Anti-Aging Herbal Remedies Blog

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Offer Relief for Early Morning Stiffness and Joint Swelling

2009-10-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

Popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, have been pulled from the shelf due to the increase risk of heart disease, strokes and other possible fatal conditions. As patients become more aware of the risks associated with taking NSAIDs, they are looking for more natural anti-inflammatory alternatives that do not have adverse side effects.

A study conducted in the Netherlands was designed to determine the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids on rheumatoid arthritis. Sixteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis were researched in a double blind, placebo controlled crossover study. The patients continued to use NSAIDs while adding the omega-3 supplementation or placebo to their daily routines. The researchers determined that omega-3 fatty acids provided relief for early morning stiffness and joint swelling, which are common symptoms of this painful inflammatory condition.

Adding a potent omega-3 supplement, like Omega XL®, can be vital in suppressing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in patients who suffer from this debilitating disease. Seeking natural remedies, with the guidance of medical professionals, can help patients avoid the potentially fatal side effects of NSAIDs while alleviating the pain and affliction associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Learn more at www.tinyurl.com/buyomegaxl

Feel free to contact me directly at davekettner@cox.net and/or 602-501-4507.

Here's to great health!

Dave Kettner
www.allholistichealth.com

Stop! Read About the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccaination

2009-10-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

Before you get the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccination, please read this article written by George Mamouzellos...This is important! Enjoy

I'm a qualified pharmacist. I've been researching the swine flu vaccine that our government has bought for us ( using our money, by the way) and it's DANGEROUS AS. It's easy a hundred times more dangerous than the swine flu itself.

Something that freaked me out is that several swine flu vaccine manufacturers have asked governments to give them an exemption from lawsuits, in case the vaccine caused harm in people. If you made a vaccine that you knew worked, then why would you need a legal exemption in case it hurt people? Massive warning sign - they don't believe its safe!

The swine flu itself has killed about 2/3000 people total. The regular flu kills 40 000 plus per year – so why are we freaking out about swine flu, and not normal flu? Does that make sense? No!

If the regular flu kills 40 000 plus per year, and the swine flu only killed 2/3 000 – then why are governments buying it in advance, giving it to us for free, and giving drug manufacturers immunity to legal cases against them? Does that make sense? No!

The swine flu vaccine contains 2 horribly dangerous compounds – one is called thimerosol. It is made 50% of mercury. It binds to receptors in your brain, and basically causes brain damage. Is it smart to be=2 0injected with thimerosol, and get brain damage, dropping 10 IQ points and going dumb, in order to avoid getting a flu that kills 95% less people than regular flu? No!

The other horrible ingredient is called squalene. Squalene accidentally tricks your immune system into killing your own cells, which creates auto-immune diseases like asthma, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and a bunch of diseases that we don't have a name for yet (because squalene hasn't been used for that long, and we have little data on its effects) – is is smart to inject yourself with that stuff, in order to avoid a relatively mild flu, like the swine flu? No!

If you're a pregnant mother about to take Panvax, ask yourself this – why would you take Panvax, when it contains Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfate – both of which exhibit positive risk to unborn children – so as to avoid what? A mild flu, that kills 95% fewer people than the regular flu?

Look, I'm a funny guy. Yeah, I make good Facebook groups. People join them by the thousands, and laugh. But I'm also a qualified pharmacist. I scored in the top 0.1% of my state in school. I'm an expert at critical analysis of drugs and their effects on humans. And let me be blunt – if someone came up to me with a syringe full of swine flu vaccine, or came near my family with one – I would take the needle off them and poke them with it myself – followed by several very hard punches.

This stuff is poison. Don't take it. Don't let your friends take it. Don't let your family take it. If some idiot in a lab coat asks you if you want it, ask them about thimerosol, squalene, and why the company making it wants legal exemption from being sued, and watch their face go into "Oh, my God! I'm being asked serious questions that I don't have the answer to” mode.

Anyway. I hope you're all well. Chat to you on Facebook sometime...

Sincerely,

George Mamouzellos
Bachelor of Pharmacy
University of South Australia

What The New "Low-Carb" Study REALLY Says

2008-07-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.BurnTheFat.com

A news media feeding frenzy erupted recently when a new diet study broke in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Almost all the reporters got it wrong, wrong WRONG! So did most of the gloating low carb forumites and bloggers. Come to think of it, almost everyone interpreted this study wrong. Some valuable insights came out of this study, but almost everyone missed them because they were too busy believing what the news said or defending their own cherished belief systems …

The new study, titled, “Weight Loss With a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet” was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in issue 359, number 3.

I quickly read the full text of the research paper the day it was published. Then, I shook my head in dismay as I scanned the news headlines.

I found it amusing that the media turned this into a three ring circus, putting a misleading “low carb versus high carb,” “Atkins vindicated” or “Diet wars” spin on the story. But that’s mainstream journalism for you, right? Gotta sell those papers!

Just look at some of these headlines:

“Study Tips Scales in Atkins Diets Favor: Low Carb Regimen Better Than Low Fat Diet For Weight And Cholesterol, Major Study Shows. “

“Low-Carb and Low-Fat Diets Face Off “

“The Never-Ending Diet Wars”

“Low Carb Beats Low Fat in Diet Duel.”

“Atkins Diet is Safe and Far More Effective Than a Low-Fat One, Study Says”

“Unrestricted Low-Carb Diet Wins Hands Down”

Some of these headlines are hilarious! I wonder if any of these reporters actually read the whole study. Geez. Is it too much trouble to read 13 pages before you write a story that will be read by millions of already confused people suffering the pain and frustration of obesity?

Here’s a quick look at the study design.

The low fat restricted calorie diet was based on American Heart Association guidelines. Calorie intake was set at 1500 for women, 1800 a day for men with 30% of calories from fat, and only 10% from saturated fat. Participants were instructed to eat low fat grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes and to limit their consumption of additional fats, sweets and high fat snacks.

The Mediterranean diet group was placed on a moderate fat, restricted calorie program rich in vegetables and low in red meat, with poultry and fish replacing beef and lamb. Energy intake was restricted to 1500 calories per day for women and 1800 calories per day for men with a goal of no more than 35% of calorie from fat. Added fat came mostly from nuts and olive oil.

The low carb diet was a non-restricted calorie plan aimed at providing 20 grams of carbs per day for the 2 month induction phase with a gradual increase to 120 grams per day to maintain the weight loss. Intakes of total calories, protein and fat were not limited. However, the participants were counseled to choose vegetarian sources of protein (more on that bizarre-twist shortly).

The study subjects were mostly male (86%), overweight (BMI 31) and middle age (mean age 52)

Here were the study results:

There were some health improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and other parameters in the Mediterranean and low carb group that bested the high carb group. That was the focus of many articles and discussions that appeared on the net this week. However, I’d like to focus on the weight loss aspect as I’m not a medical doctor and fat loss is the primary subject matter of this website.

All three groups lost weight. The low carb group lost 5.5 kilos, the Mediterranean group lost 4.6 kilos and the low fat group lost 3.3 kilograms…. IN TWO YEARS! Whoopee!

My conclusion would be that the results were similar and that none of the diets worked very well over the long term!

Amanda Gardner of the US News and World Report Health Day was one of the few reporters who got it right:

“Diet plans produce similar results: Study finds Mediterranean and low-carb diets work just as well as low fat ones.”

Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times also came close with her headline:

“Long term diet study suggests success is hard to come by: In a tightly controlled experiment, obese people lost an average of just 6 to 10 pounds over two years.”

Even this headline wasn’t 100% accurate. The study was HARDLY tightly controlled. Tightly controlled means metabolic ward studies where the researchers actually count and control the calorie intake.

The problem is, you can’t lock people in a hospital or research center ward for two years. So in this study, they used a food frequency questionnaire. Sure, like we believe what people report about their eating habits at restaurants and at home behind closed doors! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

“No! I swear Dr. Schwarzfuchs! I swear I didn’t eat those donuts over the weekend! I stayed on my Mediterranean diet. Honest!”

One of the most firmly established facts in dietetics research is that almost everyone underreports their food intake BADLY, sometimes by as much as 50%. I’m not saying everyone “lies,” they just forget or don’t know. In fact, this underreporting of calorie intake is such a huge problem that it makes obesity research very difficult to do and conclusions difficult to draw from free-living studies.

Another blunder in the news reports is that this study didn’t really follow Atkins diet parameters OR even the traditional low fat diet for that matter, so it’s not an “Atkin’s versus Ornish” showdown at all.

If you actually take the time to read the full text of the research paper it doesn’t say ANYTHING like, “Atkins is the best after all.” That’s the spin that some of the news media cooked up (and what the Atkins foundation was hoping for).

It says, “The diet was based on the Atkins diet.” However, the sentence right before that says, “The participants were counseled to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein.” Vegetarian Atkins?

The chart on page 236 says the low carb diet provided 40% of calories from carbs at 6, 12 and 24 months. If I’m reading that data properly, then the only low carb period was a brief induction phase in the very beginning.

Does that sound like Atkins? 40% carb sounds more like the Zone diet or my own Burn The Fat program to me.

The Atkins Foundation, which partially supported this study, told reporters, “We feel vindicated.” HA! They should have paid the reporters and told the researchers they felt ripped off and they wanted a refund for misuse of their research grant!

After carefully reading the full text of this study, there are many interesting findings we could talk about, from the differences in results between men and women to the improvements in health markers. Here’s what the study really says that stood out to me. It’s what I would have talked about if the newspapers or TV stations had called me:

1. “Mediterranean and low carb diets may be effective alternatives to low-fat diets.”

I can agree completely with that statement. All three diets created a calorie deficit. All three groups lost weight. Low carb lost a little more, which is the usual finding because low carb diets often control appetite and calorie intake automatically (you eat less even if you don’t count calories). Also, if body composition is not indicated, there’s an initial water weight loss that makes low carb diets look more effective in the very early stages.

2. “Personal preferences and metabolic considerations might inform individualized tailoring of dietary interventions.”

Absolutely! Nutrition should be individualized based on goals, health status, body type, activity level and numerous other factors. Different people have different phenotypes. Some people are more predisposed to thrive on a low carb approach. Others feel like crap on low carbs and do better with more carbs or a middle of the road approach. Those who dogmatically follow and defend one type of diet or the other are only handcuffing themselves by limiting their options. Iris Shai, a researcher in the study said, “We can’t rely on one diet fits all.” Hmm, far cry from “Atkins wins hands down,” wouldn’t you say?

3. “The rate of adherence to a study diet was 95.4% at 1 year and 84.6% at 2 years.”

THIS was the part of most interest to me. When I read this, immediately I could have cared less about the silly low carb versus high carb wars that the news reporters were jumping on.

I wanted to know WHY the subjects were able to stick with it so well. Of course, that’s boring stuff to journalists… adherence? What does that word mean anyway? Yawn - not interesting enough for prime time, I guess.

But it was interesting to me, and I hope YOU pay attention to what I found. The authors of the study wrote:

“This trial suggests a model that might be applied more broadly in the workplace. Using the employer as a health coach could be an effective way to improve health. The model of group intervention with the use of dietary group sessions, spousal support, food labels, and monthly weighing in the workplace within the framework of a health promotion campaign might yield weight reduction and long term health benefits.”

Hmmmmm, lets see:

* Dietician coaching
* Group meetings
* Motivational phone calls
* Spousal support
* Workplace monitoring (corporate health program)
* Food labels - calorie monitoring
* Weigh-ins (required and monitored)

Wow, everything helpful to long term fat loss that sticks. Can you say, ACCOUNTABILITY? These factors help explain the better adherence.

By the way, the adherence rate for the low carb group was the lowest.

90.4% in low fat group
85.3% in the Mediterranean group
78% in the low carb group

Here’s the bottom line, the way I see it:

First, please, please, please learn how to find and read primary research and take the news media stories with a grain of salt. If you want to know who died, what burned down or what hurricane is coming, tune in to the news – they do a GREAT job at that. If you want to know how to lose weight or improve your health, look up the original research papers instead of taking second hand information at face value.

Second, those who prefer a low carb approach; more power to them. Most studies, this one included, show at the very least that low carb is an option and it’s not necessarily an unhealthy one if done intelligently. I also have no qualms with someone claiming that low carb diets are slightly more effective for weight loss, especially in the short term, free living situations. Is low carb superior for fat loss in the long haul? That’s STILL highly debatable. It’s probably superior for some people, but not for others.

Third, low carb people, listen up! Even if low carb is superior, that doesn’t mean calories don’t count. Deny this at your own peril. In fact, this study shows the reverse. The low carb group was in a larger negative energy balance than the high carb and Mediterranean group (according to the data published in this paper), which easily explains the greater weight loss. Posting the calories contained in foods in the cafeteria may have improved the results and helped with compliance in all groups.

When energy intake is matched calorie for calorie, the advantage of a low carb diet shrinks or disappears. For most people, low carb is a hunger management or calorie control weight loss advantage, not metabolic magic (sorry, no magic folks!)

Fourth, choose the nutrition program that’s most appropriate for your personal preferences, your current health condition, your genetics (or phenotype) and most important of all… the one you can stick with. Then tend your own garden instead of wasting time criticizing how the other guy is eating. Your results will speak for themselves in the end. Take your shirt off and show us.

If I were forced to choose only one approach (and thank god I’m not), I would recommend avoiding the extremes of very low carb or very low fat or very high fat or very high carbs. Balance makes the most sense to me, and the research suggests that this helps produce the highest compliance rate. That’s not rocket science either, it’s common sense. If you have a serious fat loss goal, as when I compete in bodybuilding, then a further reduction in carbs and increase in protein makes perfect sense to me as a peaking diet.

If an extremely low or extremely high carb diet worked for you, great. But generalizing your experience to the entire rest of the world makes no sense. Arguing from extremes is the weakest form of argument.

The reason I have THREE nutrition plans (three phases) in my own fat loss program is because programs with flexibility and room for individualization beat the others hands down in the long term. In fact, I wrote an entire chapter in my e-book about unique body types, how to determine yours and how to individualize your nutrition – it’s THAT important.

If you have more choices, you have more power. The people who are shackled by dogma and narrow thinking are stuck. They also risk missing what’s really important. Things like:

Personalization
Adherence
Long-term Maintenance
Accountability
Social Support

and…

CALORIES!

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

PS. If you want to learn more about a balanced, flexible and proven approach, which teaches nutritional individuality and which can produce similar weight loss in one month, month after month, that the subjects of this study produced in TWO YEARS, (if you ADHERE to it!), then visit my fat loss website.

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

Personalized DNA Supplements

2008-06-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Genetic Variation and Personalized Health... One size does not fit all!

http://www.mygenewize.com/dkettner

In recent years, scientists have discovered that each of us have unique "genetically determined" body chemistries. Even small variations in your genes can have a profound influence on how well your body responds to food, physical activity, environmental pressures and how you may be predisposed to a wide variety of other important health and physiologic conditions.
Based on over a decade of proprietary and patented scientific processes, we are rapidly accelerating the health and beauty industry into the 21st century.

At GeneWize LIfe Sciences it's all about you!

We create personalized solutions specifically designed to support YOUR body based on your own DNA.

Interested in learning more? .... Contact me right away and I will answer any questions you may have as well as introduce you to a way that you can Nourish your own Genetic potential.

http://www.mygenewize.com/dkettner

FREE REPORTS

"Your Genetic Compass" — New Discoveries and Applications in Genomics Sciences
Read this FREE report to Learn more about new discoveries and applications in genomics sciences that are revolutionizing the development and delivery of nutritional, skin care and wellness therapies that can be personalized for your individual needs.

Please download the following free reports:

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Dave Kettner
davekettner@cox.net

Colon Cleaners & Cleaning Detox

2008-05-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a new colon cleansing video that I just uploaded that I think you will find very interesting. I just started experimenting with video, so please be kind. I do appreciate your comments and look forward to hearing what you think. I will be added many more videos soon.

Cleaning Your Colon with Cleansers Rid Disease & Detox the Body

www.allholistichealth.com/colon_cleansing_s/3.htm Maintaining a healthy colon is the secret to a life with less disease. Learn why a colon cleansing products & cleansers are so vital to your health.

Enjoy!

Dave

Bad News...

2008-02-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

You are probably wondering what the bad news is as mentioned in the subject line. Well, the bad news is we are no longer hosting our All Holistic Health site on our old platform which has caused us many headaches. So without getting into technological detail, here is what it means to you…

All Holistic Health is now better than ever!

Our products and customer service have always been great, and now we have a new website that can finally live up to the quality of our products and service.

Check out our new live site now: www.allholistichealth.com

Here are the advancements you will see:

Live Chat and Email Support: Ask product questions and get support through our new chat platform.
Create Personal Customer Accounts: Finally you can save your information and details so you won’t have to re-enter each time you order.
Free Shipping and Live Shipping Rates: You will now receive free shipping on all orders over $100. Plus you can choose your own shipping options with live rates based on the actual weight of your order.
New Payment Options: In addition to credit card options, you can now choose to pay through PayPal, Google Checkout, Money Order, Check, Electronic Check, and even in-store pick-up if you live in the Phoenix area. (Electronic Check will not be live until next week)
Easier Navigation and Ordering Capabilities
Become an Affiliate: Now you can even sell and promote our products and earn 10 - 20% commission on every order you refer. We can even set you up as a wholesale customer if you will be buying in bulk.
Newsletters and Mailing List: Receive free stuff, coupons, health information, new product updates, etc. You won’t want to miss this!
Customer Product Reviews and Testimonials: Be the first to rate our products and share the wonderful things our products have done for you.
Many New Products Coming Soon
And Much Much More!

I think you will find our new site to be so much more powerful and more satisfying for you our customer. We are even looking into adding recurring payment options where you can have your favorite product automatically shipped at specific time intervals to assure that you never run out of supply. More on this coming soon…

Please sign-up for your free Secret Health Report, “The Astonishing Secret to Living a Healthier Life.” Just go to our site www.allholistichealth.com and fill out the form to get your free healthy living report now. Also, we will be sending out a special grand opening store promotion to everyone who has signed up for this by Monday morning. So be sure to sign-up now to receive this special promotion!

As usual, we look forward to your feedback so we can continue to improve your buying experience helping you to life long and healthier lives. You can leave your comments on our blog at http://allholistichealth.blogspot.com. (We will be updating our blog to a better platform soon too!)

As always, good health and well-being!

Dave Kettner
www.allholistichealth.com

P.S. Don't forget to sign-up for your free secret report to be eligible to receive our grand opening specials on Monday morning!

102 Ways to Slow Down Aging

2008-01-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

By Christina Laun

Even the young at heart can’t escape the slow progression into old age. This inevitability doesn’t have to be an entirely bad thing, however, as with each one of those wrinkles and gray hairs comes a little bit of wisdom. While you can’t stop your body and mind from aging, you can help to slow down the process and keep yourself in the best health possible. Here are a few tips to help keep you healthy as you age.

Skincare

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and the one that frequently is hit hardest by your lifestyle. Here are some tips on helping your skin to age gracefully.

1. Drink plenty of water. Find a real fountain of youth in a glass of water. Drinking water moisturizes your skin from the inside out. Water is also essential to maintaining elasticity and suppleness and helps prevent dryness, making your skin look young and fresh longer.
2. Always use sunscreen. Few things age your skin more quickly than overexposure to sunlight. Any time you’re going outside, make sure to apply sunscreen to your face and arms and try to avoid extended exposure during the hottest parts of the day in the afternoon.
3. Reduce your exposure to pollution. The air is full of harmful toxins and chemicals that can damage your skin, especially if you live in a big city or sit through traffic jams every day. Try to reduce the amount of time you expose yourself to pollutants.
4. Use an anti-aging moisturizer. Moisture is important to maintaining young skin, so make sure to keep yours looking as good as it can by using a moisturizer daily. Get one with an added bonus of anti-aging ingredients.
5. Exfoliate. Get rid of the surface layer of dead skin on your face by exfoliating. As you get older, it will become increasing important to slough off these dead cells. It will help reduce the appearance of fine lines and help your skin to look younger and more glowing.
6. Stop all that frowning. Stress affects all parts of your body, your skin included. Continued frowning, furrowing of brows, and just general unhappiness can cause you to age prematurely.
7. Choose a good cleanser. Keeping your face clean is an integral part of keeping it looking young. Use a gentle cleanser to wash dirt, pollutants, and other impurities away.
8. Wear sunglasses. Squinting into the sunlight won’t do your eyes or your skin any favors. When you go out in the sun, toss on a pair of your favorite shades to save your eyesight and avoid worsening crow’s feet and fine lines.
9. Don’t use straws. Believe it or not, the pursing of the facial muscles used to drink from a straw can cause wrinkles, just like smoking. So drink your beverages straight from a glass.
10. Avoid harsh chemicals. The harsh chemicals in many cleansers and facial products can dry out skin and make you look older than you are. Keep your skin looking young by avoiding chemical laden products. Go organic or use products with a more gentle recipe.
11. Take some lecithin. Lecithin is substance that is found in the cells of all living organisms. When taken as a supplement, it can help soften skin and help other skin preserving elements better penetrate the surface.
12. Use products with natural oils. Unless you have oily skin naturally, using products with natural oils added can help your skin look more moisturized and supple. They can also help hold in moisture and keep your skin from drying out.
13. Pay special attention to skin around the eyes. The skin around your eyes is more delicate and sensitive than that on the rest of your body, so you should treat it with more care than the rest of your face. Use products that contain gentle, non-irritating compounds that are oil free and that will plump and add vitamins to your skin.
14. Try a moisturizer containing retinol. Retinol is a form of vitamin A and it’s used in a variety of anti-aging products. Applied topically, retinol should increase the rate of skin turnover and collagen production, giving skin a more youthful appearance

Lifestyle

How you choose to live your life day-to-day can have a big impact in your health in years to come. Here are some ways you can change your lifestyle to keep feeling young.

