tired after a long day but it’s safe to say when the body is stress-free it’s no longer a burden on the mind and the sky’s the limit. So with much ado, here are a few tips on how to keep the body happy and let it give you strength to do it all again tomorrow:

Breathing: It’s no coincidence that many sicknesses come from bad air so it’s important that heating and air conditioning filters are cleaned regularly. Also, if there are windows with screens to the outside the screens should be washed down on occasion, as dust often settles on the tiny metal fibers and gets blown indoors with the breeze.
Cleanliness: Prevent dust and other allergies that can turn into more serious conditions by keeping the local environment clean and orderly.
Sitting: One of the most common drawbacks of even the best desk job is usually the chair. Make sure it’s adjusted well and that you’re not slouched down with your head almost eye level with the desk. That would certainly create some unwanted back trouble. Also, know there are some easy yoga postures that can release stiffness from sitting hour after hour.
Standing: It’s important to stand every so often and do stretches to straighten out and awaken inactive muscles. That way when you sit down again your posture, which may have gone by the wayside in the midst of your work, is renewed. Some quick yoga moves can also come in handy here too!
Office walk: Being stationary for long periods of time is an issue. During one of those standing breaks go for a walk around the office. This will get the blood flowing; a precursor to freshening up the mind for a new round of thinking.
Outdoor walk: If possible, take a few minutes of your break and go for a walk outside on a street not snarled with cars, smog or congestion. The change of scenery and fresh air is also a good place to do some stretches and catch a few rays of sun.
Drinking, eating properly: There isn’t enough that can be said about how one eats and drinks and it’s relation to health and job performance. And then there’s the fact most of us don’t have very active occupations which means there may be a lot of calories being consumed but not a lot being burned. It’s important to learn about the products you eat and drink and how much your body can take before it begins to work against you. This is one of those places where honesty is the best policy because you are the only one that can truly make such decisions and institute them with confidence.
Exercise: Riding a bike or walking to work are great ways to counter the effects of being indoors all day. At the very least use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible.
About the Author

Jakob Barry writes for Networx.com, a growing community of homeowners and contractors sharing and monitoring home improvement projects together. He covers various home improvement topics including eco-friendly cleaners and commercial cleaning services.

Thanks for sharing these great tips with us, Jakob. To add to drinking, eating properly tip, what I’ve done in the past (and I’m doing once again) is make sure to have a healthy lunch and snacks at work to avoid munching on junk food. Do you have a healthy tip for the office to share?

Source: www.LiveLighter.org

“Coconut oil has a unique role in the diet as an important physiologically functional food. The health and nutritional benefits that can be derived from consuming coconut oil have been recognized in many parts of the world for centuries. ”

- Mary G. Enig, PhD

Would you like to know why virgin coconut oil is considered the best choice for a healthy cooking oil?
Virgin coconut oil is one of the few oils that is not damaged when heated to temperatures used in cooking, frying, and baking. Corn, soy, sunflower, canola, and safflower oils undergo detrimental changes when heated to cooking, frying, or baking temperatures. Consuming virgin coconut oil, whether cooked or not, helps protect you from cancer, heart disease, and many degenerative and autoimmune diseases. It also strengthens your immune system, helps you lose weight if you need to, and improves digestion.

These are just some of the reasons why virgin coconut oil is a healthy cooking oil choice. We think it’s one of the healthiest!

When you choose a cooking oil, you’ll want to choose one that won’t be damaged by heating. Almost all polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, sunflower and canola oils are damaged by heating and can cause some of the health challenges facing so many today.

Looking around at the available oils for cooking, virgin coconut oil without a doubt is the very best healthy cooking oil. Since it consists almost entirely of saturated fat, it chemical properties are not damaged by heating. Even when used for frying, it keeps all its beneficial properties and does not “gain” any unwanted, unhealthy characteristics.