15. Get plenty of sleep. Not getting enough sleep may be doing more harm than just making you groggy at your morning meetings. It can also accelerate aging by hindering your metabolism and hormone production, which can put you at higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and even memory loss. While everyone’s sleep needs are different, average people need about eight hours to feel fully rested.
16. Reduce stress. Everyone experiences a little stress now and again, but chronic, long-term stress can age you prematurely and even make you sick. Recent studies have shown that stress shortens the life span of cells, thereby shortening your life span as well. Cut back on the stressors in your life to stay healthier and happier.
17. Have sex. Most people don’t need much additional motivation to engage in sexual activity, but an added bonus is that it could be helping you stay young as well. Sex boosts endorphins, triggers the release of growth hormones that improve bone strength, and has even been shown to slow aging and reduce wrinkles.
18. Keep laughing. The ability to find humor even when things are getting you down could be a key factor in helping you look and feel younger. Find ways to put a smile on your face every day.
19. Quit smoking. You’ve heard it time and time again, but it bears repeating: stop smoking. The sooner the better. Smoking accelerates aging, causes wrinkling, and makes you look and feel older.
20. Treat your body like a temple. You only get one body to work with, so treat yours with respect. Eat well, exercise, and avoid putting harmful substances into your body. It may not give you eternal youth, but it sure won’t hurt.
21. Be an optimist. Research has shown that those with a positive outlook on life actually live longer and feel like they have more productive lives than those with more negative outlooks. Those with optimistic dispositions are less prone to illness, too. So the next time you feel yourself slipping into a foul mood, count your blessings and take a look at the bright side.
22. Turn off the TV. Sitting in front of the TV might by entertaining, but it’s not challenging your body or your mind. Instead of spending your evenings watching the latest reality shows, take a walk, get some exercise, or just talk to your friends and family.
23. Keep a daily schedule. Getting into a routine of when you go to bed, get up, eat, and exercise can help you feel happier and healthier. It can help you stick to healthy habits and help your body get into a reliable rhythm.
24. Be flexible. You’ll save yourself loads of stress and maybe even a few gray hairs if you adopt a more flexible attitude about day-to-day events. Things may not always turn out how you planned, but being able to work with these changes instead of against them can help take a great weight off your shoulders.
25. Nurture positive relationships. Human beings are inherently social animals, and part of our well-being depends on having others we can rely on and relate to in our lives. Cultivate relationships with those who share similar outlooks, hobbies, and a love of life as you do.
26. Go to the doctor. If you are having unexplained pains, unusual symptoms or just don’t feel right, getting yourself to a doctor promptly could help you out in the long run. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, you should get yearly physicals and exams as well. Getting early medical treatment is key to curing many diseases.
27. Don’t be a worrywart. Meditating on things that are wrong or that are troubling you can stress you out, making you get less sleep, feel bad and generally aging you more quickly. Do what you can to better situations that worry you, then let them go. Worrying about things you can’t change won’t help, and the stress will show in your face.
28. Brush your teeth. Keeping your teeth healthy not only makes you look younger but can help you more easily eat nutritious foods. Brushing and flossing and seeing a dentist regularly can help keep your teeth in good chomping condition.
29. Check your cholesterol. While all cholesterol isn’t bad, having an excess amount of it in the body can injure your blood vessels and make you more prone to heart attacks and strokes. Have your levels checked by your doctor regularly so you can take measures to correct this problem
30. Slow down. You might feel like you need to rush around to get everything done, but the constant stress of an overly busy lifestyle can take its toll on your body and mind. Take a moment to slow down, stop, and appreciate the smaller things in life every once in awhile.
31. Enjoy the ride. Getting older is a fact of life, more inevitable than even those pesky taxes. So, do what you can to make your journey comfortable and enjoy the new experiences that come along with every stage of your life.
32. Stay young at heart. You might be getting older, but you hold off on feeling older by keeping in touch with your inner child. Don’t lose your sense of wonder or enjoyment at the world around you.
33. Take a vacation. There isn’t much point in getting that raise or putting in those extra hours of work if you don’t get to enjoy the benefits. Give yourself a break now and then to rest and rejuvenate. Your body and mind will appreciate it.
34. Find someone to love. Whether it’s your spouse, a child, your parents, a friend or even a pet, having a person you love and that loves you back can have an incredibly positive impact on your health and well being.
35. Don’t let misfortunes take over. Bad things happen in everyone’s life, but don’t dwell on the negative. Give yourself a chance to grieve, be sad, or mourn things you’ve lost, but don’t let that become your entire life. Deal with them and move on to happier experiences.
36. Start now. The best time to start working on keeping yourself feeling younger is right now. No matter how old you are it’s never too late to make positive changes in your life that will affect your well being and overall health.
37. Lose some weight. Obesity has been found to greatly accelerate the aging process and make you look much older than you actually are. Not everyone can be supermodel thin, but everyone can reach a weight that is healthy for them.
38. Get a pet. Pets do more than just keep you company. Pet owners tend to visit the doctor less, recover from heart attacks more quickly, and have fewer problems with depression and high blood pressure.
39. Be careful. Conscientious people have been shown to live longer than those that are more careless and impulsive. They’re also less prone to Alzheimer’s. It may not be in your nature, but it could be to your benefit to put more thought and consideration into your decisions.
40. Get checked for diabetes. Many people, especially those with a family history of the disease, can become at risk for diabetes as they get older. If you feel that you might be exhibiting some of the symptoms, make a trip to your doctor to find out so you can begin working to reverse some of the effects of the disease.
41. Learn your family history. Family history plays a big role in whether or not you’ll develop a wide variety of illnesses. Find out what your parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents had if anything so you can get tested and plan accordingly to reduce your chances of getting ill yourself.
42. Be proactive. As you grow older, it’s very important to get checked for colon, breast, testicular and cervical cancers, among others. Make annual trips to your doctor to undergo screening. Finding out early on can help you more effectively fight the disease.

Diet

Traditional wisdom states that we are what we eat, so make sure what you take in will make you healthy. Here are some foods and diet tips to help you look and feel healthier.

43. Limit drinking. A glass of wine now and then won’t do you much harm, but drinking to excess can catch up with you. Limit your alcohol intake to one or two drinks a day to keep your liver and heart healthy.
44. Have an apple a day. An apple a day really might keep the doctor away. New research has shown that the anti-oxidants and flavinoids in apple can help prevent Alzheimer’s and other degenerative brain diseases as well as help prevent cancer and diabetes.
45. Cut out excess fat. Cutting out bad fats in your diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity, and many other diseases. If you’re going to eat fats, try to get more of the good, unsaturated kind.
46. Up your fiber intake. Complex carbohydrates like fibers found in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and bran can have more than a positive affect on your digestive system. They can also help you feel more full, improve control of diabetes, and even lower cholesterol.
47. Have a little vitamin A. Vitamin A is an integral part of cell restoration and growth of new skin cells, but it is a vitamin that needs to be taken in moderation as too much can actually cause damage to internal organs. Foods high in vitamin A are milk, egg yolks, carrots and dark leafy-green vegetables.
48. Eat your veggies. Studies have shown that eating vegetables can help slow the rate of cognitive decline. Eating about 3 servings of veggies a day can help reduce your rate of decline by up to 40%. So make sure to include vegetables as part of your daily diet.
49. Get your organosulfurs. Foods high in organosulfurs include garlic, onions, leeks, chives, broccoli, and cauliflower. It is believed that these foods, and the organosulfurs they contain help the body to fight off cancer, heart disease and stroke.
50. Eat breakfast. Start your day the right way with a healthy breakfast. Eating more calories in the morning and during the middle of the day leaves less unburned calories when you go to bed, leading to less weight gain, and a healthier life for you.
51. Enjoy tea time. Green tea is rich in antioxidants which can help fight the damaging and aging effect of free radical oxygen in your body. Have a cup a day to relax and get your vitamins in liquid form.
52. Eat foods rich in antioxidants. While you may not be consciously aware of it, your body is under constant attack from free radicals, molecules that are generated during the process of oxidation. Studies have shown that substances that fight these molecules, known as antioxidants, can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, improve arthritis, reduce wrinkles, and even improve brain function.
53. Make sure you have enough calcium. Calcium is a key component to strong bones and teeth, two things that you definitely don’t want deteriorating. Keep them strong by taking calcium supplements or by getting your calcium through foods rich in it.
54. Try organics. Don’t take in any chemicals you don’t need to. Pesticides, hormones, and herbicides can have unpredictable effects on your body, even in small quantities. When possible, buy organic produce to reduce your exposure to these.
55. Make eating enjoyable. Just because you aren’t loading up on fast food and cookies at each meal doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to enjoy eating. Eating healthy should be an experience that’s not just good for you but delicious as well, as good food is one of the great pleasures in life. Even the most adamant of veggie haters can find a way to eat them, so try out new things and see what works for you.
56. Get some phytochemicals. Phytochemicals, like those found in broccoli, other green veggies and fish are powerful anti-inflammatory agents. Inflammation, when it’s chronic, can damage arteries, nerve cells, and ultimately your immune system as a whole, so battle it by eating healthy.
57. Take a vitamin E supplement. Vitamin E is a powerful age-fighting antioxidant, but one that isn’t easy to get from diet alone. Try taking a supplement containing the valuable vitamin to help you fight off the early signs of aging, especially when taken in conjunction with an exercise program.
58. Consume more fish. Fish are full of omega-3s, which are great for helping keep your heart healthy. Societies with high levels of fish consumption have much lower levels of heart disease and lower blood pressure. Health organizations recommend 2 servings a week.
59. Have some red wine. Red wine contains resveratrol, a substance that has been linked to reduction in the risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. While you’d have to drink quite a bit of wine to get the full benefits of this substance, having a glass or two at dinner has still been shown to reduce the risk of several heart related illnesses by thinning the blood and reducing the risk of dangerous clots.
60. Cut back on the caffeine. A little bit of caffeine here and there won’t hurt you, but finishing off a whole pot of it by yourself on a daily basis just might. Caffeine might give you a pick-me-up in the morning, but consuming too much can put you at risk of heart problems, kidney stones, and can decrease your mineral absorption. You don’t have to cut it out of your diet altogether, but limiting yourself can help prevent many age related illnesses.
61. Have some dark chocolate. Research at Tufts University has shown that dark chocolate may help lower your blood pressure, not to mention that it contains beneficial antioxidants that can help slow down the aging process. So the next time you’re craving a sweet treat, grab a bit of dark chocolate and indulge guilt free.
62. Take vitamin C. It’s not only an apple a day that can help keep you young, but an orange might just do the job as well. New research has shown that people who ate foods rich in vitamin C had fewer wrinkles than those that didn’t. While many factors influence wrinkling, it can’t hurt to add that glass of orange juice to your morning meal.
63. Eat whole foods. Eating foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates is good for you. These kinds of foods, loaded with phytochemicals, nutrients, and other beneficial substances, can help you make the most of the nutrients you’re taking in and keep those wrinkles at bay.
64. Eat smart fats. Not all fats are bad. In fact, some are essential to the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. Try to avoid the artery clogging kinds of fats, and instead get more omega-3s and unsaturated fats.
65. Reduce your caloric intake. Studies have shown that restricting your caloric intake can have a big impact on your longevity. Eating less fatty, high calorie food will keep you healthier, improve your heart, and possibly add years to your life.
66. Eat a superfruit. Superfruits include cranberries, pomegranates, blueberries and acai. They’re loaded with antioxidants and preliminary studies have shown that drinking pomegranate juice might reduce the risk or prostate cancer and improve blood flow. And as a bonus, it’s delicious too.
67. Avoid heavily processed foods. Processed foods are often high in salts, fats and other substances that aren’t great for a nutritious diet. They can raise blood pressure and cause you to put on weight, both things you want to avoid if your goal is feeling young.
68. Limit sugar intake. Sugar can leech valuable minerals needed to keep your metabolism running smoothly, and can even suppress your immune system. Avoid foods high in processed sugars and you’ll reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease.
69. Embrace the food pyramid. Eating a wide variety of foods is essential to maintaining a healthy body and mind. You don’t have to be a slave to the food pyramid, but do try to use it as a guideline to what you should take in each day. Hate dairy? Get your calcium from a vegetable instead.
70. Indulge in moderation. There isn’t much point in living out those extra years if you’re not going to enjoy them. Let yourself indulge now and again in things you love but know aren’t the best for you. Having one slice of cheesecake or the occasional fast food dinner isn’t going to ruin your health, so let loose on occasion.
71. Get your vitamins from food when possible. You might think taking that multivitamin every morning is giving you all the nutrition you need, but you’d be wrong. Often, vitamins and minerals taken in pill form have little impact. You’ll get a much bigger effect from the same substances if you get them from foods instead. You’ll not only be getting the nutrients you need, but also eating healthier.

Exercise

Sitting on the couch isn’t going to help you keep your youthful look or feel, no matter how much you might enjoy it. These are some ways you can break your couch potato ways.

72. Get in some cardio. Get your heart pumping with a daily cardio workout. Getting your heart rate up through exercise has been shown to slow aging through reducing cholesterol and helping you maintain heart capacity. It can also help you build muscle, burn fat, and generally feel better and more energetic.
73. Lift weights. Cardio may get the most attention, but weight lifting is just as important to keeping your body from aging prematurely. From 40 onward your body can lose up to a quarter pound of muscle mass per year which can often be replaced with fat instead. You can help prevent this by lifting weights a few times a week which will boost your muscle mass and fight fat at the same time.
74. Get outside. When you can, get your exercise outdoors. The fresh air will feel great, and the suns ray’s will help your body produce vitamin D, which is essential to good health.
75. Do yoga. Yoga isn’t just good exercise, it can also help you to reduce stress. Engaging in yoga a few times a week can help reduce wrinkles, slow weight gain, ease pain, and even help you sleep better at night.
76. Work on your balance. Many people find that as they age, good balance is one of the things that they begin to lose. Work on yours by increasing your strength and taking classes like yoga and pilates that can help you build it up.
77. Bring a friend. Working out alone can be tedious, so bring a friend along to motivate you and keep you company. You’ll not only get in better shape, but you’ll get valuable and enjoyable social interaction at the same time.
78. Monitor your lung volume. By the time most people reach 60 they’ve lost over 40 percent of their lung volume. You can get yours tested at your primary physician to see if it needs some improvement. An exercise program that raises your heart rate and gets you breathing hard can help improve lung function and get you some of your lung capacity back.
79. Keep your body fat low. While you might be focused on lowering your overall weight, what is more important to watch is your percentage of body fat. Extra fat can have negative effects on your overall health, like increasing your risk of arterial clogging and diabetes.
80. Play sports. Sports aren’t for everyone, but if you have a hard time getting motivated to work out, joining a team can be a great way to make exercising fun and social. Whether you’re playing a quick pick-up game of soccer or shooting hoops in your driveway, every little bit of activity helps you look and feel healthier.
81. Take a walk. If you don’t feel fit enough to start exercising hardcore right off of the bat, try getting in a quick walk when you can. Even light exercise reduces you chances of getting diabetes, cancer, depression, dementia and wrinkles.
82. Do some chores. Don’t have time to make it to the gym every day? You can still get in some physical activity by doing some chores around the house. Whether you’re sweeping, scrubbing out the tub or mowing the lawn, you’ll be burning a lot more calories than you would be sitting on the couch.
83. Dance. Getting exercise doesn’t have to be all work and no play. You can also dance your way to feeling young and fit. Grab your significant other or your best friends and dance away. It is good exercise, can reduce stress, and can even be romantic.
84. Stretch. Loss of flexibility is big reason many people experience so many aches and pains as they get older. Hold on to your youthful range of motion a little bit longer by stretching regularly or engaging in exercises that include it.

Mental Health

Aging can have a big impact on your cognitive abilities, so keep your brain in tip-top shape by trying out a few of these tips.

85. Do crossword puzzles. Keep your brain in tip-top shape by engaging it daily in puzzle solving activities like a crossword puzzle or sudoku. Using these mental muscles can help improve your recall rate of all kinds of information.
86. Read a book. Reading not only engages the brain, but it also can be a great way to learn and expand your horizons.
87. Stay curious. Even the oldest people in the world don’t know everything there is to know about it. Always keep your curiosity about the world around you, as there is always something new to experience and learn.
88. Never stop learning. One sure way to age your brain is to stop feeding it new information. Whether you learn from books, those around you, or even the Internet, stay engaged with things going on in the world and keep your brain on the top of its game.
89. Keep things interesting. Don’t let yourself fall into a mental rut. If you feel like you’re living the same day over and over again, then do something to shake things up. Otherwise, you’ll start losing your mental sharpness.
90. Challenge yourself. One way to make your day to day life more interesting is to constantly give yourself new challenges. Dare your brain to complete a puzzle or finish a short story, anything to keep it from getting dull and bored.
91. Stay social. People with large social circles and those that feel they have others they can depend on generally enjoy longer lives and better health than those who are more solitary. Even if you only have a few close friends, spending time with them and those that you love can make you feel and think young.
92. Listen to music. Music isn’t just entertaining, it also helps to engage your brain and improve your mood. The next time you’re sitting around in silence, try turning on your favorite tunes instead.
93. Don’t live alone. Humans are highly social animals, and as you age, being around others, especially those who stimulate you, can do wonders for your health and well-being.
94. Take control. Those that feel in control of their lives and their goals are generally more happy and have better mental and physical health than those who feel the opposite. Take control of your life and reap the benefits.
95. Have a hobby. It’s important to brain health not to become bored or unchallenged by the things in your life, so pick up a hobby if you don’t already have one. Play tennis, build ships in a bottle, or anything else that stimulates your interest and gets you out of your recliner.
96. Join a club or group. Becoming part of a group, whether it’s with a church, a community center, or just a small book club, can give you valuable social interaction as well as help you learn something new and keep your brain active and engaged.
97. Increase oxygen flow. Increasing the flow of oxygen to the brain, like what happens during aerobic exercise, has been shown to slow the death and deterioration of brain tissue and in some cases actually causes an increase in brain volume.
98. Stimulate your senses. Give your five senses a whirl while you still can. Aging naturally causes a decline in the senses, especially those of hearing and sight.
99. Play a video game. Video games can act like a mental gym for aging minds. Many are full of challenging puzzles, games, and levels that will keep your brain guessing and working hard to find solutions.
100. Engage in thoughtful conversations. While yelling matches are hardly good for you, a healthy debate is. It challenges your brain to work quickly and keeps you on your toes.
101. Learn a language. One way to keep your brain busy is to start learning a new language. It will improve your language abilities, let you communicate with new people, make new friends, and give you a sense of accomplishment for having learned something new.
102. Meditate. The stress hormone cortisol ages the brain, shrinking the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential to memory. Take a few minutes to calm yourself each day, focus on relaxing, and reducing your stress through meditation.

Taken from: http://www.businesscreditcards.com/bootstrapper/102-ways-to-slow-down-aging/

Peanut Allergies Can Be Very Dangerous

2008-01-27T13:04:00.000-08:00

If you suffer from a peanut allergy you need to be very careful about what you eat. It can be very difficult to stay vigilant and read all food packaging to ensure you do not inadvertently eat something that contains an extract from a peanut shell or peanut oil. The problem is that even a trace of anything related to a peanut can cause a very bad reaction if you are allergic.

Unfortunately, there is a common misconception amongst peanut allergy sufferers that it is only whole peanuts that will cause them problems. And this misconception could prove genuinely fatal. Anaphylactic seizure and ultimately death can be caused by even a minute instance of something extracted from a peanut being present in a foodstuff.

Many people with peanut allergies can also be allergic to peas and beans which are also members of the same legume family that peanuts belong to. They may also be allergic to some other species of nut such as pecans and cashews.

What are some of the symptoms of a peanut allergy being triggered? Tightness in the throat, breathing difficulties, stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting.

Peanut allergy seems to be becoming more common now than at any time in the past. More and more children seem to be being born with this particular allergy and no one really knows why this is.

Unfortunately, it is very rare for anyone to outgrow an allergy. If you suffer from an allergy to peanuts you are just going to have to get used to the fact that you'll have to remain vigilant for the rest of your life.

Exactly why does your body exhibit the symptoms of a peanut allergy? The symptoms are a result of your body seeing the peanut or peanut extract as a dangerous product. It then mobilizes your immune system to try to expel it or fight it off.

The major problem for anyone with a peanut allergy is that peanuts and their byproducts are very commonly found in a wide range of foods. Crushed nuts are often to be found in sauces and many Asian and Italian foods also use peanut extracts in some form or another.

If you have been diagnosed as having a peanut allergy you must take it very seriously indeed. Eating a food with even a trace of peanut in it can cause a potentially fatal reaction.

Remaining vigilant and studying food packaging literally could mean the difference between life and death if you have an allergy to peanuts.

Getting Rid of that Unwanted Holiday Weight

2008-01-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is a special time of year that brings together family and friends for holiday celebrations of good cheer and lots of wonderful abundances of food and drinks. There are those ever delicious desserts of pies and cookies, body warming hot beverages like hot chocolate and spiced cider, and lavishing meals of ham and turkey along with all of the fixings. Of course we can’t forget those many times of shopping for those perfect holiday gifts and preparing for the house guests and parties that tend to send many of us to fast food options for a quick meal. With all of these things comes something that is very unwanted during the holidays; that unwanted holiday weight gain.

We all know that this happens, but every year we find ourselves having to make that dreaded New Year promise to eat healthy and go on a diet to shed some of those pounds. But is there a better way? Can we still enjoy the holidays and not have to worry about paying the price for several months in the New Year? Of course there is no magic pill, but there are things you can do over the holiday to prevent those unwanted pounds to pack on.

My first suggestion is even though the food is so delicious and you want to stuff yourself silly at times, try to not eat to excess. Spread out those delicious holiday dishes over time and spread out the pleasure. There is plenty to go around. Enjoy those desserts; just don’t eat so many of them!

Secondly, drink lots of water. I would suggest drinking at least 6 -8 servings of water daily. You may need to run to the bathroom often, but you will find that you will be less hungry and not eating as often. Plus the water will help to flush excess waste from some of those fatty meals causing less bloating and clogging of those pipes (that would be the colon for those still a little groggy).

Another great idea is to stay active during this typical relaxing time of year. Take walks after your meals and you will be amazed how much better you feel after. If it is too cold, go to an indoor mall and walk around a few times. Better yet, either join a gym to use the elliptical machine or purchase one for your home to use on your own time. These machines are great! Whatever you can do actively, just do it instead of simply crashing on the couch which slows down your metabolism send that food to unwanted areas as fat.

There are many other ideas and techniques you can do to prevent your waist size from increasing. The best idea though is to just be aware and not fall into the overeating and non-active lifestyle during this holiday season. Even still, I still would highly suggest doing a colon cleansing program in the New Year especially if you have never done one before. Doing this will help you lose typically 5 -20 pounds of excess waste from your colon and making you feel great! Happy holidays!

Be sure to check out our 10 Day Colon Cleanse kit at: http://www.allholistichealth.com/site/523202/product/3050.

Enjoy!

Dave Kettner

Eating Healthy

2007-11-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Eating healthy will help you feel great and have lots of energy so you can enjoy life more and have a strong immune system. Many people question the importance of healthy eating because they seemed to be fine not eating healthfully for many years. Eating healthy is always great for your body and your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and the prevention of heart disease. If you are serious about eating healthy, you should become more educated about the foods you eat and the number of calories and amounts of nutrients they contain.

When it comes to eating healthy, many of us tend to make poor choices when grabbing an ice cream cone here, a slice of pizza there. But there are ways to keep watch over what we put in our mouths, and with some hard work and common sense, your job should be made a little bit easier. If you are the only one in your family eating healthy, those habits will eventually rub off on them too.

Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying a variety of foods especially vegetables, grains, or fruits that you don't normally eat. Research has shown that following a healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower an already elevated blood pressure. Good nutrition and a balanced diet will also help your children grow up healthy. Kids who take part in regular family meals are more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains while spending less time snacking on unhealthy foods, less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol.

The most obvious health threat of eating too much fast food is weight gain or even obesity. A healthy diet doesn't have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing. Eating a healthy diet is important to preventing the development of heart disease risk factors, such as hypertension, high blood cholesterol, and being overweight or obese. Eating for your heart involves staying away from sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and pastries. Study results indicated that elevated blood pressures were reduced by an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy.

Making healthy meals is easy by incorporating more raw foods such as salads and vegetable juices, and focusing on the pleasure of eating healthy food rather than the calories. Choose sandwiches on whole-grain bread or a plain hamburger over fried foods or pizza. If you enjoy dairy foods, try to stick with no-fat or low-fat products. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Reduce the amount of fat you eat by choosing fewer high-fat foods and cooking with less fat.

Most fast food restaurants and restaurant chains post nutritional information about their food offerings on their web sites. Food labels contain a wealth of information about the healthfulness of the product if you know what to look for and how to interpret them. While efforts are underway to make menu labeling happen, consumers must rely on restaurants to voluntarily supply this information. Even without nutritional information while eating out, try to limit those foods with you know could negatively impact your health.

Chiropractic Care For Overall Health Benefits

2007-11-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

Chiropractic is a holistic health care philosophy that helps the body function the way it was designed. As a result, there are many health benefits that can be derived from undergoing chiropractic care.

The first and most obvious benefit is back care and spinal realignment. We all experience back pain or discomfort at some point in our lives, whether it be from a sudden injury, or stress, or general wear and tear over the years.

Some common results of long-term wear and tear include discomfort from poor posture, from working at our desks, from hunching over kitchen counters that are too short, or from slouching on a couch.

Back-related injuries might be the result of a fall, or a car accident, or doing physical labor without proper lifting practices.

Even when we know that we should sit up straight, and that we should lift from the legs, not the back, we still often do inadvertent things that cause problems in our backs. Chiropractic care can straighten out our backs and make them feel much better through a process known as "adjusting" or "manipulating" the spine.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is another common ailment that can be fixed through chiropractic care. This condition is often caused by typing or using a computer too much, or incorrectly, and is characterized by a tingling or numb sensation in the hand, wrist or fingers, and the inability to open jars or pick up objects.

In some serious cases surgery is required, but often some simple manipulation from a chiropractor can do the trick. And oftentimes the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is actually the result of a misaligned neck, in which case a neck adjustment might be the cure.

In fact, a poorly functioning spinal column can be the cause of many more seemingly unrelated illnesses. That back pain you're feeling can affect how the organs in your body function, particularly in the digestive tract, and hence your overall health.

A misaligned spine can also cause headaches, sore feet and legs, or pain in your arms. There is almost no limit to the bodily aches you may be feeling that can be helped through chiropractic care.

This is actually good news if you're looking for a one-stop shop for your health concerns. Because chiropractic is about overall body health, chiropractors can often give advice on nutrition, lifestyle, and other related topics.

While many people wait until they are in pain to visit a chiropractor, there is a lot to be said for preventative care as well. It is often much easier to encourage a healthy spine and body to continue to be healthy than it is to fix one that is already damaged.

And just like your car needs to be tuned up before there's damage to the engine, your body needs preventative care in order to continue running smoothly for years.

Water Weight Loss

2007-11-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

Can you explain why so many diets cause water weight loss rather than true weight loss? You need to understand the concept of water weight loss, as opposed to fat weight loss if you want to lose some pounds. Obviously, the safer way of losing weight is to focus on fat weight loss rather than water weight loss. This is steady, long term fat loss and doesn't count any water weight loss you may experience on top of this during the first week or two (which is very common, but remember, the initial water weight loss is not the same as body fat loss). You can find a lot of pills on the market now days that encourage water weight loss.

Weight gain from overeating can cause unflattering changes to the figure, but it can be fought with a water remedy. Weight loss will not happen or remain consistent unless you drink water on a daily basis. Because your body consists mostly of water (50-70% of body weight), fitness magazines, newspapers and diet gurus all recommend we drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses. Drinking water helps a great deal in enabling you to lose weight. And if you drink hot lemon water in the morning, then it will three times fasten your process of losing weight, thereby enabling you to burn large number of calories.

Water helps to lose weight by boosting your metabolism rate, thus paving way for quick weight loss. If you've incorporated physical workout in your weight loss program, then it is recommended to drink more water, so as to make up for the loss of water that takes place through sweating while performing your exercises. A healthy weight loss strategy combines regular exercise with a well-balanced diet to run a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories. For weight loss the trick is to reduce losing water weight as much as possible so the body is forced to burn more body fat stores. Any weight loss exercise programs or diet should be started slowly and we advise you to always consult your doctor or physician beforehand.

Dieting often causes depression, anxiety, irritability, weakness and preoccupation with food. When it comes to dieting, there is a lot of bad advice out there. The most common objective of dieting is loss of excess body fat. Don’t believe claims about losing weight while you sleep or watch TV, or plans that claim to cause weight loss without dieting or exercise. Moderation is the key to dieting success especially any long-term success.

Water weight loss helps you get rid of bloated look and gives definition. Water weight loss confuses people who are actually losing fat. It simply concerns losing the water in our bodies. But whatever you do, don't resort to drastic water weight loss instead of burning away fat because you'll only be hurting yourself in the long run.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Anti Aging Herbal Remedies

Why is Nutrition so Important?

2007-11-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

Two out of every three deaths can be traced to nutrition related causes, dietary deficiencies and overweight conditions. The most prominent causes of death in Western society are heart attack, stroke and cancer.

Other health problems are diabetes, osteoporosis, fatigue, digestive problems, stress, headaches, and obesity. All of these are based around nutrition.

Over two million premature deaths each year are due to nutrition related diseases with over 70% of premature deaths and doctor visits being diet and nutrition related.

Some of the problems in in diets are deficiencies in fiber, vitamins and minerals, and trace elements, as well as excesses in total/animal fat, total calories. salt and sugar.

The body needs cellular nutrition to be healthy. Within the body the 80 - 100 trillion cells, need protein, minerals, oxygen and water to live properly. Both health and disease begin with the cell. The cells are the living units that create life. We need our cells to grow, reproduce, detoxify and function. If you don't get key nutrition, the cell begins to break down. When enough cells break down, you start to feel the symptoms and if enough break down, it can lead to death.

What keeps cells from getting good nutrition?

A certain amount of the problem can be traced to the way food is grown and harvested. Chemicals, fertilizers, over processing/over refining of foods- e.g. instant foods, high fat/sugar foods, foods that have been processed to make them tastier, have a longer shelf life, etc. all contribute to extra calories, salt and sugar and destroy vitamins and minerals.

Did you realize that you would have to eat 4 bowls of spinach today, to match the iron from 1 bowl in 1930? This shows conclusively that our soils are being depleted.

We also keep our cells from getting good nutrition by the way we prepare our foods. We tend to over cook foods, thus taking away the minerals,vitamins and essential oils, robbing our bodies of the things that we need for proper health.

Sixty percent (60%) of Western culture chooses to eat junk food , which is high in fat, sugar, salt and calories. It is almost devoid of any nutritional value. It is already a disaster, before it even gets to your mouth.

Food needs to be digested, broken down into a useful micro-nutrient form and absorbed by the intestine, before any of the nutrition gets to the cells.

Flu Shot Season is Here

2007-10-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

Flu shots are usually about 70% successful in preventing flu. Flu shots do not give 100% protection, but they do make it much harder for you to catch the flu for about 6 months. It is usually recommended that you get a flu shot in October or November, so it is definitely time to find a place to get flu shots for your family. Deliveries of flu shots usually continue through November and into December, so even doctors and clinics who don't have any flu shots right now, might get some soon. The flu shots are not just for people at risk of dying from the flu, they are for anyone who wants to avoid a week of misery, pain and discomfort.

Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May. Flu is a respiratory infection, that is, an infection that develops primarily in the lungs. If you want to avoid catching influenza this season, we recommend that you get a flu shot. About 2 weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body. Testing has shown that both the flu shot and the nasal-spray vaccine are effective at preventing the flu.

Vaccine

The viruses in the vaccine change each year based on international surveillance and scientists' estimations about which types and strains of viruses will circulate in a given year. The ability of flu vaccine to protect a person depends on the age and health status of the person getting the vaccine, and the similarity or "match" between the virus strains in the vaccine and those in circulation. To produce a good response, the first year that they get it, children under nine years of age need two doses of the vaccine given at least one month apart. If you are searching for access to the vaccine immediately, we recommend contacting your doctor of local department of health for more information. Keep in mind that if your doctor has a limited supply of flu vaccine, then he or she might reserve it for priority patients only and not give it to healthy children who are not in a high risk group.

People with asthma and other lung diseases should always get a flu shot, without exception. Seniors who get flu shots significantly reduce their risk of death or hospitalization. Older children with high risk medical conditions are also recommended to receive the flu shot annually. Flu shot reactions or side effects are usually mild, and may include soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given, fever, and/or aches, and usually only last for 1-2 days. To improve the levels of vaccinations, the CDC is recommending getting a shot as soon as the vaccine is available in the coming weeks.

There are many well-respected health experts who believe that the number of people coming down with the flu would be drastically reduced if flu shots weren’t administered. Studies have shown that flu shots stir up protective antibodies quite readily in young people, but the protective effect tends to decrease with age. Flu shots however are still considered to be the best prevention available today.

Reducing the Risk of Disease by Staying Healthy

2007-09-15T21:55:00.000-07:00

Staying healthy is something for which everyone must take as a personal duty. An important part of staying healthy is eating a nutritious and balanced diet. Staying healthy requires work, but the payback far outweighs the costs. Incorporating tips for staying healthy will help in avoiding the flu, colds, and other illnesses. Be sure to read through these tips for staying healthy especially if you value your health.

Protecting Against Disease

The body can not protect itself against diseases alone as it needs your help. All of the major causes of death such as cancer, stroke, lung disease and injury can be prevented by the things that you do. 65% of all deaths in adults are caused by heart disease, cancer and stroke. But many of the actions that cause these issues begin at an early age.

Evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of chronic health problems especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychological disorders. Other factors that put people at risk for disease include your age, your medical and family history, and individual choices that people make. What can you do to stay healthy and prevent disease?

Losing weight helps lower the risk of health problems especially people with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Maintaining normal cholesterol levels with help prevent diseases and can help prevent circulation problems. If you quit smoking, you'll lower your risk for heart attack, stroke, nerve disease, kidney disease, and oral disease. It is important to talk to your doctor about how to reduce the risk factors of heart disease, including controlling your cholesterol.

Regular Exercise

Exercise can help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, and possibly colon cancer, stroke, and back injury. A high-fiber, low-fat diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight gradually and help you keep it off. Try to exercise for 30 to 60 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week, but any amount is better than none. Low-impact, moderate intensity exercise activities, such as walking and swimming, are great choices. Wellness is a way of living that highlights such preventive measures as eating a healthy diet, making exercise an enjoyable part of your life, and making self-care decisions that will improve the quality of your life.

Staying healthy requires moderation in everything that you do. Staying healthy physically and mentally is important to preventing many of the diseases that plague our society. Maintaining or adopting a healthy lifestyle as you get older can increase your chances of staying healthy and maintaining your independence. Whether you like playing sports, drawing, singing, writing stories, or just being funny, share your commitment to staying healthy with others and let's fight health problems that can be prevented.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

What Is The Cause Of Your Bad Breath?

2007-08-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced in your life before where people suddenly run away from you just when you want to start a conversation with them? The reason is because they can't stand your awful bad breath. Whether you realize or not, it can affect your personal life as well as your professional life. But what exactly is bad breath cause?

Common Bad Breath Cause

Bad breath started early in the morning when you wake up from your sleep. This is due to the highly process of bacteria inside your mouth when you are sleeping. Even though you brush your teeth with a good and quality toothpaste or toothbrush, but as the day progresses, that awfully bad breath may come back slowly into your mouth and people suddenly run away from you again. As you can see, bacteria inside your mouth will never sleep as they are working 24/7 non stop. Bad news, isn't it?

Sometimes bad breath cause could be occasional. Have you ever noticed how terrible your breath is when you have eaten a meal that is full of garlic or onions? Cigarettes and smokes could be one of the contribution also. Another bad breath cause that is considered situational is alcoholic beverages.

Some people figure out that they can demolish their bad breath by taking gums, sprays and other types of breath fresheners. This is what we called a bad breath cause by occasional. Even if you use breath fresheners, it wont last long very long in the masking odors if the underlying bad breath cause is poor dental hygiene or certain foods you have eaten.

The most common bad breath cause is from a bacteria that is naturally present in your that is feeding off the food particles that is left over from when you last ate. There are several ways you can fight the negative effects of this. One of the option is to use a good toothbrush that can get in between teeth. Most of the time people simply neglect the inside of their teeth as well as their back teeth when they are brushing. If only the know that this is where the bad breath start producing.

You should spend at least 5 minutes or more when brushing your teeth. Lesser than that, you might not reaching all the places in your mouth that will be a bad breath cause.

Please be aware that some products that are to be used for oral hygiene might cause you more problem instead of reducing your bad breath awful smell. If possible, try to use products that have baking soda and peroxide as their main ingredients. These two products can help bad breath cause and allow you to feel more confident when you are having face to face conversations with colleagues or someone you want to get to know better.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Antioxidant Vitamins

Causes and Cures of Stress

2007-08-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, stress is a part of life and can't be completely avoided. In fact, it's said that a little bit of stress is good for our well-being, and exercises our faculties. However too much stress can cause serious damage to our physical and mental health.

While it may sound simplistic, and even somewhat scolding, stress is fundamentally an attitude of mind. When a series of problems occur, and most importantly, when you come to believe you don't have what it takes to solve them, chronic stress can be the result. So it's important for each of us to try to keep stress levels at a minimum.

Stress in the Workplace.

Business can go through good and bad periods. Employees and business owners alike are often given, or give themselves, unrealistic deadlines to achieve near impossible goals. Competitive fast-paced businesses can be fun, however business goals must be believable and realistic, or destructive stress reactions can be the result.

If you or your staff are disillusioned with unrewarding work, you can become demoralized and demotivated. The resulting procrastination and avoidance can be your wake-up call that you and your business are about to suffer from the stress resulting from unbelievable and therefore unreachable goals.

Many Internet businesses, and especially new ones, will go through periods of low income and will not initially have the security of a regular income. A wise practice, even after income has seemingly become predictable and has reached a comfortable level, is to build up a backup fund in a bank account. When your business is doing well, put as much money as you can into this account (10% to 20% is suggested by professional money managers). You can then draw on this fund in the leaner times, avoiding stress and still having the security of a regular income. The resulting peace of mind and worry-free work day can multiply your productivity.

The Power of Laughter and Fun.

Laughter helps a person to see the lighter side of a problem and keeps the mind cool and calm. Fun means maintaining a balance in life, taking time out, keeping your sense of humor as you pace yourself... being entertained by the downs as well as the ups in life. Stress relief is not about escaping stress, it's about keeping everything in perspective. Stress is a by-product of the highly competitive environment in which we live, and stress relief, through recreation and laughter, helps you to relax and regain your balance.

The Power of Music.

Music reduces stress. The old phrase from Congreve: 'Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast' still has a place in contemporary society. While the effect can be exaggerated, it's nonetheless true that the right kind of music can help you shift your mood. Think about how a song influences you. Specific music choices provide specific music-sonic patterns, and with the support of proven breathing exercises, the music can actually alter your state of consciousness. This can bring about one of the best stress management techniques of all: simple relaxation.

Meditation, yoga, massage, aromatherapy, and listening to music can all work together or singly to help you to dynamically relax. Listening to your favorite music while gardening can also enhance your relaxation experience. Both because of its memory associations with pleasant events and for reasons that are not yet well understood, music can almost immediately favorably alter your mood, and offers both short and long-term benefits in relieving stress.

The Power of Relaxation.

Developing the capacity to relax is at the foundation of any program undertaken to overcome any form of stress. The old saying, "stop and smell the flowers" is not that far off. Your body needs time to repair itself and taking time to rest and relax can do wonders for you, not only physically but mentally as well. Relaxation reduces stress and counters the tendency we have to overreact to common stressors with additional mental, emotional and physical stress. Sleepless nights and lack of energy can also be caused by stress and can exaggerate and magnify its effects. Finding ways to relax on a regular basis is very important to help lower your chance of developing serious stress related illness.

The Importance of Self-Care

Helping your body to relax when stress levels get to be too much is the first step in relieving the destructive effects of stress. Taking just a few minutes out of your day to lower your stress is important for your mind, and your body. Understanding what causes you stress will help you greatly to take back control of your life.

Researchers have found that the biological changes that take place in the body in times of stress are very significant in the development of disease. Sometimes the stress is emotional rather than physical and the body is not allowed to release the physical tension created by stress hormones. While stress of itself isn't always bad, prolonged stress can be damaging to your physical as well as your mental and emotional health.

Apply the power of laughter and fun, of appropriate music, and especially a laid-back attitude coupled with healthful sleep and physical relaxation, and the stresses that are a normal part of life will only add to your personal power and well-being.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Anti Aging Treatments

Reducing Stress Daily

2007-08-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

Daily stress can affect your health. It has been proven that those who don't find ways to lower their stress can develop stress-related illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure and depression.

If you have been feeling overwhelmed in your daily life because of financial, relationship or health issues that seem insurmountable then you need to find ways to cope so that you can lead a healthful life.

The first symptom of daily stress is depression. People who are feeling stress often become anxious, depressed, and find quick fixes to overcome their anxiety. Some quick fixes include food binges, either sleeping too much or sleeping too little, anger, overreacting to situations and excessive mood swings.

Isn't it true that their is nothing more important than your health? Those who forget to eat often wind up feeling depressed. It is important to eat at least two meals daily as this gives your body some substance to create energy and this helps your body to function.

It is easy to binge on food but then you have made your body uncomfortable and usually binging makes you feel bloated and excessively tired. It is important to try and keep a balance on what you eat. Balance is the key to good health.

Stress can cause excessive mood swings. This might happen at work, someone has done something that is upsetting and you might react by becoming depressed and your first reaction might be to express this feeling by breaking down into tears. This is the reaction we have when we are facing a problem we might need some help with in order to resolve the current issues at hand.

If you are feeling depressed and tearful the first action you should take is to drink a lot of water. Lack of water can be a factor in memory loss and becoming excessively emotional. Drink at least 6-7 glasses of water each day.

The second action you should take is to get up and move to another location. Take a bathroom break or take a walk outside for a few minutes if you are at work. It is important to move to different surroundings for a few minutes. This is because our mind associates memories by our location, what we are seeing, and by what we are feeling. The best action we can do is to create a different mindset by moving to a different location so that we can absorb different mental and physical energies.

Daily stress often leaves us unable to communicate our feelings to those around us. Not being able to communicate when you are feeling mad or sad is a sure sign that you are feeling hidden anger. It is easier to walk away from the problems at hand rather than to express our anger. To communicate our feelings means we have to acknowledge that there is a problem we cannot or would rather not solve.

The decisions you make at this junction may be important in regards to lowering your stress level. If you take care of the problem and find a way to solve the problem then you no longer have to think or deal with it. If you cannot find a solution then you need to find ways to lower your stress level because every time you think of an unsolved problem it takes away from the other problems you have to deal with.

It is better to start with problems you can easily solve and come back to the problems you cannot solve right away. If you cannot find a quick solution then take a break, walk away from the problem and come back later. Sometimes it just takes time to solve a problem and other times you might have to put some distance between you and the problem.

It is important to give yourself some rewards for living. Life can be a celebration. We can celebrate life by looking closer at the colors that are in our environment. You can enjoy a rose's scent as well as it's colorful beauty. You can enjoy the sound of a seagull as well as your favorite music. Life is short and the best advice for lowering the stress in your life is to live in the present, not in the past or future.

"Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it a present."

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Anti Aging Herbal Remedies

Colon Cleasing: An Essential Ingredient for Optimal Health

2007-08-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Colon cleansing has been done since 1500 BC by the Egyptians. It is both safe and effective for everyone of all ages, children and the elderly alike. Colon cleansing is essential to your well-being and for elimination of waste products and toxins. Doing a cleansing program is preventative healthcare; there is no better place to begin to rid your body of toxins and contamination. Colon cleansing can provide relief from maladies such as colds & flu, constipation, diarrhea, breath and body odors, headaches, sinusitis, allergies, hemorrhoids, weight problems, digestive difficulties, back and muscle aches, knee pain, poor eyesight, poor memory, stress, and the list goes on and on.

Body

Learn how to activate your body's innate healing energies and restore a state of balance to your health and consequently to your emotions and life. The detoxification processes of a colon cleanser treatment are so important to maintaining a healthy balance in your body that many doctors consider it to be a key to personal wellness. Your body will function at its very best leading to a vast improvement in how you feel and, in turn, you can look forward to increased energy and vitality. Don't put off having better health and allow your body to function at its optimal level now.

Toxins

Toxins, especially drugs, can damage or destroy beneficial bacteria, allowing harmful bacteria to take over producing by-products like ammonia, purines and ethionine, which can cause cancer. Toxins are more prevalent today than they have ever been before in our history. Toxins and waste build up in your colon just like they do in the pipes of your home. Proponents believe colon cleansing provides health benefits — by removing these toxins from their bodies, and boosting their energy and their immune systems. If you don't purge yourself of these toxins on a regular basis, toxemia gets worse and worse, until the body cannot stand it any longer and either purges itself spontaneously in form of diarrhea, acne, pimples, boils, 'liver spots', foul perspiration, body odor, bad breath, and so forth, or else it simply gives up the battle and succumbs to cancer, tuberculosis, heart disease and other fatal conditions.

The idea behind a colon cleanse system is to eliminate the toxins which have built up in your digestive system. British and American research last year also concluded that detox diets do no more than the body's own natural system to get rid of toxins. Eliminating toxins is foundational to our survival. Colon cleansing or bowel irrigation promotes optimum food absorption and improved peristaltic action by removing old mucoid accumulation and toxins. Colon cleansing is preventative healthcare; there is no better place to begin to rid your body of toxins and contamination that may cause cancer, colitis, digestive disorders, fatigue, obesity, and so much more.

Benefits

I believe the benefit of colon cleansing are many, not only in terms of health, but also as it relates to appearance: the skin looks vibrant; cellulite, water retention, and blemishes disappear; and the whites of the eyes regain a youthful clearness. Some of the other potential benefits of a colon cleansing may include a decrease in gas or bloating, more radiant skin and hair, and an overall trimmer appearance. Other benefits typically cited by users are cessation of menstrual pain, migraines, and joint pain, fewer colds, resolution of lifelong sinus congestion, skin problems, and breast cysts, weight loss, and improved concentration, among many others. If you have already been diagnosed with any of these problems, it would be foolish not to proceed with some type of cleansing program because the benefits far exceed the risks. Colon cleansers can help restore our bodies to their optimum function, thus increasing the nutritional benefits we get from the calories we do ingest, increasing our metabolism so that we burn calories more efficiently, and increasing our energy levels so that we are more motivated to exercise and lose weight.

Colon cleansing is preventative healthcare; there is no better place to begin to rid your body of toxins and contamination that may cause cancer, colitis, digestive disorders, fatigue, obesity, and so much more. Cleansing the colon is a safe, alternative method to treat many of our symptoms and problems. It must be done regularly and often since we are constantly taking in more food which leads to additional build up of toxic waste in the colon. A healthy colon is essential to good health, which makes colon cleansing a must. Unlike many natural therapies, colon cleansing makes a lot of sense. A great time to start colon cleansing is always.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Anti-Aging Herbal Remedies

Yoga: The Breath Of Life

2007-08-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yoga is a 6000-year-old form of exercise which not only disciplines the body but conditions the mind as well.

While the various asanas or exercises are the basic building blocks of the practice of yoga, the breath is its very essence of it. Some go so far as to say, "If you can breathe, you can do yoga." One of the main reasons for this is that one of the main goals of yoga is to teach you to still and quiet your mind through the use of your breath.

By practicing yoga on a regular basis, you get to know your breath intimately. Not only will you learn about proper breathing , which will soothe and relax you, but you will to bring your postures to life through the use of your breath.

As human beings, our minds tend to wander into thoughts of the past and the future. However, our bodies exist only in the present. By practicing yoga, you will learn through your breath how to draw your mind back to your body and abandon all of your worries.