Polynesian Atolls: A Natural Experiment

Research done on populations that not only consume coconut as a staple in their diet but also use coconut oil for cooking shows that coconut oil is a good choice to use for cooking. It is the best healthy cooking oil.

Researchers found that native populations that depend on coconut for a large part of their diets have little or no cancer and coronary heart disease, and only develop those problems when they move away and adopt western style diets.

One advantage of looking at traditional diets and cooking is that you can see the positive long term effects of certain foods and oils. Modern oils have not undergone such a lengthy test of time and yet already appear to have a negative impact on health in various ways.

Native populations that have lived on coconuts and cooked with coconut oil for thousands of years have a history of good health. Prior and Davidson concluded in their study of the Pukapuka and Tokelau Islanders that “vascular disease is uncommon in both populations and there is no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect in these populations.” (Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 34: 1552-1561, 1981.)

To the contrary, it is only when these islanders left their native islands and moved to New Zealand where they consumed less saturated fat that they developed heart disease and cancer.

If you are curious and/or scientific minded, you can download the PDF file and read a study done in 1981 entitled “Cholesterol, Coconuts, and Diet On Polynesian Atolls: a Natural Experiment: the Pukapuka and Tokelau Island Studies”.

Source: www.NaturalHealthStrategies.com

Promoting soy foods as health foods while ignoring the dangers of soy and soy derivatives should be considered a crime against humanity.

The dangers of soy are thoroughly documented in the scientific literature, which makes it hard to believe that many health and fitness communities and counselors, and most health food stores, still promote soy products as ultra-healthy foods.

Hopefully this harmful misrepresentation of soy foods will begin to change as the dangers of soy become better known.

A Summary of the Dangers of Soy

• Soybeans and soy products contain high levels of phytic acid, which inhibits assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc.
• Soaking, sprouting, and long, slow cooking do not neutralize phytic acid.
• Diets high in phytic acid have been shown to cause growth problems in children.
• Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may causepancreatic disorders.
• Test animals showed stunted growth when fed trypsin inhibitors from soy.
• The plant estrogens found in soy, called phytoestrogens, disrupt endocrine function, that is, the proper functioning of the glands that produce hormones, and have the potential to cause infertility as well as to promote breast cancer in adult women.
• Hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer may be caused by soy phytoestrogens.
• Infant soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
• Soy has been found to increase the body’s need for vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
• Fragile soy proteins are exposed to high temperatures during processing in order to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein, making them unsuitable for human digestion.
• This same process results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine andhighly carcinogenic nitrosamines. (Doesn’t sound like anything anyone would want to eat, does it?)
• MSG, (also called free glutamic acid), a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing. Many soy products have extra MSG added as well. (See video on the dangers of Aspartame, MSG’s chemical first cousin.)
• Soy foods contain elevated levels of toxic aluminum, which negatively effects the nervous system the kidneys and has been implicated in the onset of Alzheimer’s.

If this list of the dangers of soy isn’t enough to make you run out the door of your local health food store, keep reading. It gets worse.

Feeding Babies Infant Soy Formula Is Like Giving Them Birth Control Pills

• It’s been found that babies given infant soy formulas have 13,000 to 22,000 times more estrogen than babies fed milk-based formulas.
• Babies fed exclusively on infant soy formula are receiving the estrogenic equivalent (based on body weight) of at least four or five birth control pills per day! You read that right. Four or five birth control pills per day! Here’s the reference so you can check this out for yourself. [Irvine, C. et al., "The Potential Adverse Effects of Soybean Phytoestrogens in Infant Feeding", New Zealand Medical Journal May 24, 1995, p. 318.] By contrast, dairy-based infant formula contains almost no phytoestrogens, nor does human milk, even when the mother eats soy products. (Sally Fallon & Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.)
• There has been an increase of delayed physical maturation among boys, including lack of development of sexual organs.
• Conversely, many girls today show signs of puberty, such as breast development and pubic hair, before the age of eight, and some even before the age of three.
• Both of these abnormal conditions have been linked to the use of soy formulas as well as to exposure to “environmental estrogens” such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene)a breakdown product of DDT.