One of the refreshing aspects about yoga is that, even if only for a minute, you are able to focus and concentrate on the present, and you are learning to let go of the cares and concerns that can bring tension and disease to your body.

By practicing yoga, you will learn conscious breathing during yoga poses which will keep your mind alert and ever aware of your practice. You will learn how to draw your mind to the present moment - allowing you to leave off all other thoughts.

While there are a number of breathing exercises associated with yoga which will teach you how to release tension and balance your mind, as a start, try the following exercise.

1. Lie or sit comfortably and become aware of your normal state of breathing.

2. Continue by being aware of your breath but make your inhalations and your exhalations 4 counts each for several rounds.

3. Now, increase your inhalation and exhalations to 5 counts each.

4. Next, increase your inhalations and exhalations to 6 counts each. This time try to become aware of your body – making sure you are not tensed.

5. Continue increasing your inhalations and exhalations all the way up to 9 counts. If you feel that this is causing you any stress, drop the count back down to a number that is comfortable for you.

6. Keep bringing your mind back to your body to check to see if there is any tension anywhere. If there is, try to relax that part of your body.

7. Whatever your final number of breaths is, continue breathing with long breaths for several rounds, then drop the counting and breathe naturally for 10 rounds.

What you should discover from this exercise, as well as with many of yoga’s other breathing exercises, is the ability to relax your thoughts and to still your mind so that you are present in your body. In time, you will eventually gain mastery over your breath so that you will be able to call on your breath to still your mind in times of stress and tension.

Until next time, good health and well-being!

Dave Kettner
All Holistic Health

Diet Fads Versus a Sensible Diet

2007-01-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

Diet fads are a dime a dozen as we all know. Every year there is one or more new ways to lose weight and sometimes it's just an old diet being revived. The ones with the most hype usually get the most customers and people jump on board to try them while other people jump off after trying it and getting another disappointment.

First of all, the promoters of these fads know that people will come and go like they do through a revolving door, but they aren't too worried because everyone leaves their little monetary deposit on the way through. Some other plans that have a more sensible approach also have people coming and going because many people find it too difficult and/or don't get results as fast or as much as they wanted. Others go through because they try every new diet that comes along thinking they have finally found the magic one and when it doesn't give them the magic, they go looking again.

One present fad is people (mostly women) getting up earlier in the morning and going to a weight loss center and exercising.
We all need exercise, but exercising just to lose weight is a losing game except for the gym owner. People usually come and go with this approach too because it never gives them all the weight loss they desired.

Another approach is the plans that promote "special" foods that they want you to purchase which is rather amusing since all they are trying to do is get you to eat healthier non-fattening foods. All one has to do to get healthy non-fattening food is to learn what is good for the body and then purchase these items from local stores. These "special" foods usually have a pretty special price tag too.

The most important step in losing weight is to feed the body what it needs via healthy food. Food that is super healthy is also non-fattening. For example, one can eat fresh, uncooked fruit and vegetables all day and not get fat. When the body receives proper nutrition it automatically sheds unneeded pounds. There are extreme cases where organs/glands aren't functioning at 100% capacity and this result in weight gain because foods aren't being processed properly, but this malfunction is usually due to improper nutrition in the first place.

The best way to lose weight is to learn what healthy foods are and some basics about how your body processes foods. Then you will come to realize that it is more what you eat than how much you eat. A good place to start is the book shelf in a local health food store and ask questions. If asked, most people would say that they eat healthy, but if pressed further to explain what healthy eating really is, most do not know how to describe it. For some reason most people think that if they get enough to eat in regard to volume, they are giving their body what it needs and this is actually far from the truth. Also, most people will not pay attention to their health until they have problems. The good part is that a healthy diet can correct many problems without involving Doctors or spending a lot of money.

Herbal Remedies for Sleep Problems

2007-01-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

Are you having trouble falling asleep? Is your mind replaying the days’ events; are you worried you will not be able to complete all of tomorrow’s tasks; is there a specific deadline at work that has you tossing and turning all night?

If any of these scenarios are keeping you up at night, there are natural sleep herbal remedies which can help. Let’s take a closer look at a few herbs and cures which can help you.

Drink a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed. This herb has been effective in treating insomnia, and also soothes and calms at the same time. It does work! Another herbal remedy is milk and honey This combination is an old but effective method to induce sleep. In addition, having a luke-warm glass of milk alone can activate the sleep process.

Lavender is another herb which depresses the central nervous system similar to anti-depressants. One cup of lavender and mint tea can put you to sleep within a matter of minutes. Lemon balm tea is another fast-acting stimulant which will enable you to relax and produce a calm and sedated sleep. Don't be frightened by the word stimulent. Not all stimulents energize, many calm and relax, we just don't hear them in the news as often as the energy jolting type of stimulents.

While herbs can be of enormous value as sleeping aids, there are other methods you can use to attain a restful uninterrupted sleep. Try not to nap during the day; don’t drink caffeine before bedtime; and avoid medications and alcohol which interrupt sleep.

Determine if your iron level is low; this can be a problem which can readily be resolved with iron supplements. Have some turkey before going to bed; it contains an ingredient which causes sleepiness (Remember Thanksgiving?).
Maybe your mattress is unsuitable for a restful sleep; if so, purchase a new one. There are many new types on the market and you are sure to find one that pleases you. If you can not afford a new mattress, try a bed topper for your mattress. They are available every where that sheets and blankets are sold.

Yoga exercises before bedtime can be of enormous value. Sitting quietly in a room for 15 minutes can calm and prepare your body for relaxation. Soothing music can also be beneficial. Perhaps the sounds of nature or the ocean will be just the relaxation you need.

Rid yourself of any anxiety, which probably keeps most people up at night Let the stress of the day go instead, fill your thoughts with tranquility by thinking of a place or a time which brought you great happiness.

Turn off the TV or any other stimulant that is keeping you awake or read a really boring book! Lie in bed,turn off the lights, and just try to relax.

Remember the movie "Gone with the Wind?" In it, Miss Scarlett says, "I’ll think about it tomorrow." Take her advice. Don’t worry about tomorrow; you will have plenty of time to think about it in the morning.

Sleep can affect your overall health. If the problem persists, there may be an underlying cause for which you should seek advice.

Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Nutritional Supplements, Antioxidant Vitamins, and Herbal Remedies

New Years Colon Cleansing Resolution

2007-01-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

Happy News Years 2007!

Many people make New Years resolutions with the intention to start the year by trying to become healthy. This is especially true after the holidays where most of us tend to eat much more than is the norm tending to add on a few extra pounds. The best method to effectively lose those extra pounds while becoming healthier is by cleansing your colon.

Having a colon cleanse can rid your body of excess debris that has been built up in your digestive tract over time. By cleansing your colon, you can successful rid yourself of this hard fecal matter and help your system actually function to its optimum level.

There are many methods of colon cleansing, but the most successful are the products that are all natural with oxygen supplementation and are not harsh on your colon. Please visit All Holistic Health for products that I believe to be the most effective in providing the cleanse that your body needs most.

P.S. Don't forget to continue to maintain your clean and optimized colon by supplementing your diet with MagO7 daily.

Holiday Dieting Remedies

2007-01-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

The holidays are here, or soon will be and you are on a diet. There's a very good chance that the temptation to binge on some of the foods on your taboo list will be within easy reach. How will you handle it?

Holiday dieting can be the hardest time to stayed focused especially since there are so many of them. Besides the common ones like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, if you celebrate them, most people forget the various other celebrations like the sporting events, weddings, baby showers, birthdays and the like. Something can be celebrated almost every weekend. What is one to do?

While every intention is to stay on course with the dieting program, sometimes it may not be so easy as social pressures mount. Here are some suggestions to keep you from getting the holiday dieting blues.

Look at your dieting program as a continuing journey and not as an instant destination. If one of the meals exceeds your calorie allowance, look at the next meal and adjust it accordingly. Remember, most people get those holiday dieting binges and the ones that come out of it ahead realize that one meal won't completely sabotage the entire program.

See the bigger picture. If you look at your dieting schedule weekly instead of daily, then one bad meal isn't going to be such a detriment if you have 30 or more meals in that week.

After a meal disaster, just get back into the saddle and continue on your dieting journey again. Most people give up because they feel they have failed and it's no use staying on the diet any longer. The ones that succeed are the ones who move on and don't give up.

Some knowledge of calorie amounts in foods can be very helpful. Find the foods that have lower calories and remember them for your holiday dieting adventures. You will be able to eat more of those lower calorie foods without feeling deprived.

Portion sizes can make a tremendous difference in your success. In calorie dense foods, the size of the portion consumed can amount to 1/3 or more of your daily intake.

There is a signal sent to the brain from the stomach that says it is full or satisfied. This satiety message takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the brain. To decrease the calories consumed in that meal, eat slower. Try chewing your food longer and taking a short break between mouthfuls as that will waste some time to get within that 20 minute window of opportunity.

Drinking water can be very helpful in keeping the diet on course. If you drink water before a meal, your stomach will have something in it and produce a somewhat satisfied feeling. This will help to cut down on the portion size of your meal. This suggestion can work anytime you feel hungry. Interesting enough, sometimes the need for water is disguised as a hungry feeling. So drinking water can not only help your holiday dieting needs, but also anytime you have a craving for food.

The drinking of water also has the benefit of having zero calories. Instead of having a sugar sweetened drink or any alcoholic beverage, have water instead. Remember to look at the total calorie intake taken in a one-week period of time. Water every day will help keep that total amount within control if you tend to binge.

Eating snacks can push up the calorie count in one day. Sometimes people will eat some snacks as a social thing and not really for the hunger satiety. Be aware of this because it can be very easy to consume a high amount of calories with just this action alone. If you need to snack then hopefully there will be a vegetable platter close by. Try eating celery. You can eat as much of it as you want because celery requires so much work for the stomach to digest. This makes the calorie amount negligible.

If holiday dieting is getting you down, perhaps some of the suggestions mentioned can pick you up and give that extra push to stay on track with your goals. Your success will come from taking that continuing journey one step at a time to make your holiday and dieting adventures a good one.

Colon Cleanse

2006-12-28T17:18:00.000-08:00

When you maintain officious toxins in your colon, you may require to have a colon cleanse to experience superior healthiness. If you are having signs of a bad digestive arrangement, you may desire to embark on a colon cleanse for your system. Numerous men and women appear to fear the day that they hear that they require needing a colon cleanse for their digestive system.

A colon cleansing care is a good rule of thumb to rid your system of unhealthy chemicals and get a clean and thriving body. You can property rid your body of the aches and travail that you may possess when you regulate an adequate colon cleanse. If your digestive set-up is not working correctly, you may wish to ponder a colon cleanse that has the intent to create your system to better health.

I hate to say this, but when you do go to posses a colon cleanse you can see that it is vile job that needs to be finished so that you are capable of living a sensible existence rid of much aching. The herbal colon cleanse has the intent agent you command to frequently spongy black substance close to the simultaneity of tire tread, during the oxygen based holistic colon cleanse will present you fluid or pliable stools. When you are watchful for the precise herbal colon cleanse, you may need to ask the opinion of a trained expert before you initiate it.

If you have been affected by bad breath, migraine, nausea, abdomen soreness, insomnia, irritability, depression, indifference, backache or deprivation of appetite free of any clear causes, therefore likely you should confer with a colon cleanse advisor who can recommend you on the numerous colon cleanse methods.

As they say, it is better late than never! If you said yes to any of the previous symptoms, you ought o cleanse your colon. Now and again, hydrogen peroxide is dissolved in the H20 to improve the effects of the colon cleanse.

A homemade colon cleanse can be a marvellous way to vacate your digestive region of the built up of filth that might just be weathering you out, but do bear in mind that colon cleansing is a potent routine, and can help harmful things when not used correctly. There are different colon cleansing techniques and several other ways to clean your colon of baleful build up including colon hydrotherapy, which should be performed by a trained expert for safeness reasons. A lot of herbs and vitamins are accessible in the stores for colon cleansing.

Having germanium in your colon cleanse can support lower blood pressure, better artery condition, and drop in cholesterol levels. Many times you need to make sure to back up anything you are studying when formulating a house cure-all colon cleanse. Make sure to check with your physician or different health practitioner if any other questions exist. If you aim to start any colon cleansing action, especially if you are adjusting your food intake or having any new medications, it is unsurpassed to consult with a health care expert to make certain that the changes can not damage your condition.

How Diet Affects Sexual Performance

2006-12-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

On the one hand it is said that men think about sex every few seconds. On the other hand there is a multi-billion dollar industry in pharmaceuticals for treatment of erectile and sexual dysfunction. Obviously there is a significant disconnect between the desire to perform compared with the ability to perform effectively.

The human sexual response is incredibly complex and is influenced by many elements including psychological, physical and environmental factors. Aphrodisiacs have been promoted to increase libido and sexual performance for over 5000 years. The term Aphrodisiac is named after the Greek Goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite and has over time included many and varied foods, drugs, drinks, scents and devices.

Chilies and Spicy Foods have been thought to be an aphrodisiac since it produced sweating and increased heart rate similar to that experienced during sex.

Other items such as Ginseng (which translates to "Man root"), Oysters and Rhinoceros horn have earned a reputation as Aphrodisiacs primarily due to their physical resemblance to the external genitalia.

However, given the complexity of the sexual response it is unlikely that any one element will work in all circumstances or work at all. The multitude of spurious claims made by promoters of so called aphrodisiacs prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a declaration in 1989 that there was no scientific evidence that any of the over the counter aphrodisiacs work to cure sexual dysfunction.

While there may be no magic potion that will cure all forms of sexual dysfunction there are many commonsense dietary rules that could impact positively on libido and sexual performance.

It is an almost a self-evident fact that a diet that promotes general health and well being will also promote sexual health and sexual performance. Anyone who has suffered a simple ailment such as the common cold will testify that libido and sexual desire are the first casualties of a lack of general well being. It's extremely hard to feel "sexy" or sexually aroused when other bodily functions are not at par. Blood flow to sexual organs is an integral part of the arousal process in both males and females. As a result a diet that promotes heart and circulatory health will almost inevitably improve sexual performance.

Obesity is another killer of libido and sexual performance. It impacts in many ways. Firstly, obesity is often associated with plaque build up in arteries that affect circulation of blood through the body including the genitalia. This not only decreases sexual performance but may also reduce sexual pleasure. Secondly obesity is also a risk factor for erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels. Studies at the University of Columbia Medical School have shown that weight reduction can lead to increased levels of testosterone and consequently improved sexual performance. On the other hand too little fat in the diet may not be a good thing either. Some fat is required for the production of hormones. Hence it is important to strike a sensible balance.

There are also certain other specific foods that are credited with an improved sex life while others are to be discouraged.

Alcohol in moderation may lower inhibitions and help to set the mood. However, when consumed to excess although it may heighten desire it definitely impairs sexual performance.

Chocolate contains a compound called phenylethylamine that triggers the release of dopamine a chemical that is also released during orgasm. As a result chocolate can promote feelings of euphoria and enhance pleasure.

Chilies can stimulate the nervous system, which in turn may accentuate the sense of sexual arousal. This may be achieved through the release of endorphins in the brain.

Ginger is believed to have a similar stimulant effect that improves circulation to the genitals.

Honey is rich in the mineral Boron that helps the body utilize the hormone estrogen.

Oysters may be good for you after all. Their magic powers however have nothing to do with their appearance. Instead it is their zinc content, which is valuable. Zinc is essential for production of testosterone and zinc deficiency may cause prostate problems in men. Healthy zinc levels are also vital to maintain sperm counts.

Soy is credited with benefits in combating the effects of PMS and Menopause in women and may help improve vaginal lubrication by better utilizing estrogen. Soy is also believed to promote prostate health.

There may not be any magic potion to create a raging libido and sexual desire and performance may be affected by many factors besides what we eat. However, the evidence seems clear -Maintaining a generally healthy diet and supplementing it with certain foods in moderation can have a positive impact on sex life.

Merry Christmas!

Dave Kettner

Colon Cleanse

2006-12-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

When you have unwanted toxins in your colon, you may need to have a colon cleanse to feel better and live healthier. Many people seem to dread the day that they hear they need to have a colon cleanse for their body. A homemade colon cleanse might seem like the ideal way to regain power over your health, particularly if you have been experiencing the after-effects of a poor diet, insufficient exercise and the general stresses and strains of our every day modern life.

You can also rid your body of the aches and pains that you may have when you have a good colon cleanse. A colon cleanse treatment is the best way to rid your body of harmful chemicals and get a sound and healthy body. If your digestive system is not working properly, you may want consider a colon cleanse that will make your body feel better.

If you want to try colon cleanse at home, you can purchase a colon irrigation kit. When you are looking for the right herbal colon cleanse, you may want to ask the advice of a professional before you start. If you have been suffering from bad breath, headache, nausea, stomach pain, insomnia, irritation, depression, lethargy, backache or loss of appetite without any visible causes, then probably you should consult a colon cleanse therapist who can advise you on the various colon cleanse methods.

If you say yes to any of the following, you should cleanse your colon. A number of herbs and vitamins are available in the market for colon cleanse. When you do go to have a colon cleanse you will see that it is a disgusting job that needs to done so that you are able to live a more natural life without much pain.

The herbal colon cleanse will cause you to pass rubbery dark material with the consistency of tire tread, while the oxygen based natural colon cleanse will give you liquid or soft stools. Colon Cleansing The Natural Way To cleanse your colon naturally, you will need to begin a cleansing diet, including some natural herbs. Always verify anything you read on making a home remedy colon cleanse with another source, and check with your doctor or alternative health practitioner if in any doubt.

Having germanium in your colon cleanse can help lower blood pressure, improve artery health, and lower cholesterol. A colon cleanse works to soften and remove this material. There are many natural herbal colon cleanses that will help this situation.

Probiotics are also important in the colon cleansing process and will help produce the good bacteria in your intestines that are needed to fight illness and disease in the body. A lesser known method, oxygen based colon cleansing, is also taken orally, but does not work on the same principle as the fiber and herb method. What actually happens is the body absorbs the toxins in the colon and poisons the body.

When your body is forced to “store” rotting food much of the toxins put off by the food will be reabsorbed into the blood stream through the colon walls. I mentioned this to my therapist and she believed it was my body telling me that it didn’t want the meat because it was harmful. After the second session I developed a small reddish rash on my stomach and mentioned this to my therapist.

Other Colon Cleansing Techniques - There are several other ways to clean your colon of toxic build up including colon hydrotherapy, which must be performed by a professional for safety reasons. The average person stores five to twenty five pounds of waste in their colon over the years.

Do You Want To Experience The Benefits Of Massage Therapy?

2006-11-26T14:45:00.000-08:00

Massage therapy has been around for a long time. Ancient cultures in China, Egypt, India, Greece and Rome used massage as part of their medical and health procedures.

Massage has been used to treat all kinds of medical conditions and disorders. Massage can be used to treat stress, it can help you relax and it generally promotes a feeling of well being. Massage therapy works to help all aspects of the physical system - the muscular, nervous, circulatory and immune systems.

Quite apart from the undoubted physical benefits of massage therapy, much of the benefit is psychological; it has to do with the feel-good factor of intimate contact with another human being.

One of the ultimate forms of stress relief is a full body massage. Most people who experience a full body massage cannot stop telling people how amazing they felt afterwards. The first thing that someone usually does after experiencing his or her first full body massage is book another full body massage! A common response from people who've experienced a full body massage is that for the first time in their lives they feel they've managed to attain total relaxation.

In addition to full body massage, massage can be used on specific, individual parts of the body. One of the main individual body parts that is subject to a specialist form of massage is the foot. Foot massage is generally referred to as reflexology.

Massage therapy was on the fringes of conventional medicine for a long time, but modern medical experts generally accept the efficacy of massage. In fact, more than 70% of American hospitals now offer massage therapy as a part of their treatments.

What do hospitals use massage therapy for? They use it in the treatment of chronic pain symptoms, in cancer cases, pregnancy, infant care, joint and muscle mobility, stress management and many other symptoms and disorders.

New research suggests that massage therapy helps to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure and manage pain.

Massage therapy can be used to aid people who are receiving drug and alcohol withdrawal treatment. Another great benefit of massage therapy is that it can be used in conjunction with other therapies to strengthen their effects - e.g. aromatherapy, reflexology, acupressure and reiki.

It is good to see massage therapy crossing over from the alternative medicine field to the mainstream because this means that many more people are able to experience the benefits of this very versatile form of treatment and therapy.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Intimate Bath and Body

Stretch Marks: Common Causes

2006-11-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

What are stretch marks? Stretch marks are the nasty lines of stretched tissues that appear on the upper thighs or the stomach right after pregnancy. Stretch marks also appear after a person has relatively gained or increased weight abruptly. During weight increase and height growth, the production of collagen by our body is aborted. Collagen is our skin's natural protein that gives our skin its natural texture. Once there is an imbalance in the necessary amount of collagen in our skin, it begins to wrinkle and fold at certain areas. Our skin begins to resemble long and think cat-like dry and gray scratches across our stomach and over our thighs, and thus begins the occurrence of the perennial problem and nightmare of women: stretch marks!

Pregnancy is not the only cause of stretch marks in women. Although less in probability, stretch marks can also appear in men. People who are obese are also prone to stretch marks. As dry skin can mean a less-supple or expandable skin, when there is an increase in weight and height, stretch marks are also more likely to occur in people with this type of skin.

Although stretch marks can diminish over time, most people tend to be pro-active about stretch marks. Recent products are out in the market. These medical products help remove stretch marks from visible areas in your body. Albeit extremely expensive, topical creams, ointments and medical operations are also provided by cosmetologists and dermatologists for the removal of stretch marks. It is advisable though that since the human body has its own process and its own natural time frame, either you best leave stretch marks alone rather than risk costly medical operations that do not guarantee much for most women, or you prevent stretch marks from happening at all.

How do you prevent stretch marks? Certain foods contain properties that either dry up the skin or fats that accumulate fast in certain areas of the body. Certain foods that induce the fast production of stretch marks must also be avoided. Foods to avoid include chocolate and chocolate drinks, coffee, tea and soda as these contain skin-drying properties and caffeine. Fruits, vegetables, proteins such as white meat, fish, yogurt, milk, peanuts and fibrous foods help prevent stretch marks. Enough sleep, hydration or adequate intake of water and liquid also reduce the chances of getting those highly undesirable stretch marks.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
All Holistic Health

Prostate Cancer - A Case for Early Detection

2006-11-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

Prostate Cancer, it seems, is one of the most common forms of cancer in men. Some of the platitudes served up in hopes of calming your fears, are just plain dumb. Things like "More men die with prostate cancer than from it" or "It's one of the best cancers to get-it's so slow growing". NONSENSE. Cancer is cancer and NONE of it is good. A positive diagnosis always hits hard, especially if cancer has never been a factor in your family medical history.

It is recommended that males reaching the age of fifty should have a 'PSA' (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test on an annual basis. The 'PSA' test can be affected by a number of internal factors and is NOT a definitive indication that prostate cancer is present. An increase in 'PSA' level should simply act as a red flag that further tests might be advantageous.

On the upside, further testing can show the presence of Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which is an enlargement of the prostate. Both can normally be treated with prescriptions.

On the downside, further tests may show the presence of cancer. A 'PSA' reading of 4 or less is usually acceptable to most doctors. Any significant jump in 'PSA' level should trigger additional tests.

One such test is known as a Trans Rectal Ultrasound. This test lasts approximately 25 minutes and consists of the insertion of a special camera into a part of the body designed for the expulsion of those portions of our food not required by the body. The camera is attached to a computer screen, allowing the doctor to visually examine the prostate and has an opening through which is inserted a spring-loaded rod. This enables him to take a tissue sample directly from the prostate (a biopsy), which is then analyzed in a lab for the presence of cancer. Be advised-it sounds a lot worse than it actually is-NOT at all painful, but yes, not comfortable and probably mostly embarrassing. However, it can be a lifesaver.

Results normally arrive within 10 days and can vary. Good news--no cancer. Really bad news--cancer that has erupted from the prostate and is spilling cancer cells into the blood stream.

However, there can be good news and bad news--cancer is present, but it is still contained within the prostate, and this is the main thrust of this article.

At this point, specialists become involved, usually a Radiologist and a Urologist. Do not assume that either one will lay out all possible treatment options available to you for your situation.

The Radiologist will present options involving radiation as a treatment for your cancer. There are several available and the intensity usually depends on the stage your cancer has reached at the time of diagnosis. Discuss these in detail, making sure you are made aware of the possible side effects of each. Some involve surgery some do not.

The Urologist will outline your situation and the procedures involved in the surgical removal of the prostate. Should you opt for this procedure, find a Urologist capable of performing "nerve sparing" surgery.

Nerve sparing surgery is very delicate and involves the stimulation of the nerves that control bladder and sexual functions so as to locate them where they surround the prostate. Once located, they can be shaved away from the prostate before it is removed. Even with the nerves only saved on one side, the prognosis for recovery of full bladder control and upwards of 75% of sexual function is excellent. This is not the case if the prostate is simply removed.

Some Recommendations:

1. When you reach 50, have an annual 'PSA' test
2. If there is a family history, start at 40 (or earlier)
3. Depending on where you live, there may be a fee. PAY IT. The investment is worth it if you value living
4. If not satisfied with initial recommendations, get another opinion (or a third)
5. Get complete information before making a decision. What treatments are available? What side effects are possible? What results can be expected?
6. Ask any and all questions you can think of
7. Share your diagnosis with family and close friends. This support group can ease your tensions considerably. If you are not comfortable with this, support groups consisting of survivors and others with the same diagnosis are available in many communities.

Prostate cancer, if undetected, ultimately spreads in many cases to the bones and bone cancer from all reports is extremely painful. It is normally treated with massive doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation with their attendant hair loss, bloating and nausea. The prognosis is never bright.

That bullet called cancer CAN be dodged.

The secret: EARLY DETECTION through annual testing

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
All Holistic Health

Relaxing Hot Body Wax Therapy and Beauty Bath

2006-11-09T20:52:00.000-08:00

Do you have aches and pains in the joints of your hands? Do you have rough, dry or cracked hands or feet? If you have either condition, a "Hot Wax Bath" may be the ideal answer for you. It is relaxing, soothing and conditioning.

What is a "Hot Wax Bath"? It is simply a heated container of specially formulated wax. The vessel automatically melts the wax when you turn it on. It keeps the wax at a safe temperature for your sensitive skin. Once the wax (paraffin) is melted, you dip your hand or foot into the container of melted wax. Then you pull your hand out and let it dry a moment and repeat this process five to ten times.

After this process has been repeated you will have a hand coated in layers of warm wax. You then put your hand into a plastic bag that comes with the wax. This protects against oils in the wax getting on clothing or furniture. Next, you put your hand into a terry cloth mitt or wrap it in a towel. You can do two hands or just one at a time.

How many ways can you relax for fifteen minutes? Put on some soft music. Light a few candles. Start heating your aromatherapy dish of fragrance. Step into a soothing hot bath. Just relax in your favorite chair with your eyes closed while the wax works its wonders.

A daily treatment of hot paraffin on your hands and feet will do you a world of good physically and emotionally. It really is a treatment that can soothe the skin and calm the soul.

Once you are done, peel the wax off of your hands and put it back into the wax container to melt and use again. If this was in a therapy or salon situation, you might want to discard the used wax. But, since this is your personal wax unit, why not reuse the wax each time? You did wash your hands before starting, didn't you? Discard or reuse, it is up to you.

You can get the wax melting pot and wax at major department stores such as Wal-Mart or even your local pharmacy store. They come in different sizes and price ranges. Different companies make them. Two brands are Dr. Scholl's and Homedics. You can get a home unit that holds 3 pounds or 6 pounds of wax. The larger unit is easier to put hands and feet into or even an elbow.

You can get scented waxes to go into your wax tub. Pick your favorite fragrance, tangerine, rose, lavender, citrus, peach, wintergreen and more. If you can't fine them at your local medical supply store or beauty store, they are available online.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Intimate Bath and Body

The Underlying Causes of Acne

2006-11-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

Acne has increased alarmingly over the last five years. Sales of acne treatments in the United States increased 10.1% in 2005.

This figure represents the strongest growth rate since 2001. It is safe to say that acne is running rampant with no let up in sight.

Acne is caught up in a cycle of destruction that involves our environment, our food and our bodies.

We have technologically hoisted ourselves upon the high and lonely position of being able to orchestrate our own self-destruction.

Director-General James Leape of the conservation group WWF has unequivocally warned, "For more than 20 years we have exceeded the ability of the earth to support a consumptive lifestyle that is unsustainable and we cannot afford to continue down this path."

Leape continued, "If everyone around the world lived as those in America, we would need five planets to support us."

Mother Earth is now like an old engine, sputtering, coughing and she is about to come to a full stop. We have poisoned and raped her. She has reached the point where she almost has nothing left to give.

WWF-Australia Chief Executive Officer Greg Bourne chimed in, "People are turning resources into waste faster than nature can turn waste back into resources."

We have poisoned our drinking water with over 700 chemicals. We intentionally add over 3,000 chemicals to the food we eat.

Pesticides and soil enriching chemicals permeate the food we grow. It is apparent that we are orchestrating our very own demise. Mother Earth sits back and gives as good as she gets.

Your liver is a marvelous filter. It is impossible for us to create a machine that does the work that the liver does.

It eliminates, flushes, cleans, stores, synthesizes, neutralizes, produces and converts to keep your body going.

The liver is the gatekeeper for the internal organs. There are numerous toxins and pollutants that the liver deals with on a daily basis.

These are but a few. Cigarette smoke, household chemicals, exhaust fumes, radiation, and the chemicals dumped into our food and into our water.

Your liver is a key fighter in the battle with acne. The constant bombardment from outside toxins and pollutants ensures that your liver is kept extremely busy.

When we add to the mix the toxins in the food we eat, the liver now comes under direct attack. Working overtime, and under stress, the liver now needs help filtering and eliminating.

The largest organ in the body comes to the rescue...but it’s at a price! The skin chips in helping with elimination.

Soon, the skin becomes overwhelmed and its pores begin to clog and get blocked. That's when acne makes its dreaded appearance.
Acne will always be an indicator of an internal body under stress.

We must stop this madness! If we destroy Mother Earth, where will we live? If we destroy our bodies, where will we live?

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Antioxidant Supplements

Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Search for a Cause and a Cure

2006-11-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune system disease affecting people of all ages. It is most often diagnosed in middle age, but it can also affect children or the elderly. Women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men. RA causes chronic inflammation of the joints, specifically the layers between the joints, but also may cause inflammation in other organs of the body.

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis has not yet been discovered. Some people seem to be more likely to develop RA because of their genetic makeup. Something in the environment where they live may trigger the disease. Hormonal or bacterial factors could also be involved in causing RA.

People with rheumatoid arthritis usually experience periods of flares and remissions. It mostly affects symmetrical joints, especially in the fingers, hands, and wrists. The disease varies greatly in individuals, with some developing symptoms very quickly over a short period of time and other experiencing flares and remissions intermittently over several years.

There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but early detection and treatment can prevent or delay permanent damage to the joints. Combinations of treatments typically result in better control. Medications, plus proper exercise and sufficient rest, as well as joint protection and occasional surgery, produce an overall healthier result for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed by an examination of tender or swollen joints, a blood test called the rheumatoid factor (RF), the presence of stiffness in the early morning or after a period of inactivity, bumps or nodules under the skin near joints, and sometimes an x-ray. Not all of these symptoms may be present, and the RF test is positive in only 80 percent of people with RA. Therefore, a combination of factors is needed to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Sufferers of RA may be mildly anemic and another test for inflammation called erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) may be elevated. Sometimes people with RA test positive on an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test.

Because rheumatoid arthritis is an immune system disease, anything that affects the immune system (like allergic reactions) may trigger a flare. The medications used to treat RA affect the immune system as well. People suffering from RA need to be careful about exposure to contagious diseases, especially if the medications in their treatment lower the immune system defenses of their body.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a life-long disease. But with new medications, proper exercise and rest, and protection of the joints when needed, people with RA can live long and productive lives.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
Anti-Aging Natural Vitamin Supplements

Use of Aromatherapy to Treat Asthma

2006-10-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Asthma – for those affected by this complaint the very word will sometimes bring cold shivers.

For those lucky people who don’t know much about asthma, it is a respiratory disorder characterized by recurring episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, cough and thick mucous production caused by inflammation or spasm of the bronchi.

An attack of asthma can be triggered by exposure to an allergen, strenuous exercise or infection. In between attacks, the sufferer breathes normally, but treatment should be ongoing to help prevent inflammation, and thus attacks that are in some cases, life-threatening. This is because during an attack the respiratory mucosa lining the airways swells, the smooth muscle lining the bronchiolar walls contracts and much thick mucous is secreted into the airways causing the sufferer great difficulty in breathing.

Another problem is the body’s own response to the inflammation of the airways. The immune system sends out white blood cells containing leukotrienes to deal with it, but these chemical compounds cause further swelling of the mucous membrane, constriction of the smooth muscle and even more mucous, thus exacerbating the problem.

During an attack the suffer experiences extreme fatigue and anxiety which both make the condition worse. Treatment consists of the use controlling or preventing the inflammation from occurring in the first place by removal of the offending allergens or cause, but in the case of allergens, it is not always possible to identify the culprit.

Bronchodilators must be used to expand the airways, with constant use of two medications that give both long and short-term relief. It is also possible to use aromatherapy to aid in both prevention and treatment of asthma, but the sufferer should never simply go off medication prescribed by the doctor.

To reduce air pollution (bacteria and allergens) place in an atomizer containing an ounce of purified water, 1 drop each of peppermint (mentha x piperita)and tea-tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), 2 drops of pine oil (pinus sylvestris) and bergamot (citrus bergamia) and 3 of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora). Spray the air frequently or dampen a tissue with it and inhale.

Another good inhalation that can also be used in the bath or as a chest rub to stimulate the removal of mucous, is a mix of 12 drops of Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea), 2 drops of Ravensara aromatica with 28 drops of Cedarwood, (Juniperus virginiana).

Two oils containing anti inflammatory and anti-infectious properties are Clove Bud (Eugenia caryophyllus) and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus). They should be mixed together in a 3/1 ratio respectively, and inhaled when the presence of cold and flu viruses are suspected.

Another calming inhalation and chest rub can be made by mixing 16 drops Lemon, (Citrus limon), 12 drops Clary Sage, (Salvia sclarea) and12 drops Angelica, (Angelica archangelica)

A massage oil to help to loosen tight back and chest muscles after an attack of asthma can be made from the following ingredients. Take 2 tablespoons of almond oil and add 3 drops Ylang, Ylang, (Cananga odorata), 3 drops Eucalyptus, (Eucalyptus smithii), 16 drops Lavender, Lavendula angustifolia and 3 drops Peppermint, (Mentha x piperita).

Many of these oils can aid in calming the sufferer during an attack, a difficult emotion to achieve while struggling for breath. However, anxiety makes the body’s oxygen needs escalate, while a person who can remain calm needs much less oxygen and can remain more in control of the situation.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

Hair Removal

2006-10-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

Unwanted hair on the face (eyebrows, upper and lower lips, cheeks, chin, hairline, bridges of the nose between the eyebrows and sideburns) as also on the neck, shoulders, arms and underarms, breasts, abdomen, bikini line, legs, back and the chest often makes hair removal quite essential. Particularly for those who are active and need to meet others daily. For female swimmers it is absolutely vital since the scanty swimsuit reveals most of the body to others. Hair also slows down the swimmer due to friction. The matter becomes even more embarrassing for women who are rather liberal with their dresses as compared to the average male whose attire covers almost the whole body.

Genital Herpes

Herpes Simplex type-2 virus (HSV-2) causes genital herpes. It is a painful and embarrassing ailment for which there is no therapeutic cure. It is also a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and once a person is infected, the virus remains in the victim’s nerve cell of the skin or within the central nervous system from where it is difficult to eradicate. It is highly contagious and is spread by contact with the fluid in the blisters or through sexual intercourse. The first symptom of genital herpes is a tingling, burning or numb feeling, followed by painful fluid-filled blisters. Fever may or may not accompany the general distress. Women often develop painful sores on the vulva, on the cervix and inside the vagina. The situation worsens if the person is hirsute as profusion of body hair makes the blisters unmanageable. As precautionary measures, the skin should be kept clean, dry and as much bereft of hair as possible. Some painless hair removal technique may be applied to avoid general discomfort.

Hair removal methods

There are several methods that can be used to remove the unwanted body hair. Laser hair removal is rather costly and has to be repeated over and over again as it cannot remove the hair permanently. Electrolysis hair removal involves inserting a needle under the skin to get at the hair follicles. However this is a painful method and requires several sittings. Other hair removal systems such as Waxing, Shaving and Depilitories. Some of them are outdated and nobody needs them these days. Also gone are the days of the electric shavers with their whirring motors and rotary cutters for hair removal. A ground-breaking new method of hair removal involves a process in which painless radio frequency waves are sent through the hair that deadens the unwanted hair at the root. The entire process is an FDA approved noninvasive form of permanent hair removal and may be used in the privacy of one’s room without any outside aid. Over and above, there is no pain, redness of the skin or possible scarring of tissue with its use and so can be safely applied to face or neck.

Hair removal – Where it is a Must

Under certain circumstances hair removal is a must. Take for example the case of accident victims. In case of a head injury, the doctor can do nothing unless the entire head is shaved clean for proper examination. In the case of surgery, the first action taken on the patient is removal of the body hair. Even in non-surgical matters like ECG of the heart, hair from the chest is removed methodically so that the terminals may set properly to record heart condition. Checking and recording of the curves of a rhythmic and arrhythmic heart could never have been possible if the terminals were set on a hairy chest.

Conclusion

Hair removal has become a fashion these days. Most preferred to remain clean shaved. Very few men would also feel attracted towards a hairy woman. So the demand for hair removal is high.

Invest in Your Health

2006-10-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

What if a trusted friend were to tell you about an investment where you could not possibly go wrong...what would be your reaction? And what if there was a virtual mountain of credible information that supported the investment claims...wouldn't you be inclined to take advantage of the opportunity and not miss out on the rewards? Although the answer to these questions seems apparent, when it comes to investing in our health and quality of life we often choose to ignore what obviously works. Take for example, exercise...

Physical fitness may be the ultimate investment opportunity. Think of it this way. If you are willing to make the commitment (investment), you will feel and look healthier, have an abundance of energy, be more self-confident, more productive and discover a more joyous and fulfilling life. These are rewards that money cannot buy and the substance of high quality living. And, the investment of exercise becomes even more attractive when you consider that there is absolutely no down-side risk. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. How much better can it get? How many times can you remember ever having a better offer? The honest answer is probably never, and yet many of us fail to act on this extraordinary opportunity. We simply choose to procrastinate or ignore the proven benefits of exercise!

Here are a few reasons that sometimes inhibit our willingness to "step out" and make a change or take a chance:

- Sometimes our vision gets clouded. We lose tract of what is really important. Forget about the less important activities that tend to clutter our daily routine and focus on exactly what needs to be accomplished to reach your goal.

- Looking at the "big" picture can seem overwhelming. And the bigger the task, the more overwhelming it can seem. Break the task apart into smaller pieces. If you want to lose 50 pounds try losing 10 pounds and repeat the process five times! Need to start an exercise program? Begin with short, simple exercises and then slowly expand your routine. Don't exercise too hard when first starting-out or you will become stiff, tired, disillusioned and soon quit.

- Have you ever not wanted to start something for fear of failure? Take the first step, acknowledge the fear and the next step will come easier. Once fears are acknowledged, they usually quiet down.

- Sometimes we start to think that a task is unpleasant or boring. Just like any other activity, this can also be true for exercise. There are days when we just plain lack the enthusiasm and motivation to continue. It's part of human nature. On days like these focus on 'why' you are doing it. Think about all the people you care about and who may need and rely on you. What would happen if you became ill or disabled and was unable to work for a period of time, or worse, if you were out of the picture completely. How would things change? If something happened tomorrow, how would your family or business manage without you? What do you want your life to be like in the future? There are many tasks or chores we do, that we may not like, but are necessary to live a happen and productive life. Focus on the bigger picture.

- Indecision can be defeating, but doing "anything" is better than doing nothing. There are no wrong choices and very few choices that can't be undone or done again. Can't decide on a particular exercise program or routine? Pick a few exercises and start with something simple. If you don't like it, go on to the next exercise.

- When you lack the confidence to start something new, take a deep breath and try to figure out why. Are you hesitating because you really lack the skill or is it just imagined? If it's real, try to find out where to gain the skills you need or find someone with the right skills who can help. In the case of exercise, finding a qualified personal fitness trainer can sometimes do the trick, but be wary...some PFT's are overzealous and tend to start newcomers on programs that are too strenuous.

- Life just seems too busy to find time for some activities. Large, uninterrupted chunks of time are very hard to come by. And if we're honest, when they do come, we'd rather do something totally pleasurable! Exercise has to become part of your routine. It can't be an option. Make it a high priority just the same as your career, and other areas of interest. You will be surprised at how easy exercise becomes when approached this way!

- Have you ever subconsciously (or otherwise) invited distractions so that you have a "good" reason not to get something done? Sometimes it's the simple things like answering the phone or sitting down to watch that "one" TV program, that distract us. When you find yourself doing this, take control of the situation and make a conscious decision to do what you are avoiding.

To reap the benefits of exercise, or any other health related endeavor, you must agree to become a willing participant. This will require due diligence on your part. And remember, as you embark on your mission you are investing in something near and dear to your own heart...your life and a future of healthy living.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

Personal Growth through Sacrifice and Discipline

2006-10-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Sacrifice of self to self. What does it mean? It means letting go of the old self for a new and better self. This is a hard thing to do as we get comfortable with whom and what we are. Our old self is familiar, seems safe, and is relatively effortless to maintain.

Change takes us beyond our boundaries, challenges us to what is not familiar, and forces us to give up well-worn habits. It requires effort and sacrifice of things we have learned to enjoy. Those are things that are pleasant but stand in the way of highest good.

We think we are a mind and a body and do what we can to satisfy the desires of mind and body. Seldom do we step beyond. Being stuck in a limited perception, the selfish do not sacrifice.

Do you want to live forever? Well, maybe you do live forever, but not as you are now. Death means new beginning. Sometimes we are not ready for it. Other times we feel stagnant and embrace it.

What does it mean to die daily? It means sacrificing your immediate wants to affect a future result or metamorphosis. Actually sacrificing of self to self, quite often to the benefit of others as well. Totally surrender your self and you will find your true self.

Giving is a virtue. You've no doubt heard that it is better to give than to receive. But oh, how we all like to receive! Receiving is good too. Exchange cannot take place without both present. One cannot take place without the other, and it is not just a one-way exchange.

There is a law of compensation. If you give, you get. We do not live in a vacuum. Our actions always bring results of one kind or another, whether we immediately realize it or not.

What I am saying is do not ever feel frustration when trying to improve your self. Any efforts you make do not go wasted; so do not think there is such a thing as wasted effort. You are creating ripples and building a store of experience that will eventually bear fruit.

Do a big thing, or do any little thing many times toward your goal. Know that fulfillment will happen through persistence. If you give up and stop persisting then simply start again.

There may be something you want to have or something you want to be. That is your goal. You've no doubt thought about it and how to obtain it. Let's go further and write the goal down on paper to give you more focus. Put it at the top of the page in pen.

Grab a red marker and draw an arrow pointing up toward your goal. Now go back to your pen and write along the line of the arrow. Write things you can do to work toward achieving the goal and how you can make arrangements to put in the work.

Review this paper often. This is your action plan. It has one direction and one intention - your goal. You are the archer with your bow drawn and arrow pointing toward your target. Now let go the string.

Your new self is the you that has attained the goal. The old self may try to stand in the way of reaching it. You sacrifice your old self by keeping discipline, for discipline is what sacrifices require. Goal achievement often is a process of personal growth.

Sometimes discipline means not trying to get the whole thing at once. Anxiousness and impatience are not qualities of discipline, and neither is selfishness. You may have to put in effort a little at a time over a long period. Don't worry about it, worry destroys discipline.

Don't get angry about it either, but if you do get angry, then be happy. Why? Because having anger means you have lots of energy. Channel that energy toward your goal rather than just blowing off steam and maybe you just might get the whole thing at once.

Discipline makes the difference. It means you have an ideal that you are willing to sacrifice for.

Got Discipline? Just keep regularity in your efforts and you will find that discipline builds from there.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

Exercise and Arthritis

2006-10-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

Your bones hang out in a lot of joints. Knee joints. Hip joints. The joints in your fingers and the joints in your toes.

Wherever bones meet, there is also cartilage, a rubbery, protective layer that ensures your joints bend smoothly and painlessly. But even cartilage cannot do this tremendous job alone. A thin membrane called the “synovium” provides fluid that lubricates the moving parts of the joint. When the cartilage wears out of the synovium becomes inflamed, the result is generally a case of “osteoarthritis” or “rheumatoid arthritis.”

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage can be eroded so much that bone does rub on bone. Thos type of arthritis develops gradually over a lifetime as a simple result of the wear and tear placed on your joints over the years. Very few people escape some degree of osteoarthritis, though the severity varies a great deal.

As a matter of fact, if you are over the age of 50, you are likely to have at least one joint affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis affects men and women equally and is by far the most common type of arthritis, with almost 16 million Americans in the list.

In rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the synovium is at the source of trouble. Doctors and researchers are not absolutely sure what causes it, but most think that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system actually attacks certain tissues in the body, including those that connect the joints and the synovium.

Rheumatoid arthritis begins with swollen, red, stiff, and painful joints, but it may progress until scar tissue forms in the joint or, in extreme cases, until the bones actually fuse together. Almost 75% of the 2 million people with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States are women. The disease can hit as early as teen years.

Exercising Your Prevention Options

Investing a little time in developing a good weight-bearing low-impact exercise and stretching plan can add up to great results when it comes to staving off arthritis pain. Strong muscles help protect the joints from wear and tear, and the movement keeps joints flexible.

That is why the quest for fitness is at hand, even if you are 50 years and over. However, most Americans over 50 are still right where they always were sitting back and watching others jog by. Most of them contend that that is just for people who have been athletic all their life, or some say exercise is for young people and engaging into exercise will do them more harm than good.

There are still some that insist on excusing their selves in exercise routines because they do not just have time or they have less energy than ever before. These are all lame excuses. Hence, it is time to start to get rid of those pains. Start exercising.

Consequently, preventing arthritis is not an exact science, but physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your risk. Here is how:

1. Do not weight around

The single most important measure anyone can take to prevent osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they are overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your knees. If you are 10 pounds overweight, for example, you put 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure on your knees every time you take a step. That extra pressure can slowly but surely erode the cartilage in your knees, leading to arthritis.