Would you want to knowingly expose your tiny infant to the dangers of soy formula?

But Don’t Oriental Cultures Eat Lots of Soy?

It seems that historically, Oriental cultures consumed mostly traditionally fermented soy products such as miso, tempeh, natto, shoyu and tamari. (Tofu is not fermented, and falls into the dangerous soy foods category.) They consumed these soy foods in small amounts, as a condiment.

• Soy foods account for only 1.5 percent of calories in the Chinese diet, researchers found. (1977 Chang KC)
• The actual soybean consumed today is not the same one used by traditional Oriental cultures.

Problems with Soy Protein Isolate

• Furthermore, modern soy foods are very different from those consumed traditionally in Asia. Most are made with soy protein isolate (SPI), which is a protein-rich powder extracted by an industrial process from the waste product of soy oil manufacturing. It is the industry’s way of making a profit on a waste product. The industry spent over 30 years and billions of dollars developing SPI.
• In feeding studies, SPI caused many deficiencies in rats. That soy causes deficiencies in B12 and zinc is widely recognized, but the range of deficiencies was surprising.
• Although SPI is added to many foods, it was never granted GRAS status, meaning “Generally Recognized as Safe”. The FDA only granted GRAS status to SPI for use as a binder in cardboard boxes. During the processing of soy, many additional toxins are formed, including nitrates (which are carcinogens) and a toxin called lysinoalanine. It was concerns about lysinoalanine in SPI that led the FDA to deny GRAS status for SPI as a food additive.
• In spite of all these dangers of soy protein isolate, SPI is the basic ingredient of soy infant formula. The FDA even allows a health claim for foods containing 6.25 grams SPI per serving.

Scientific Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Dietary Soy

The Weston Price Foundation has a list of studies carried out from 1971 to 2003 showing the adverse effects of dietary soy.

To give you an idea of how condemning these studies are, here are just a few summaries. There are over 50 more!

The FDA Had the Scientific Information about the Dangers of Soy but Chose to Ignore It

You might think that people probably just didn’t know about the toxic effects of soybeans, that the food industry and the FDA must have just been misinformed about the supposed benefits, and very real dangers, of soy. Unfortunately for the FDA’s credibility, this was not the case.

If you simply do a search on ‘soybean’ at the Poisonous Plant Database of the United States FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, you can see this information yourself.

Right there in black and white you’ll find 288 studies on soy, many focused on the toxic properties and effects of soybeans. It’s not very easy to understand or get access to the actual studies, but it is cause for great concern that the FDA had this information and knowingly chose to ignore the dangers, just as it has done with so many other additives and pharmaceuticals.

It’s tragic to think of the human suffering that could have been avoided had the FDA just been more cautious and listened to their scientific advisors.

And it’s mind-boggling to think that the very federal agency whose mandate is, among other things, “to promote and protect the public health, to monitor products for continued safety after they are in use, and to help the public get the accurate, science-based information needed to improve health,” could knowingly do the apparent opposite.

This is one more example that highlights the need to educate yourself by finding good sources of information to base your health and diet decisions on, rather than relying on the FDA’s stamp of approval.

More Confirmation on the Dangers of Soy: Medical Conditions Possibly Attributable to Soy Consumption

Symptoms of Disorders Possibly Attributable to Soy

Do You Still Think We’re Exaggerating the Dangers of Soy?

When there is a pretty good possibility that something is harmful, as is the case with soy, common sense dictates that it’s better to avoid it!

The corporations who make billions from selling soy would like us to believe that until the dangers of soy are proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, we shouldn’t worry about them. This reminds me of Russian roulette: if a gun had a hundred chambers, and only one was loaded, I wouldn’t risk putting it to my head and pulling the trigger. Would you?