A study has clearly supported the theory that weight loss weighs in on the side of prevention. In the study, overweight women who lost 11 pounds or more over a 10-year period decreased their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by 50%.

2. Stretch those muscles

Any kind of stretching is good as long as you do not bounce, which can lead to a muscle pull. This is according to some of the professors of clinical medicine in New York City.

Try to hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by stretching before any exercise, especially running and walking. But it is also a good idea to stretch each day. Ask your doctor to teach you stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

3. Walking is always the best exercise

Take a good long walk at least three times a week or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact exercise routine maximum results. There is no proof that running is bad for the joints, but remember, it may aggravate an injury if you already have one. Just remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

The bottom line is that of all the healthful habits, exercise is the most important. This is because people are designed to be active. Hence, it is really important for people to exercise in order to stay healthy and keep those joints free from wear and tear.

Just keep in mind that the unexercised body, even if free from the symptoms of illness or problems like arthritis, is not at its full potential. Hence, start exercising right now!

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
www.allholistichealth.com

How to Grow Sprouts

2006-10-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a great source of vitamins, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants, and enzymes. A sprout is produced when a seed starts growing into a vegetable. Sprouts can grow from the seeds of vegetables, from grains such as buckwheat, and from beans. While Mung beans are perhaps the most common source of sprouts, you can also obtain good results from lentils, soybeans and chickpeas just to name a few.

Sprouts can be grown almost anywhere and the best part is you only need a few basic supplies to get started. By following a few simple steps, you can receive a continual supply of nutritious sprouts.

While there are several commercial products available to cultivate sprouts, here are three of the easiest methods to help you get started.

- Growing Sprouts in Flower Pots -

1. Start with a clean clay or plastic flower pot. Make sure there is a hole in the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage. Then place a piece of cheesecloth or muslin in the bottom of the pot over the hole so that the seeds/beans cannot fall out.

2. Next, soak the seeds or beans overnight and then put them in the pot. Remove any that are broken or damaged. Cover the plant pot with a dish.

3. Once a day, hold the pot under running water for a few minutes. This is to soak the seeds/beans thoroughly.

4. Once the sprouts begin to show, remove the dish and cover the pot with a piece of clear plastic wrap to let in the light. Place the sprouting pot near a window that allows daylight but is not in direct sunlight.

- Growing the Sprouts in Trays -

1. Soak the seeds or beans overnight. Remove any that are broken or damaged before you begin the sprouting process.

2. Select a low, flat dish (like a pie plate) or tray. You can purchase growing trays wherever planting supplies are sold.

3. Next, spread out a 2-inch layer of soil and then sprinkle the soaked seeds or beans on top of the soil.

4. Cover the seeds/beans with four layers of damp newspaper.

5. Cover the top of the tray with clear plastic wrap.

6. When the sprouts start to lift the plastic cover, (usually about three days) remove the newspaper.

7. Place the tray in a window so that the light can turn the sprouts green. You will need a space to place the sprouting tray that receives daylight but is not in direct sunlight.

8. Because the thin layer of soil dries out quickly, water twice each day.

9. After about 8-10 days, you will have sprouts tall enough to harvest.

- Growing Sprouts in a Jar -

1. Soak the seeds, grains, or beans in lukewarm water overnight in a wide-mouth glass jar. Remove any that are broken or damaged before you begin the sprouting process. (Sprouting increases the seed volume. 4-tablespoons will be sufficient for a quart size container.)

2. In the morning, pour off the water in the jar and rinse the seeds/beans thoroughly.

3. Place a piece of cheesecloth or muslin over the mouth of the jar. Use a rubber band to hold the material securely in place. This makes rinsing easier.

4. To keep the sprouts constantly damp, repeat the rinsing 2-3 times a day. Remember to drain any excess water because the sprouts should not stand in water.

5. Keep the jar away from the light for the first few days.

6. When the seeds/beans begin to sprout, (usually about the forth day) move the jar into the light to activate the chlorophyll and turn the sprouts green.

- Harvesting and Storing the Sprouts -

Newly germinated grain, seed, and sprouts, increase in food value in the very first period of growth. Grains should be harvested and eaten from when they are six days old until they are 4-5 inches tall. To harvest, just take your kitchen scissors and cut what you need.

Sprouts from beans, peas, etc., are ready earlier and can be eaten when they are 3-6 days old, depending on the type of sprout. For spouts grown in no soil or in seed trays, you can harvest the green "grass" when it starts to grow. Sprouts, from grain sown in jars, are ready sooner and are edible even before they turn green. Seeds sown in soil take a little longer.

If necessary, wash the sprouts thoroughly to remove the seed coat. Sprouts need to be stored in the refrigerator once they are ready to eat. Put the sprouts in tight sealing bags, and they will remain flavorful and crisp for one to two weeks. Rinsing the sprouts daily under cold water can extend their life.

Sprouts may be frozen by blanching them over steam for three minutes and then cooling them in ice water. Drain them and pack into freezer containers.

- Some of the Kinds of Seeds/Beans You Can Sprout -

The following list gives some of the popularly sprouted seeds/beans. It is not all inclusive as you can sprout almost any kind of seed. Remember that seeds soak up 2-3 times their dry volume in water and sprouts need at least six times the volume occupied by the seeds. So be sure that your container is large enough, and start with a minimal amount of seed in a container like a jar, until you determine the correct quantity that will grow to the sprout size you like, without being difficult to remove.

Your local garden shop or health food store will carry a line of seeds for sprouting. When purchasing seeds for sprouting, be certain that the seeds are intended for food and not for planting. This precaution is necessary because some seeds meant for planting have been treated with fungicides or insecticides to protect the young seedlings when planted in a field or garden.

Alfalfa - should be soaked for 6-12 hours. The seeds can be planted in the pots or jars and also in the flats with soil. 1-part seed gives 10-parts sprouts in approximately 5-6 days. Sprouts can be eaten after 3 days. When the root is 1-2 inches long, it will begin to develop tiny green leaves. At this stage, it needs to be eaten immediately so the plant will not switch to photosynthesis that exhausts the stored food in the seed.

Peas - when soaked in a glass jar, will grow sprouts in about 3 days. When the roots are 2-inches long, they are ready to eat. 1-part peas gives 2-parts sprouts.

Lentils - can be grown in either a glass jar or a plant pot and need to be soaked for 12-hours. The sprouts are ready in 3-4 days. Lentil sprouts are ready to be eaten when the root is 1-inch long. 1-part lentils gives 6-parts sprouts.

Barley, Oats, and Rye - should be soaked for 12-hours and then can either be grown as "grass" to harvest, or sprouts ready to eat after 3-4 days. The ideal length for eating is about 1/2-inch. 1-part seed gives 2-parts sprouts.

Soybeans - can be grown in a glass jar or a pot. They need to be soaked for 12-hours and sprouts are usually ready after 3-5 days. They are ready to eat when the root is 2-inches long. 1-part beans gives 4-parts sprouts.

Mung Beans - after soaking for 12-hours, these beans can be grown by any method. Mung beans are the most commonly grown sprouts and are usually ready to eat after 3-5 days. When the bright, white root grows from 1-2 inches long, they are ready to eat. 1-part beans gives 4-parts sprouts.

By growing your own sprouts, you will save yourself money because it is less expensive to buy sprout seeds and grow and harvest the sprouts yourself, than it is to buy the sprouts from a market. Sprouting at home takes only a few minutes a day, and can produce a good part of your daily requirements of the nutrients you need from fresh produce. The hassles are minor, the costs are low, and the freshness is wonderful.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
www.allholistichealth.com

Give Your Stomach a Rest

2006-10-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

Without doubt one of the most overlooked reasons why so many people today suffer from fatigue is their eating habits. They may have no desire or appetite for food, but the "clock" dictates when it's time to eat, so they eat.

People have been brainwashed into believing they have to eat three or four large meals each day, whether their body actually needs the food or not. Do animals look at a clock to govern their eating habit? Certainly not. They eat when they are hungry and hence reap the benefit of living long and healthy lives.

The stomach works hour after hour, day after day, to digest food. Including way too much of the toxic junk we eat. Although the stomach does an awesome job in trying to process this deluge, the strain we place upon it is often too great. The end result is lethargy, fatigue and sometime even serious disease.

The stomach needs time to digest rest and then prepare digestive juices for the next intake of food. Then, and only then, will the stomach do an efficient job of digestion the body be able to reap the benefits.

Natures has evolved a simple and fail safe system for the intake of food, however most of us rarely pay attention. The stomach, when ready, will send out hunger pangs that in turn will increase the activity of the saliva glands. This process is vital for the correct digestion of food.

Sadly, the stomach has become the main victim of food addiction because it works in a state of constant overload. It cannot cope with all the undigested food that soon starts to ferment and putrefy. Is it any wonder that the brain becomes fogged and energy levels are depleted...or that the breath begins to smell bad? As toxic sludge permeates throughout the body, unpleasant odors are often quite common.

With the proliferation of junk food the stomach's woes have increased tenfold. It now has to deal with chemicals, some highly toxic, which it was not designed to do. All this extra work takes time, something most individuals are unwilling to give.

Finally, always remember that digestion is a dual process. The first process takes place in your mouth through chewing, which prepares the food for final digestion. The final process of digestion is completed in your stomach.

Be honest with yourself and decide if food has become an addiction. If it has, remember that you are dealing with a habit and habits are difficult to break. Your body may start to send out all sorts of weird signals when your eating habit improve, but don't give in. Stay the course and say hello to a new you.

Eat to live, don't live to eat. The results will astound you.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

Live Healthy by Using Essential Oils, Roots and Herbs

2006-10-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Essential oils, roots and herbs can be used in a variety of ways to promote healthy living. They are used to create natural remedies for treating ailments common to both people and animals, to add flavor to food, to make perfumes and to create environmentally friendly cleaning products.

You do not have to own a garden to tap into the benefits of plants, roots and herbs. A few herb pots located by a sunny window are enough to get you started. Then, all you need are some essential oils and you are ready to go.

For therapeutic purposes, only the purest oils will do. It is possible to be fooled into thinking that you are purchasing a pure oil. Often, a lesser quality blend of several oils is used to mimic the properties of the pure oil. Blended oils are acceptable for fragrance purposes such as for perfuming a room, but pure oils are a "must" for medicinal purposes.

A reasonable guide to the purity of an essential oil is its price. Pure essential oils are generally more expensive. Common oils such as lavender and geranium are much cheaper than frankincense and carnation oil. It is advisable to become familiar with essential oil prices and then rely on this knowledge when purchasing oils from unfamiliar sources. Keep in-mind that you will generally get what you pay for. A price list from a reputable dealer is a valuable resource when purchasing essentials oils.

Usually, pure essential oils cannot be applied directly to the skin and must be mixed in a base oil to reduce their strength. Base oils such as almond oil or wheatgerm oil are commonly used for this purpose. Base oils are generally derived from seeds, nuts or vegetables and allow you to create essential oil remedies that can be massaged into the skin.

So, what do you need to get started with essential oils and natural remedies?

Without a doubt, Lavender is one of the most useful and desirable oils. Not only does it work wonders on cuts, bruises and burns, it also aids sleep and helps with relaxation.

The Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils are useful for treating a variety of respiratory ailments. These are excellent for the treatment of colds and coughs. They can be massaged into the chest or burned in an oil burner to help clear the airways and prevent congestion. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic and can be dabbed on cuts, bites and stings. It is often used to treat spots and pimples and when diluted with water, acts as a mouth gargle (keep in-mind it should never be swallowed).

Another basic antiseptic is Geranium oil. With its distinctive perfume and pain relieving properties, it is a necessary inclusion when starting out.

Peppermint oil should also be purchased as it treats digestive complaints and may be used in preparations for freshening breath.

For fragrant perfumes and establishing ambience in a room, buy some Patchouli and Ylang-ylang oils. Often combined in scented candles and air fresheners, a few drops of each in an oil burner creates a wonderfully perfumed home. Orange oil mixed with Cinnamon oil is a lovely winter alternative that evokes seasonal, holiday smells. Besides their perfume qualities, all four of these oils have other properties. Patchouli treats eczema and dandruff. Ylang-ylang is reputed to relieve stress, palpitations and high blood pressure. Orange is used in natural remedies for depression and nervous tension and Cinnamon is excellent for warts and viral infections.

The herbs, Thyme and Rosemary can be grown in pots and used when needed. To create essential oils from herbs, stew some large amounts in pure water, collect the steam and cool it. The oil will rise to the top of the drained water and can be collected with an eyedropper. Alternatively, a "flower still" can be purchased to make the job easier. Thyme and Rosemary are both antiseptics and can be used in skin care preparations. They are also delicious when used in cooking.

Lemon oil and fresh lemons will purify water and, when mixed with honey, are effective remedies for colds and flu. Lemon and white vinegar are highly efficient cleaning agents that can be used for domestic cleaning tasks without damaging the environment. Use white vinegar as a natural disinfectant or mix it with water to clean windows and wooden floors. It is also handy to keep a bottle of white vinegar in your car if you swim in the ocean. It will bring instant relief from jellyfish stings.

Citronella oil is perfect in summer to keep the insects at bay. Another natural repellent is Garlic. Fleas will not bite a dog that has been eating garlic, so a few garlic capsules in the dog food are a cheap solution to your pet's flea problem. A soft collar soaked in Citronella will also do the job.

Garlic also helps to promote a healthy immune system when the weather turns cold and viruses begin to circulate. In fact, most of the oils and herbs listed above are effective in helping to prevent many common winter illnesses.

Whether you are looking for remedies or nature friendly products to use around the house, the oils and herbs suggested above should help get you started. You will be ready to make some healthy changes in your way of life!

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

All Holistic Health

Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics and Skin Care Products

2006-10-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever examined the ingredients listed on the labels of your cosmetics or other skin care products? Do you know what those ingredients are?

What you may not realize is that many of the skin care products and cosmetics you are buying contain ingredients that are not only harmful to your skin, but also to your long term health. Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and are used by the cosmetic industry simply because they are cheap!

Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics
The following are just some of the synthetic chemicals that have been identified by scientific studies to be harmful to our health.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
Often described as being "derived from coconut" to disguise their toxic nature, these chemicals are commonly used in shampoos, toothpaste, foaming facial and body cleansers and bubble bath. SLS and ALS can cause severe skin irritation, and are easily absorbed into the body, building up in the brain, heart, lungs and liver, leading to potential long term health problems. SLS and ALS may also cause cataracts, and prevent children's eyes from developing properly.

Paraben Preservatives
Parabens are widely used in cosmetics, deodorants, skin care and baby products to prolong their shelf life. They are known to be highly toxic and have caused rashes and allergic reactions. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a strong link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women. Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

Propylene Glycol
Found in many beauty creams, cosmetics and cleansers, Propylene Glycol can cause skin rashes and contact dermatitis, and has been shown to cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol is used as a solvent in many skin care products. It causes skin irritation and strips the skin of its natural acid mantle, promoting the growth of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It may also cause premature ageing of skin.

DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine)
These substances are harsh solvents and detergents that are used in cosmetics and face and body creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.

Aluminum
A common ingredient in antiperspirants, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's Disease.

Mineral Oil
Derived from petroleum (crude oil), mineral oil is commonly found as a main ingredient of face and body creams and cosmetics. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil! It coats the skin like a plastic film, clogging pores and stopping the skin from eliminating toxins, which can lead to acne and other skin disorders. Other petroleum based ingredients include paraffin wax, paraffin oil and petrolatum.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
Used as a thickener in skin care products and cosmetics, PEGs interfere with the skin's natural moisture balance, causing an increase in ageing and leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Talc
Talc is a soft mineral used in talcum powders and cosmetic powders. Scientific studies have shown that routine application of talcum powder to the genital area is linked with a three-to-fourfold increase in the development of ovarian cancer. Inhaling cosmetic powders containing talc may also be harmful to long term health.

How To Avoid These Toxins
Examine the labels of your cosmetics and skin care products carefully, and learn to recognize ingredients that are harmful to your skin and to your health. Many web sites have lists of potentially harmful ingredients in addition to those shown above (e.g. Environmental Working Group).

Don't be fooled by the words 'natural' or 'organic' on the front of the label. Many products contain at least one or two natural or organic ingredients, but they may also contain harmful synthetic chemicals as well.

Whenever possible, choose products with 100% natural ingredients such as essential oils and herbs. Your skin will love you for it!

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

Arthritis - A Common Disease

2006-09-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

Arthritis literally means joint inflammation. Most of the cases of arthritis involve the body joints but joints are not the only body parts to be affected by arthritis. In its various forms arthritis can also affect other parts of the body. It is one of the most commonly occurring diseases affecting people of all ages. However most of the victims are able to go about their business as usual.

At a body joint, ends of two bones come together. The ends of the bones are covered with cartilage which makes the surfaces of bone ends smooth for sliding against each other. The smoothness of surfaces makes it possible to carry out the joint movement easily and painlessly with minimum friction thousands of times in a day. The two bones of a joint are held together firmly in place by ligaments which also form a capsule around the joint. The surface of ligaments is lined with synovial membrane which secretes synovial fluid for lubricating the joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis, one of the more common types, occurs when synovial membrane gets inflamed and joint swells up. If it is allowed to increase it can affect the cartilage and cause severe pain. In its more advances stage it can affect other parts of the body such as lungs, heart and eyes. This disease is three times more common in women than in men.

Osteoarthritis, another common variety, results when cartilage wears out. When this happens the ends of the bones in contact with each other lose their protective cover as well as the smooth gliding surface. The bone ends then directly rub against each other. The joint becomes stiff and starts paining. This condition involves joints which are exposed to frequent wear and tear such as fingers, big toes, knees, hips, lower spine.

Another type of arthritis, gout, occurs due to defect in body chemistry. There is excess of uric acid in the blood and crystals deposit on joints and other places. It affects men more than women.

Ankylosing spondylitis, another form of arthritis, affects the spine. The vertebrae get fused together and the spine tends to stiffen up.

There are several treatments for arthritis such as:

Medication

Application of heat - hot compresses, hot tub bath, infrared treatment

Physiotherapy and exercise

Avoidance of over-exertion of affected joints

Surgery in extreme cases

These treatments may not work equally well for all patients. The patient will have to find out which treatment suits him best. But before starting any treatment the patient must consult his doctor.

Following measures can be beneficial to most of the patients:

Reduction in body weight - higher body weight puts more stress on body structure including the joints. It is estimated that reduction of 11 pounds in body weight can cut chances of osteoarthritis by as much as 50 %.

Modest activities to avoid joint laxity.

Improve body posture.

It is well known that lack of activity of body joints and body muscles make them weak and prone to diseases. The best guard against arthritis is to do regular exercise of all major body joints and muscles. Our modern lifestyle generally does not make it necessary for us to use all our limbs regularly. We are used to desk type jobs and sedentary living. Unless we take out time to do some exercise, maintain correct body weight, and maintain correct body posture we will remain susceptible.

Our body gives us sufficient indication when there is any trouble. Arthritis can be detected early by paying attention to any consistent joint pains. An early treatment of the disease can save you from lot of trouble.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
All Holistic Health

Herpes: How did I get it? How can I live with it?

2006-09-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

For most people, the diagnosis of genital herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus 2 or HSV2) is a shock. For others, the diagnosis maybe a confirmation of suspicions they have had about their own health or their partner's behavior. Seeking to answer the question of how the patient contracted the condition often leads to a search for blame and then self-recrimination. Living with herpes is something that initially may take some psychological adjustment for some patients. It need not mean the end of your sex life or that you will need to remain celibate for the rest of your life.

Firstly HSV2 and HSV1, better known as the cold sore virus, are just two of a related group of seven viruses that are known to infect humans. Others include the Varicella-Zoster virus, commonly known as chicken pox and shingles. Diagnosis of infection with either HSV1 or 2 can be established with a blood test known as the Western Blot test; the upside of this test is that a patient who does not have active lesions may be diagnosed through the presence of antibodies to either strain. Accuracy of this test is only 90-95% depending on the lab involved. Some instances have occurred where patients were diagnosed with either a false positive or a false negative. The most accurate diagnosis is with a physician taking the top off a fresh lesion, obtaining a swab from the base of the lesion and a lab growing a viral culture from it. Extracting a viable swab from the lesion can be quite painful for the patient.

HSV2 traditionally involved infections in genital areas, with the virus lying dormant in the sacral nerve at the base of the spine during periods when the patient is not experiencing lesions. HSV1 traditionally involves infections around the mouth and nose and lies dormant in the trigeminal nerve in the neck during non-active phases of the disease. Current epidemiology studies across the Western World indicate the incidence of HSV2 to be around one in eight people, or 12% of the population. Only one in five of those with antibodies have been diagnosed.

In real terms, in a room containing forty people, five have HSV2 but only one knows they have it. A further three of the five may have had an isolated symptom once or twice. This would have appeared so insignificant that they mistook it for a pimple, infected hair follicle or a boil. The final one in five is someone who has never had a symptom and may never do so. For this patient, and the other three undiagnosed patients, accusations of infection (generally followed by accusations of infidelity) from a partner are often met with counter accusations and disbelief. A conservative estimate of the world population with HSV1 antibodies and the ability to infect others is around 90%. Of these, roughly 45% are symptomatic. If you have been diagnosed with either infection, it is very possible you contracted it from someone who has no idea they have it themselves.

People have received the messages about safe sex and changed some of their practices, believing that only penetrative sex requires safe sex. Sexual health specialists now report that half the new HSV diagnoses in clinics have been microbiologically confirmed as HSV1 on the genitals, in the general community it is now estimated that 20% of all herpes infections in the genitals are in fact HSV1. On the plus side for the infected patient, when the HSV virus is not living in its ideal host environment (i.e. HSV1 infection of genitals, oral HSV2 infection) infections have been generally documented to be less severe and happen less frequently.

Another mistake many patients make, is assuming that they are not infectious during a dormant or asymptomatic phase of their disease. Studies have shown that even when a couple who are clinically discordant (i.e. one is positive and the other is negative) use what is recognized as gold standard treatment for reduction of risk to partners, the rate of transmission in a 12-month period is still 10%. This management of infection control involves the use of condoms during all sexual encounters and complete abstinence from sex during the positive partner's symptomatic phases. Interestingly, sexual health experts report that if one partner has remained negative for 10 years in a clinically discordant partnership, it is very unlikely that they will contract the disease after this time. It is speculated that they have some immunity/protection either natural or acquired that science has not yet managed to identify.

A true primary infection of HSV2 can last for up to ten days, it involves a systemic response, where all the glands in the body are swollen, much as if the patient has influenza, as well as the obvious genital burning, itching, pain with urination or complete inability to urinate. Many patients think they are presenting with a primary infection, but, severity of symptoms indicates to the physician, this is in fact a recurrence. In these cases the patient's primary infection would have been asymptomatic, but, for some reason, they have become run down and their immune system is not responding as it did when they were first infected. These and subsequent recurrences of HSV2 are usually around five days in duration, unless there is a serious immune system deficiency. In this case, the treating physician should refer the patient for further testing.

Because HSV transmission requires skin-to-skin contact and viral shedding to occur, typically an infection of HSV2 is specifically confined to the genitals. Affected areas include the vulva and labia in women and penis and scrotum in men, due to penetrative intercourse being quite localized. Where a patient has been infected with HSV1 on the genitals, the area is usually larger and vesicle distribution more extensive due to oral sex skin-to-skin contact covering a more extensive surface area of the genitals. Both viruses may be treated effectively with anti-viral drugs.

As stated earlier, each virus has its ideal host environment. For the patient infected with HSV1 on the genitals, this means subsequent infections are usually less virulent, and in some cases may only ever recur once or twice in their lifetime. For the patient infected with HSV2 on the genitals, the incidence of recurrence can vary greatly. Recurrences are related to the health of the immune system. Triggers may include stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, sunburn and in some women, their menstrual cycle. During the first year of infection, the number of recurrences may range from one to twelve, with an average being four to five. During subsequent years the immune system responds better, the patient learns what will trigger a recurrence and usually tries to avoid it. Eventually most patients can experience as few as one to two recurrences per year. Also, as the patient learns to better recognize the symptoms of an impending recurrence, they are able to administer anti-viral drugs earlier. This can minimize the length and duration of the attack, and possibly prevent lesions altogether. It is important for the patient to remember that despite avoiding a recurrence, they are still shedding the virus and they are still potentially infectious to their partner.

Maintenance doses of anti-virals may be taken daily to reduce the number of recurrences. Up to 50% of patients on these therapies report an absence of recurrences in a 12-month period. Where this therapy is discontinued, patients almost certainly will experience a recurrence within three weeks. This is generally followed by a reduction in the number of annual recurrences. There are a small number of female patients who have required this maintenance therapy with anti-viral drugs continuously since they first became available, over 15 years ago, in earlier forms. As recurrences reduce in frequency and severity, most patients eventually come to terms with their diagnosis. For some, this is never the case, sexual health physicians report that they need to refer between 10-20% of their patients for further psychological counseling. This is in spite the fact that they are very experienced with the disease counseling required for this diagnosis.

What is important, regardless of how well patients appear to cope with the initial diagnosis, is ensuring access to information. This can be obtained readily and anonymously from www.herpes.com, www.herpeshelp.com or www.genitalherpes.com these sites contain up to date facts and also links to other sites. These provide names and contact details of support groups, local clinics and sexual health specialists. Although HSV2 is a lifelong infection, with the right management and care it is not necessarily symptomatic, nor should it impede the patient from enjoying a loving and long-lasting, secure relationship.

Until Next Time...Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

Live Healthy by Using Essential Oils, Roots and Herbs

2006-09-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

Soft Drinks Contaminated by Benzene

2006-09-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Bacon cheeseburgers and French fries drip with weight gain, increased cholesterol levels, and higher blood pressure. But what if further research findings made these foods look safe?

In some way or other, a large part of the American diet proves unhealthy and even harmful. Conscientious meal planning becomes more and more needed and desired. For one, many foods contain high levels of fat and sugar. The fact that these foods monopolize the fast-food options needed in a quick-pace society exasperates this problem further. Secondly, modern food-processing methods rob essential nutrients from once healthy foods. Thirdly, with pesticide remnants and artificial flavors and colorings, chemicals prove to be just another ingredient in the recipe. Unfortunately though, the danger does not stop here. Other, even more alarming, food contents insidiously permeate meals every day. With a large percentage of America remaining uninformed, food itself has stolen control of people's own bodies. Poison may actually be included on the menu too..

With its lively bubbles, sparkling texture, dancing foam, and energy boosts, soft drinks function as a household staple for a majority of society. Dinner, lunch, even breakfast, America warmly welcomes soda, fruit juices, and flavored waters into its glasses. However, these pleasing beverages do not come cheap. Weight gain from frequent consumption of high calorie drinks proves too common, and these beverages largely contribute to the country's ever-rising obesity rates. But researchers have found something even more disturbing. Along with high sugar levels, artificial flavorings, and calcium-reducing fizz, some soft drinks even contain the highly toxic substance benzene - sometimes at alarming levels. Could a bottle of good old fashioned soda pop be nothing more than a sizzling industrial plant?

How Did Benzene Get in a Mere Soda Can?

Cars release benzene with their fumes. Above gas stations benzene invisibly lingers in a thick, intractable haze. Factories release benzene in their production of some plastics, chemicals, dyes, and detergents. A pollutant and a toxin, it is not surprising that benzene causes cancer. The air of such work establishments has reportedly infected employees. With such characteristics, benzene is definitely not a substance that one would expect to find in a grocery aisle. So, how did it get there?

Many soft drinks contain benzoate salts and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Both these substances are naturally a part of fruit-based drinks. A high percentage of other sodas use them as preservative agents or as nutritional additions. However, when benzoate salts and Vitamin C come in contact with high levels of light and/or heat, there is a strong chance that a chemical reaction will occur. Benzene is the product of this process.

Is Benzene Contamination Preventable?

There is no way to ensure that soft drinks remain benzene-free. But what if someone only drinks those that he/she purchases? What if people only store beverages in cool and shaded areas? It does not matter. No one can be sure of conditions in every storage warehouse or every transported shipment. Once created, benzene permanently remains. Even the most impeccable treatment and care cannot erase existing damage.

While the presence of any amount of benzene is unsettling, the FDA determined that levels must not exceed 5 ppb in order to pose a threat. Nonetheless, thousands of bottles and cans are never untested. No one can be sure of the history of his/her individual drink before purchase. Scientists cannot be certain how benzene levels will affect each specific person. What if some people are more sensitive than others? Will research find that lower benzene levels are actually harmful tomorrow? Under the circumstances facts can easily change, and "assurances" leave questions unanswered.

In 1990 soft drink companies altered production methods in hopes of preventing benzene development. Nevertheless, from 2005 to 2006 the FDA found benzene amounts well above 5 ppb in some products. Furthermore, the experiment proved highly inadequate. Covering only a small percentage of the country, the study also did not include all products or brands. What if benzene levels are actually far greater? Could these findings only be a glimpse of a terrible reality? .

Are there any preventive strategies?

No longer just unhealthy, some foods may actually contain toxic elements. People can maintain healthy diets with foods low in fat, sugar and salt and high in fiber. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat are some excellent examples. Foods without artificial sugars, dyes, and preservatives lower chances of unwanted chemicals. However, while healthy and natural foods prove best, people are not always given a choice to decide. The FDA only recently confirmed that benzene still appeared in some soft drinks. Could harmful substances be contaminating other foods? How can a person defend him/herself from unknown threats?

Doctors and trained dieticians can not only spotlight the safest foods, but they can also provide a personalized supplement program. Possessing the ability to fill in missing nutritional gaps, vitamins and herbs also have the capability of protecting the body from many environmental stresses and food impurities. The strengthening of the immune system and the cleansing of the liver are two key tactics. However, while vitamins may be natural, they are still powerful. The inappropriate use of some vitamins can actually weaken the immune system and destroy the liver. But with the proper instruction from a trained professional, people can repair dietary deficiencies, buttress the body from inescapable harm, and help build an even healthier life than thought possible.

It is also advisable for a trained professional to recommend the best brands. Labels can not always be trusted. Some vitamin manufacturers overly dilute their products with buffers and other use less fillers. Nonetheless, after proper instruction, consumers can easily find affordable high quality discount vitamins from excellent retailers.

People can easily eliminate possible benzene levels by avoiding soft drink products. Unfortunately, safeguarding the body from other unknown chemical toxins is not so easy. Apparently, everything in food is not always edible. Nevertheless, an individualized diet plan under the guidance of a trained professional can easily ensure health and prevent problems. Wholesome and natural foods and discount vitamins greatly prepare for the unknown.

By VitaNet® Health Foods at http://vitanetonline.com/ who sells quality vitamins and herbs with a wide selection of discount vitamins: http://vitanetonline.com/ that are in stock and ready to ship.

Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

All Holistic Health
Acid Reflux Treatment
Anti-Oxidant Supplements
Easy Hair Removal
High Paying Google Keywords
Intimate Bath & Body
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer
Proactice Acne Treatment
Zone Diet Food Plan

Maintaining Your Energy Level while Dieting

2006-09-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

For some people being on a diet means being tired and lethargic. It's times like these that some people may be more likely to reach for chips, chocolate or soda. However, these types of foods are absorbed so quickly by the body that it causes your body to think that it has run out of fuel soon after eating them and it's not long before you begin to crave more of these snacks again. Often these foods offer a quick rush of energy; however they don't help the body deal with the cause of energy deprivation.

The key, therefore, in dealing with the lack of energy that many people experience when they are dieting is to provide the body with all of the right elements needed to support the body and give it the energy that it needs.

Exercising For Energy

Surprisingly as it might seem, exercise helps to give the body energy by providing you with more stamina for your activities. Additionally, the increased blood flow to your brain which exercising provides helps you to relieve stress and fatigue.

Additionally, exercise also:

- Burns fat
- Helps your body deal with stress
- Lowers Cholesterol - Lowers high blood pressure
- Increases your energy level
- Reduces your chances of cancer and heart disease

Even simple exercise such as walking is beneficial. A 1995 study indicates that just walking twice around a suburban block a few times per week is enough to make a significant difference in your life. However, exercise which increases the heart rate such as hiking, skiing, swimming, jogging, and bicycling should also be included in your routine.

Eating For Energy

Because of the reduced food intake during a diet, many people experience a lack of energy. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Long lasting energy can be achieved through careful selection of the right foods. To maintain your energy during your diet, try to eat 3 well-balanced and nutritious meals a day which include the following:

- Wholegrain cereals, brown rice and oats
- Fresh vegetables including broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and beans
- Fresh fruit
- Soy foods
- Fresh herbs including mint, basil, dill, thyme, and parsley
- Fish, particularly oily fish such as Salmon, Mackerel and Sardines
- Lean meats and poultry
- Nuts and seeds including a small amount of almonds, walnuts sunflower and sesame seeds
- Sea vegetables including wakame, nori and arame which can be purchased at your local health food store

Additionally, taking a supplement which contains Vitamin B helps the body to turn food into energy and to metabolize properly.

Sleeping For Energy

Getting a good night’s sleep each night is also a way to increase your energy level. Deep, restful sleep helps your body to recover from your activities and revitalize it for the next day. A lack of sleep on the other hand interferes with your mental abilities including your memory and drastically depletes your energy level. If you have trouble sleeping check out a few natural herbal sedatives such as Valerian, Passion Flower and Hops to get you back on track.

Until next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

All Holistic Health
Acid Reflux Treatment
Anti-Oxidant Supplements
Easy Hair Removal
High Paying Google Keywords
Intimate Bath & Body
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer
Proactice Acne Treatment
Zone Diet Food Plan

What is an Anti-Oxidant?

2006-09-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

After many deliberations involving several decades we have come to know that anti-oxidants fight free radicals. But then, what are free radicals and why should one fight them? Well, folks, reasons are aplenty. I do not intend to drag you into the controversies of the Free-radical Theory of Aging (FRTA) that says that organism ages because Protein, Lipid and Nucleic Acid (DNA, RNA) cause Free Radical damage with the passage of time. Their attack on the Protein, Lipid and Nucleic Acid leads to a diminution of their respective task, thereby diminishing cell function, then organic function and finally, organismal function. So, anti-oxidant supplements play a major role in protecting the body as well as slowing the aging process.

Wart Virus

The virus responsible for causing warts (including Genital Warts) comes from a large family of viruses called human papillomavirus (HPV) of which there are more than 65 strains. Though the wart virus is obviously not as deadly as cancer, but it is no less mischievous. The virus, once it finds a host, falls in love with the body, not leaving it easily. It lies dormant till an opportune moment arrives to flare up, causing the warts on the skin or in the genital areas. However, recent studies have shown that medication formulated from anti-oxidants have far reaching effect on nerves. Professor Stuart Lipton of the National Academy of Sciences had observed that “Nerve cells are specifically targeted by these new drugs, avoiding other cell types”. “Of even more importance”, he agreed, “these antioxidant rich drugs are much less toxic than prior drugs in this class”.

Anti-oxidant Supplements and their role in Human Life

Since plants are an important source of organic anti-oxidants, a diet containing the Polyphenol antioxidant (which is derived from plant body) as an antioxidant supplement is necessary for the health of most mammals. Antioxidants are extensively used as ingredients in dietary supplements for health purposes like preventing cancer and heart diseases (though recent studies have shown that they are not all that effective in heart problems). However, excess supplementation can be harmful. Vitamins A, C and E are all antioxidants. Although Vitamin C is more effective than Vitamin E, it passes through the system fast and so should be taken more frequently.

Other antioxidant supplements include Pycnogenol/OPC (grape seed/pine bark extract) that works as an anti-aging agent. Antioxidant supplement Curcumin, derived from the herb Turmeric significantly improves brain function. Antioxidant Coenzyme Q-10 is a killer of free radicals. Studies reveal that this antioxidant is functional in treatment of neuro-degenerative tissues. Anti-oxidant Astaxanthin is believed to be 100 times more effective than Vitamin E in preventing Lipid peroxidation. Carotenoids are a group of antioxidant nutrients that are found in colored fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, watermelons, beets, etc. Phenolics are naturally occurring antioxidants found in skins of many fruits, vegetables and herbs.

And, lastly, believe it or not, the good old TEA is also a health-friendly anti-oxidant supplement for the entire family.

Conclusion

Often we need a supplement to optimize the health needs of our body. Because the food we take fails to give us everything that we need. Anti-oxidant supplements do this work wonderfully well.

Until Next Time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner
http://www.antioxidantsupplements.net
http://www.allholistichealth.com
http://www.easyhairremoval.com
http://www.acidrefluxtreatment.biz
http://www.zonedietfoodplan.com
http://www.malignantpleuralmesotheliomacancer.com
http://www.proactiveacnetreatment.biz
http://www.highpayinggooglekeywords.com
http://www.intimatebath.com

Easing Arthritis Pain with Glucosamine & Chondroitin Supplements

2006-08-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

If you suffer from arthritis pain, chances are you’ve heard of a relatively new over-the-counter remedy called Glucosamine. But what is Glucosamine, and how does it work to relieve arthritis? In this article, I’ll introduce you to this new treatment and provide you with the pros and cons of its use. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on whether or not Glucosamine is right for you.

What is Glucosamine?

Glucosamine, together with a related ingredient called Chondroitin, are substances which exist naturally in your body. It is believed that glucosamine helps to build and repair cartilage (the soft, spongy material between your joints), while chondroitin lends to the elasticity and flexibility of joints. A deficiency of either one can lead to increased wear and tear on the joint, and cause redness, swelling and stiffness as a result. When used together, glucosamine and chondroitin act as a tag-team of arthritis fighters, improving flexibility, soothing inflammation and reducing swelling caused by achy joints.

Where Can I Buy Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplements?

You can find these products in virtually any pharmacy or health goods store. The downside to this is, like other herbal and alternative medicines, supplements are not regulated by any governing body. That’s why you’ll need to do a little bit of research to find the best, most potent brand for your needs. Here’s what you need to know when comparison shopping for a glucosamine supplement:

· You should expect to pay anywhere from $1-3 per pill when taking glucosamine daily. Since insurance companies rarely cover supplements of any kind, you’ll most likely be paying for them out of pocket.

· Read the ingredients label on the bottle to determine the dosage. Approximately 1500mg of glucosamine and 1200mg of chondroitin have been safely used in clinical trials. Depending on your individual medication tolerances and the severity of your arthritis, you should consult your physician or rheumatologist to find the right dose for your individual needs.

· Select supplements manufactured by a well-known, reputable company. Recommended brands include: Osteo Bi-Flex, WholeHealth, Flex-A-Min, MoveFree and individual pharmacy brands.

Are There Any Side Effects I Should Know About?

As with any medication or supplements, there are a few warnings you should know:

· If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use glucosamine/chondroitin supplements, as no long-term studies have been done to gage what materials (if any) are passed on to the baby either internally or through breast milk.

· If you are diabetic, chondroitin (a form of sugar) may cause your blood sugar to rise.

· Chondroitin also acts as a mild blood thinner. Therefore, if you are taking any heart medication or are taking an aspirin regimen, have your blood clotting time checked more frequently by your doctor.

· Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements should not be taken by children since no studies have been done to determine their effect (if any) on the child’s development.

(Please note: The information contained within this article is not intended to replace or substitute for that of an experienced physician. Remember to check with your doctor or rheumatologist before starting daily glucosamine/chondroitin supplements, and don’t stop or reduce any of your current medications (whether they’re for arthritis or not) without first talking with your doctor).

Until next time...Good Health and Well-being!

Dave Kettner

www.allholistichealth.com
www.antioxidantsupplements.net
www.easyhairremoval.biz

Little Known Facts About Changes In Our Diet

2006-08-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an understatement! Pick up any magazine, tune-in or turn-on any source of advertising and you're bombarded with the latest diet schemes and food fads. More often than not, they are endorsed by some familiar Hollywood celebrity, or promoted using some other cleaver technique.

It's no mystery that the weight-loss industry has built a thriving empire. In America, for example, we spend about 35 billion dollars every year on an assortment of weight loss products and plans. In addition, we spend another 79 billion dollars for medication, hospitalization, and doctors to treat obesity-related problems. Even with this, the obesity epidemic continues to spread. Sadly, we have become the heaviest generation in our Nation's history.

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that we have some very good reasons to be concerned about our weight-gain. Americans, for example are packing-on the pounds faster than ever before and weight-related medical problems are taking center stage. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes and yes...even certain forms of cancer have all been linked to obesity.

Here are a few of the surprising statistics about our weight:

A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. That's up approximately 8 percent from overweight estimates obtained in a 1988 report.
The percent of children who are overweight is also continuing to increase. Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost 9 million are overweight. That's triple what the rate was in 1980!
Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese. At present, 31 percent of adults 20 years of age and over or nearly 59 million people have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, compared with 23 percent in 1994.

(The BMI is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. For adults, a BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI of 25.0 - 29.9 is overweight and 30.0 or above, is considered obese.)

Modern life both at home and at work has come to revolve around moving from one "seated" position to another: whether it's television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we seem to be broadening the scope of our inactive endeavors.

At times, life seems to have gotten almost too easy! For entertainment, we can now just sit-down, dial-up our favorite TV program or DVD movie and enjoy hours of uninterrupted entertainment...

And all those simple calorie burning activities that were once a normal part of our daily routine not so long ago? Long gone! You know the ones I'm talking about...activities like climbing stairs instead of using escalators and elevators. Or, pushing a lawn mower instead of riding around on a garden tractor. And what about that daily walk to school? Now, our kids complain when the school bus happens to be a few minutes late getting to the bus stop!

Along with the convenience of our affluent lifestyle and reduction in energy expenditure, have come changes in our diet. We are now consuming more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before.

Here are a few examples of what we were eating in the 1970's compared to our diet today (information is taken from a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.
Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because the U.S.D.A. includes French fries and potato chips as a vegetable. Potato products account for almost a third of our "produce" choices.
We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets. -
We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970s.
We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.
We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.
Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, people are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies.
In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers.

The days of the wholesome family dinners so near and dear to our hearts, where we all sat around the kitchen table to discuss events of the day, are now a part of our sentimental past. They have been replaced by our cravings for take-out and fast-food. We have gradually come to accept that it's "OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions mean better value.

And, since I have been throwing-out statistics, here's one more: Americans are consuming about 300 more calories each day than we did twenty years ago. We should actually be eating less because of our decreased activity level, but instead are doing the opposite!

Decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits will become a permanent part of your life!

Begin to explore your values and thoughts and other areas of your life where change may be required, and then take action. Begin slowly, but deliberately to make improvements in the areas you identify. And remember, it has taken a very long time to develop your habits, and it will take some time to undo them…so be patient!

Until next time...Good Health and Well-being!

Dave Kettner

www.allholistichealth.com
www.antioxidantsupplements.net
www.easyhairremoval.biz

Herbs & Homeopathic Remedies May Alleviate Menopausal Symptoms

2006-08-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

Does hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for your menopause make your blood run cold? Many women are faced with the potential risks associated with HRT. First, let’s take a quick look at the three stages of menopause.

Menopause begins in your early 40s as your ovaries gradually produce less and less of the hormone estrogen. Your periods become erratic sometimes skipping a month or alternating between light and heavy.

The next period of time is the transitioning to actual menopause. During this time you may continue to have erratic periods and the “fun stuff” begins to settle in for a long visit. Yes, fun stuff like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings and insomnia are some of the symptoms.

The final and actual onset of menopause usually occurs in your early 50s and is represented by the absence of your period for a full 12 months. It’s those in between years that can wreak havoc in your life.

Are there natural alternatives for chemical HRT? The good news is yes! It’s a sad fact that less than two percent of doctors even mention alternative therapies and that most of them feel there is no benefit. Thousands of women would disagree. Here are just a few of the many natural alternatives:

Try adjusting your diet to include vegetables and fish that are high in Omega-3 as they contain nutrients that can help your body deal with menopause naturally. Conversely, there are foods that can make your menopausal symptoms worse. Caffeine, sugar, fatty dairy products, salt, alcohol and saturated oils can aggravate the symptoms.

Be sure and take a daily multivitamin making certain that the vitamin contains 100% of the daily allowance for nutrients. Just be aware that vitamins are no substitute for following a healthy diet.

If menopause causes mood swings, it only makes sense that it’s possible to experience extreme responses for stress. Try using deep breathing techniques, meditation or some other methods of relaxation that works for you and practice the technique for 10 to 20 minutes per day. You will be left feeling calmer, more able to cope and more in control.

Exercising regularly can also help alleviate menopausal symptoms. Scheduling at least 30 minutes of exercise three times a week will relieve hot flashes. You will be able to think more clearly and reduce your risk of osteoporosis and heart disease.

Some women have found relief through yoga and acupressure. Both are mainstays of practitioners of eastern medicine.

Last, but not least, we come to herbal treatments. Beans and certain other plants have a mild estrogenic activity in their makeup thanks to "phytoestrogens." These are compounds that include isoflavins, lignans, phytoseterols and saponins. In additional to helping your body through menopause, animal experiments show they are significantly effective in preventing tumors of the breast tissue.

Without sending you off for a medical dictionary to understand the compounds listed above, here are some of the foods and herbs that contain healthy compounds: Soy, black cohosh, licorice, alfalfa, chasteberry, Chinese angelica, red clover, strawberry, celery stalks, dates, elder, false unicorn root, fennel, Honduran sarsaparilla, lady’s slipper, liferoot, Mexican wild yams, passion flower, pomegranates and sassafras.

The foods, of course, are available from your local grocery. Visit your local health food store where you should be able to find the herbs and methods to include them in your daily diet.

Until next time, good health and well-being!

Dave Kettner

www.allholistichealth.com
www.antioxidantsupplements.net
www.easyhairremoval.biz

Whey Protein - Nature's Amazing Muscle Builder

2006-08-19T22:28:00.000-07:00

Are you concerned about taking care of your body before and after strenuous activities or workouts? Do you try to avoid supplements that contain additives and possible side effects?

If you are interested in better health and improved physical fitness you have surely heard that bodybuilders and other athletes are turning to a simple, natural supplement called whey protein.

WHY DO ATHLETES USE WHEY PROTEIN?

Protein levels are depleted through exercise. Muscles require amino acids to prevent deterioration, give endurance and build mass. Proteins supply these amino acids to the muscles which is why athletes use whey protein.

WHAT IS WHEY PROTEIN?