Or, as Roger Eichman, DDS, succinctly summed up the precautionary principle: “The precautionary principle requires action once the possibility of harm exists. It does not require proof beyond a shadow of a doubt.”

There’s more than enough sound scientific evidence to convince me. I used to think soy was a good dietary choice, but not anymore. I quit eating it a long time ago.

Source: www.NaturalHealthStrategies.com

Precarious eating habits are also not helpful to our body. What we put into our mouths can either help us get healthy or contribute to our body’s demise. There are other things we should also watch on aside from sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. And what I’m talking about is our bloods pH level.

Our bloods pH level is perhaps the single most important measurement we should
watch on. Healthy blood pH is around 7.4, which is slightly alkaline; this level must be
maintained in order for our body to function well. The maintenance of our bloods
healthy pH level is essential to our body’s functions. Functions which are affected with
your pH level are blood flow, cell function, fat accumulation, and bone density.

The smoothness of our body’s blood flow is determined by the electrical charge that
is coated on each individual red blood cell. Each red blood cell is assigned a negative
charge so that they will not attract each other, similar to what two magnets with
similar poles do when you put them together. When your bloods pH level goes down,
it means your blood has become acidic. What acidity does to your red blood cells is
that it strips off that charge in each red blood cell; making the individual red blood cell
stick together, forming clumps that make blood flow slower. Slower blood flow
means lesser oxygen going to your body, dropping your performance.

If your blood is acidic its pH level is low, but if it is more alkaline, your pH level is high,
if your blood has a higher pH level, that means you have a higher threshold of
hydrogen ions. The presence of hydrogen ions halts muscle function, and the more
that you have in your body, the more your muscle is bound to work slowly. Having a
higher blood pH level means that your blood can accommodate more hydrogen ions
before it begins to spread into the muscles and make it stop working. This means,
that you can burn more energy while requiring less oxygen, allowing your body to
tolerate the production of lactic acid more and enabling your body to perform things
longer.

Hence, if you want you’re an athlete who needs a boost or just a normal individual
longing to increase your body’s performance, it is important that you watch for your
body’s pH level. You can do this by taking a simple saliva test that can be done with
some acid paper strips which can be bought at local drugstores.

Acidity in your body also destroys cells and makes you fat. Your body reacts very
defensively at the presence of acids, since, as I have said earlier, it affects how your
body functions. Rising acidity is harmful to the vital information storage centers in
your cells, the RNA, which if occurs makes it possible for mutations, toxicity or even
cancer to develop. When this threat is apparent, what your body does is to coat your
cells with fatty tissues just to shield it from rising blood acidity, making you need
more fat. So the more your blood becomes acidic, the more you become fat.

Rising blood acidity also lowers your bone density. The body tries so hard to regulate
the body’s ph level that it releases buffers to counter that acidity. Releasing buffers
into the body is a good thing, but, how the body does it is not good for the bones.
Each and every time your pH level drops, which means rising acidity levels, the body
uses the calcium in your bones as buffers to maintain that crucial level of pH 7.4! This
eventually lowers you bone density making you prone to osteoporosis and weak
bone structure.

It’s very hard to replenish calcium levels you’ve lost through supplying buffers, that is
why you need a good source of alkaline to help make your blood more alkaline and
supply buffers for your body. Green vegetables and fruits are a good source of
alkaline, while meat and processed foods are acidic. A healthy diet will consist of 80%
alkaline foods and around 20% acidic foods.

Its about time that you take good care of your body. Now that you know that what
you eat can contribute a lot to how your body works and how it performs, isnt it
about time that you give your utmost attention on your diet. Think about it, you will
gain a lot if you balance your lifestyle and diet, but you will certainly lose a lot if you
do not start being conscious.

Source: www.EveryNutrient.com

About The Author

Liam Anthony is a long time proponent of preventative medicine. He’s committed to
promoting health consciousness.