Commercial whey protein comes from cow's milk. Whey is the by-product of making cheese and was usually thrown away as a waste product. Now researchers know that whey protein is high quality, natural protein that is rich with amino acids essential for good health and muscle building. It is naturally found in mother's milk and also used in baby formula. It is being considered for use as a fortifier of grain products because of its considerable health benefits and bland flavor.

Although protein is also found in other foods such as meat, soy and vegetables, whey protein is proven to have the highest absorption (digestion) levels in comparison to all others.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER USING WHEY PROTEIN?

Whey protein has many health benefits including immune support, bone health, sports health, weight management and overall well being.

Because amino acids are 'building blocks' for the human body it is sometimes used by patients to speed up the healing of wounds or burns.

The high quality protein that comes from whey makes it a recommended choice for those who need optimal benefits from restricted diets including diabetics, those on weight management diets and even ill patients not able to consume enough protein in their diet to assist with healing.

CAN WHEY PROTEIN BE DANGEROUS?

Whey protein is a food and so it does not have have the risks associated with other supplements. That said, too much of anything carries risks. Extremely high use of whey protein can overload the liver which can cause serious problems. Moderation is always recommended.

If you are lactose intolerant you might try whey protein isolate which has less than 1% lactose and should be tolerable for most users.

Whey protein is a natural and healthy way to bring protein into your diet and increase well being.

Until next time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

http://ww.allholistichealth.com
http://www.antioxidantsupplements.net
http://www.easyhairremoval.biz/

Natural Vitamin Supplements

2006-08-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some facts that will stun you. It has been found that less than even 10% of all Americans have healthy eating habits. This means that the food intake of as much as 90% of all Americans is lacking in the necessary nutrition levels that are needed to lead a healthy life. Most people are dangerously low on their vitamin levels as well. No wonder then that both the online and offline stores are so stacked with vitamin supplements. But how do they perform? Are they any good? The fact is, most of these supplements are synthetic in nature and end up doing more harm than good. But most people will still need vitamin supplements to meet the deficiencies in their body. That is why they should opt for natural vitamin supplements.

Vitamin Supplements and Genital Warts

Surprisingly it has been observed that genital wart symptoms can be cured by using natural vitamin supplements. The fact is that, genital warts cannot be ever cured permanently, but the symptoms can be cured and its spread checked by using these supplements. Now how is this possible? Vitamin supplements, as the name suggests, supplement the vitamin deficiency in the human body. And when that happens, the natural immunity of the body is enhanced. Researchers are of the opinion that the virus that causes genital warts resurfaces only when the immunity has been broken by some attack. So when the immune system has been strengthened, the chances of an attack of genital warts also go down. And in this way, vitamin supplements are able to prevent genital warts.

What are Natural Vitamin Supplements?

Vitamins are carbon-comprised organic chemical compounds the body needs for growth, repair, metabolism and to maintain overall health. Vitamins actually work with minerals make up the various enzymes and hormones that create the blood cells, convert food into energy and do other important functions. Vitamins in the natural form are found in fruits and vegetables that have been grown organically. So when you are selecting a natural vitamin supplement, try to stay as close to them as possible – go for products that are using the least preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. Natural vitamin supplements should contain a natural blend of vitamins and nutrients from Brewer’s yeast, maize, liver, alfalfa, sprouted foods, spirulina, chlorella, and others like this.

Natural vitamin supplements can be costly but when you take into consideration the medical bills that you can avoid, then it makes a lot of sense.

Natural Vitamins Vs. Synthetic Vitamins

When you are selecting your natural vitamin supplements, be very careful. The fact is, there are many supplements that make tall claims, but never deliver. So verify before buying whether actually it falls under the ‘natural’ category or not. Many even want to pass their products off as ‘natural’ whereas they are not. Even they know that natural vitamin supplements are better.

Synthetic supplements have been conceived and made in laboratories to copy the molecular structure of natural vitamins. But the fact remains that the human body still cannot absorb these nutrients, though the synthetic supplements try to trick the body and make it accept. Synthetic vitamins are rejected by the body at the cellular level. Chemical additives like binders, fillers and preservatives have also been known to negatively affect the digestion process.

Humans are part of nature and thus our body structure has been naturally devised to accept natural ingredients, including natural vitamins and not something that has been made in laboratories.

Conclusion

Natural vitamin supplements are so much better than their synthetic varieties. Dietary imbalances that are so common among all of us today can only be supplemented by using natural products. They also heal many health problems such as genital warts.

Until next time, Good Health and Well-Being!

Dave Kettner

www.allholistichealth.com
www.antioxidantsupplements.net

Hoodia Taking The Diet World

2006-08-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

By StormBy: Ken Black

Hoodia is THE newest catch phrase in the weight loss industry today. Everyone wants to be in on the secret, and still more are wondering about this miraculous plant. What does it do, how can it help you lose weight, and why wasn't it heard of before? Well, answers to these questions and more can be found in the following paragraphs. Read on and discover Hoodia's amazing abilities for yourself.

Hoodia has actually been around for quite some time, but was only recently discovered to be an appetite suppressant. With no unnatural stimulants, Hoodia is 100% safe and effective for those who want to lose a little weight, or a lot. With Hoodia, you can feel full faster and stay full longer because of its amazing ability to stave off hunger. You can lose weight safely, with no side effects that come with most weight loss supplements. Best of all, it's a PROVEN appetite suppressant, and that's not false advertising talking.

The Bushmen of the Kalahari deserts have been eating Hoodia for quite some time now, and have been familiar with it's thirst and hunger quenching abilities. That's why, when using hoodia it is important to have adequate hydration on top of a healthy diet. Even though hoodia is natural and will work on its own to help safely curb your appetite, it is essential that you incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle. Allowing hoodia to starve you is not healthy, so remember that!

Speaking with your doctor is essential in assuring you do not get in over your head. As with any weight loss product, your doctor should know what you are taking and how you plan to use Hoodia in your life. While it is not known to cause any unpleasant side effects, it's not for certain how it will react with any prescription medications you could be taking. For safety reasons, let your doctor know you plan on taking Hoodia and he or she will help devise a diet and exercise plan that will work with the supplement to ensure maximum weight loss potential.

Hoodia is being toted the world over as the newest miracle weight loss drug, but do not let the hype get to you. It is unrealistic to expect a diet pill to do all the work for you and put simply, it will not. It's true that Hoodia can work wonders for your weight loss goals, but you must be willing to work for it.

Hoodia can definitely play an important role in your weight-loss goals, but ensure that you are totally committed to exercising and eating right.

For more great ideas on how you can lead a healthier lifestyle, and for more reviews on Hoodia and its abilities, visit our website at www.weight-loss-discovery.com. You'll discover all sorts of ways to lose weight, and tips on eating healthy and exercising right. You will find yourself pleasantly surprised at what Hoodia, diet and exercise can do for you.

About The Author

Ken Black is the owner of http://www.weight-loss-discovery.com, a website dedicated to helping you lose weight.

Boosting Immune System is One Step Toward Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

2006-08-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

by: Frank Mangano

Drugs have been used to ease the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and give people a better quality of life. Many such therapies are designed to fight the effects of the build up of amyloid proteins that form a plaque around brain neurons. If only this plaque could be prevented from forming in the first place, people would have a much lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Recent research out of Canada suggests that the bone marrow holds the key to cleansing amyloid plaque from the brain. Microglia derived from the bone marrow is able to attack the most toxic forms of this plaque. The key then is to increase this natural scavenger and get it to release from the bone marrow so it can do its job. This natural defense mechanism is now thought to be triggered by boosting the immune system, according to the trials conducted on laboratory mice.

What are the best ways to boost the immune system and cleanse potentially harmful plaques that could be building up in your brain? A diet that is balanced and full of antioxidants is the primary way. Here are some other tips to getting the best immune system building nutrition and reducing the factors that weaken it.

1. Get Your Essential Fatty Acids. This is the number one immune system builder. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are necessary to optimal health. A fish oil supplement is the best source of fatty acids since American diets don’t normally contain enough fish to provide these nutrients.

2. Take Care of Your Lymphatic System. This is the system of organs, nodes, and vessels that help cleanse the body continuously. Using the Chinese herb, Ligustrum (nu zhen zi) increases bone marrow production of lymphocytes and benefits the thymus.

3. Get Enough Exercise. Exercise increases the production of T lymphocyte and reduces stress, both of which support a strong immune system.

4. Look at Your Lifestyle. Drinking alcohol and caffeine and smoking cigarettes all weaken the immune system. Also, excessive stress for long periods of time or not getting enough sleep makes you more susceptible to all kinds of disease.

5. Look at Your Environment. Household cleaners, pesticides, and food additives all suppress the immune system. If there is an abundance of these types of factors in your life, all the good nutrition may not be enough to counteract their impact.

Copyright 2006 Frank Mangano

About The Author

Frank Mangano is an active member of his community who works diligently providing assistance to senior citizens and probing as a health advocate to discover new and innovative ways to promote well being. Find out how you can maintain good mental health at: http://www.alzheimersdefense.com/.

Anti-Aging: The Essentials For A Healthy Younger You

2006-08-03T18:29:00.000-07:00

Wrinkles and aging skin are for many the greatest unavoidable enemies they will face during their lifetime. Skin starts it's aging process from the moment of you're birth, because of this if your serious about having more control over the aging process and wrinkling in general, it is best to start taking preventive measure early on in life. Even though there is only so much one can do to prevent the natural signs of aging, there are many ways to slow the onset and delay their appearance.

What are the causes of skin aging and wrinkles?

As time passes, many of the important components of our skin such as collagen and elastin begin to break down which then causes our skin to start to lose it's natural elasticity. The effect of this is our skins normal structure and it's inherent ability to spring back into form are diminished. Our cell reproduction levels start to slow as we get older with age. This in turn causes fat cells and our oil glands to begin to atrophy. When this occurs,the production of emulsions which are designed to help keep the skin moist begin to slow; this results in the skin becoming dry. To add to the fact, the effects of gravity are an unavoidable contributor to the process and soon our arms, jowls and eyelids start to sag as well.

We also can not forget the other environmental factors that add to the onset of aging and wrinkling. Things such as cigarette smoking, laughing, air pollution, and frowning, as well as being in the sun unprotected for long periods can all play a role in adding additional stresses to our skin. The important thing to note about these different environmental factors is that they are within most peoples ability to control if they are willing to put the effort in. As of now there is no way to completely stop the aging process, but we sure can control some of the factors that contribute to its acceleration.

Smoking cigarettes helps to promote the release of oxidants. Oxidants cause our body to slow down the production of new elastin and collagen. Oxidants are more commonly known as free radicals. Our best defense against them is to protect ourselves of their negative effects by making sure our diet is rich in anti oxidants, and high in minerals and vitamins. Smoking also causes restrictions in the blood flow of the epidermis layer of our skin. This can cause us not to get the necessary quantity of nutrients we need for it to stay healthy.

Cigarette smoking also has a natural repetitive motion that contributes to the formation of wrinkles. Specifically with the contraction of the muscles around the mouth area. This routine stress helps to accelerate wrinkling and skin aging as you are causing the same muscle contractions that occur when frowning and laughing. Air pollution is another factor that causes us to wrinkle by depriving our skin of the much needed Vitamin E which is a very important antioxidant in preventing aging.

Another sure fire way to slow down wrinkling and aging is to always protect your skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. These rays have the potential to penetrate any unprotected layers of our skin. The sun's ray's can produce a form of radiation that can seriously and potentially cause permanent damage to the cells that form our skins tissue. It is believed that UVA rays are capable of releasing oxidants (free radicals), which are unstable particles known to cause extensive cell damage.

Basic Skin care for anti-aging and wrinkle prevention.

First and foremost don't over look the obvious, like keeping your skin clean and moist. This is one of the best and simplest skin care regimes for preventing aging and wrinkling. Many times this is a better solution than those high priced products that make big promise to end your wrinkle worries forever. Simply wash with warm (not hot) water and use a gentle quality cleanser. When finished, towel pat your skin dry to make sure some of the moisture still remains. Using hot water and harsh soaps or detergents cause depletion of the skins essential oils thus creating additional dryness. It is probably also wise to avoid products with commercial dyes or perfumes since they may cause skin irritation. When removing any eye makeup from the skin surrounding the eyes, be gentle as this is a very delicate area and is very prone to wrinkling on the whole. So there it is - an inexpensive and simple skin care regimen to reduce wrinkles and slow down aging.

Getting old is something we all must go through and aging is one of those unstoppable processes we will all have to deal with, and as such so is the development of wrinkles. But we can help to protect ourselves and our skin by living an overall healthy lifestyle. So eat right, make sure you get adequate exercise, and avoid smoking and excess alcohol.

For more information on general skin care and topics including rosacea, eczema and psoriasis visit us at http://skin-care.info-journal.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stacy_Richford

Ways to Boost Your Immune System

2006-07-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

By Philip Culver

There are many ways by which you can boost your immune system function. Many people become more prone to infections and illness as they suffer from weak immune systems. Do you suffer from weak immune system? If yes than you should research on methods of boosting immune system function to help your body fights against the next burst of common colds or influenza in your area.

The easiest way to boost your immune system function is by eating healthy and balanced diet. Constantly eating fast foods or diet that contains little nutrient value can never be associated with boosting immune system function and result in weak immune system.

Balanced diet that is rich in Vitamin C and also those that have large amounts of Vitamin E are thought to work towards boosting immune system function. Experts believe this type of diet helps in boosting immune system performance. Anyone can include these vitamins in their diet as these vitamins are readily available in many vegetables and fruits. Garlic also helps in assisting immune system functions if you like the taste of garlic as it can be easily used in many dishes including soups, sauces and salads. Many people with weak immune system use garlic in their daily diet to supplement immune system.

Regular exercise also plays an important role in supplementing immune system as diet is not the only way to boost immune system performance. As it is said, healthy mind is the base for a healthy body. Exercising regularly helps to keep mind fresh and also fights depression. Hence, exercise also helps to maintain mental health in addition to boosting immune system.

Stress levels play a major role in boosting immune system functions. Many people dealing with problems like loss of job or death of close relative or business tensions are easily prone to cold, flu or an infection. Stressful life with less physical and mental rest results in compromise of their immune system. Even if you can t does anything to reduce stress then you must at least take extra vitamins and take a balanced diet.

One of the major factors for weak immune system is insufficient sleep and hectic schedule. Sleeping for eight hours for people who does mental work and six hours for people for those who do physical work is necessary for a good immune system. To sleep well is essential for a healthy lifestyle. A good night’s sleep helps in boosting immune system functioning. Yes, I can understand that it is difficult to get enough sleep each night in the today’s busy world where we have to work for long hours and also fulfill the demands of home and family. Lack of sleep results in becoming more susceptible to picking up illnesses and may lead to a run down feeling and a lack of energy and even depression in some people.

How to boost your immune system is in your hands. You will have to follow some simple rules and steps to overcome this problem. For a good immune system you need to consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly and try to reduce stress. To stay healthy care for your body and mind!!

http://www.myfitnessdirectoryonline.com is a website dedicated to providing articles about health and wellness and fitness. Click through for more articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Culver

Vitamins Nutrition Supplements - Are They Really Needed?

2006-07-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

By: Olinda Rola

Are vitamins nutrition supplements really needed? Vitamins nutrition supplements should be considered nutritional substances that provide health benefits. Ideally, these benefits will have been proven by clinical studies.

What we consume each day is important, and eating a balanced diet makes sense. Assuming that happens on a regular basis, one problem today is that nutrient values of foods have been declining for decades due to soil depletion. And as for what we eat, for example, the USDA food pyramid recommends consuming 2-1/2 cups of vegetables a day for women and 3 cups a day for men. In reality, most adults just do not consume these minimum amounts, and thus the need for high-quality vitamins nutrition supplements for optimum health.

Quality nutrition supplements are much more than just vitamins and minerals. The bodies of both women and men need and will use a wide array of anti-aging natural supplements such as amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavanoids, neuronutrients and specialized substances such as L-Carnosine, alpha lipoic acid and acetyl L-Carnitine. Vitamins nutrition supplements products that support the health of the heart, eyes, brain, immune system, joints and so on are being proven by studies on an ongoing basis.

Today, we live longer, and we want those extra years to be active ones full of energy and health. The basis for good health is a lifestyle that includes a sensible diet with vitamins nutrition supplements, sufficient quality sleep, moderate exercise and weight management.

High-quality, anti-aging nutrition supplements help fill in the gaps everyone will have in their diet. The essential nutrients that the body needs are extensive and complex. Vitamins and minerals are just the beginning. Other nutrients that provide significant anti-aging benefits are the key to improved energy, better health and freedom from disease.

The best vitamins nutrition supplements cannot be the one-a-day type and the reason is simple. One tablet cannot hold all that's needed in necessary quantities as it would be way too large to swallow. One-a-day vitamins are probably a waste of money as studies have shown. When trying to design your own supplement plan, however, it's easy to end up with a dozen or more individual substances to take daily, which is both a hassle and costly.

And women really need a different vitamin formula than men. Women's vitamins nutrition supplements should contain nutrients proven to support the balancing of female hormones for women in their 30's and beyond. Men's vitamin supplements should contain ingredients that support male prostate health.

Fortunately, there are manufacturers that provide quality vitamins nutrition supplements at reasonable prices. One manufacturer even has the individual ingredients linked to the relevant clinical studies. Before spending your money, be as informed as you can about the nutrient products you'll be taking every day.

About the Author: Learn more about the best vitamins for women and where to find them at http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/vitamins-for-women.html - Olinda Rola is President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a website of natural health articles, sources and information for women and men.

Anti Aging Natural Supplements - Forever Young

2006-07-16T22:47:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

Since the last article I wrote was about Anti Aging Natural Supplements, I thought you would love this short article by Ray Page. I found it interesting and thought you would to.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think.

Dave

Forever Young: Anti-aging -- Why Not Me?

We’ve all heard the “fountain of youth” programs.

There must be dozens of them: pills, creams, Bo-tox injections, etc. As aging baby boomers we’re in search of quick, perfect and easy “fountains” for ourselves. Let’s face it, we each want to slow the ticking of our own aging clock.

At the tender young age of 30 I decided I wanted to stop growing older. Why would I want to get any older? Thirty seemed the perfect age to be -- forever. As a New Age explorer, during the late 70’s I roamed the Redwood hills of Northern California seeking truth. This is how my quest to have more control over how I age, which is called anti-aging, began. At this time I am pleased to report that indeed my quest for youth is paying off. Now at the “calendar” age of 55, except for a few silver hairs I both look and feel not much over 35 years old.

As I began to research the subject, I found that the mind/body connection to anti-aging became clear. After all, Google has over 14 million hits on the subject. “Youthing” is the term I now use to explain anti-aging. Youthing is an idea whose time has come. What did I discover during my quest? I found that multiple disciplines -- including but not limited to breathwork, firewalking, fasting, yoga, and hypnosis -- all helped me to shape my future. Lessons in dancing, they were.

Most of us assume that anti-aging is just about “sticking around” for a little longer, but this is only a small part of the quest. Youthing is a state of being . It's an awareness. Youthing is really about “stepping up to the plate” and taking your power into the very fabric of our reality -- into every cell of our bodies. We can all have more control over how we age; the best part is that youthing doesn't involve buying pills or cremes, or joining a club. Youthing is a training system that teaches each of us to let go of old counterproductive and worn-out beliefs, programs, and assumptions. Essentially, we learn to automatically say ”yes” to a long and healthy life, and without even thinking about it -- without using our old habits, which leave us as they’re replaced by new ones.

When we expect to slow down the aging process, we can create -- each at our own cellular level -- conditions that justify this belief. As Deepak Chopra wrote in AGELESS BODY, TIMELESS MIND ( Harmony Books,1993): “Aging seems to be something that’s happening to you when in fact it is something your body has learned to do. It has learned to carry out the programming fed into it by you, the programmer”. What is easy, fun and very effective is hypnosis. Hypnotherapy is simple, very effective, and can be fun depending on its purpose. Whether sessions are done in person or by telephone, they can set the stage for stretching beyond set limitations. Hypnosis is the art of placing the conscious self in a state of strong suggestibility. During this time the conscious self is very open to change; it can literally set aside any limiting beliefs that may have been interfering with one’s ability to change.

It’s a proven fact that our bodies are constantly creating new and healthy cells to replace old and damaged ones, and every new cell gets its “replacing” instructions from the DNA contained in the old cell. So, it stands to reason that if our DNA programs our new cells with the healthiest and most youthful information possible as a blueprint for development, the body’s cell memories will change for the better, by being “younger”. This process is called “Cell Transformation”. The question arises: can hypnosis really be used in order to literally tell our bodies cells to be younger? From my experience, I strongly believe that the answer is yes. Lets wrap this up. Youthing is the process of participating in the act of a successful anti-aging program. It involves one’s past, present and future. Here's why: the past is forever with us. We can't do away with it; we can't change it. But we can make it work for us, because addressing and healing childhood traumas (with regard to induced and conditioned beliefs about aging) can be explored and corrected. Also, learning to forgive ourselves and others can do wonders for us and for our present youthing goals. Finally, seeing ourselves alive, fit, and healthy, now and and in the future, is a vital part of everyone’s youthing process..

I’m currently working with energy medicine that is directed toward youthing techniques. It is very effective; I could write so much more about it. But remember this: your body is the most valuable possession you own. By consciously programming your mind and body to remain youthful, the old paradigm -- of collective conditioning -- is broken. As Richard Bach put it so concisely in his classic 1977 book, ILLUSIONS: “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours.” Don’t limit how you age. Find out how it is to feel good!

Copyright Ray Page

Ray Page: Have been working with anti-aging concepts and technologies since 1979. At times I’am astonished and amazed how this stuff really works. Cynthia Bishop: partner, editor and R.N. Ray is a writer, certified clinical hypnotherapist, firewalk instructor, and anti-aging coach. Reach him redtailhawk@fastmail.net - http://www.redtailhawk.bravehost.com.

Health and Liquid Vitamins

2006-07-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

Health and Liquid Vitamins

It has been know for some time that we do not get enough vitamins, minerals and nutrition from the food we eat. But even though we may try to supplement our diets, we still may not be getting everything our bodies truly need. If your body is not able to absorb the nutrients from the supplements that you take, then you are still deficient of much needed nutrition.

Unfortunately, many of the vitamins and supplements on the market today do not get absorbed by the body. Vitamins and supplements in solid form actually can pass through the body only being absorbed 10 to 20 percent. So most of these supplements that people think they are taking actually end up being flushed away.

The solution is liquid vitamins. The idea is that optimum health and liquid vitamins go hand and hand together. The absorption rate can actually be up to 98% when supplementing your diet through liquid vitamins.

But the true proof is trying it out for you. For me, I noticed a significant difference when switching from solid vitamins to liquid ones. I have noticed that I have much more energy and am not getting sick as often as I used to. I even have found that I am able to sleep less at night and still feel like I did with more sleep.

Health and liquid vitamins are more important than ever especially in a time when we are too much in a hurry to sit down and eat a healthy meal as we are always on the run looking to squeeze every minute we can out of our day. But don’t just trust me, try the comparison yourself and let us know your results.

Until next time…Good Health and Well-being!

Dave Kettner
www.allholistichealth.com
www.antioxidantsupplements.net

Anti Aging Natural Supplements

2006-07-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Anti Aging Natural Supplements

Anti aging natural supplements - do they exist? Is it possible that anti aging natural supplements can slow the aging process? Absolutely! Numerous clinical studies have shown and are still discovering the health benefits of many nutrients. The foundation for good health is a lifestyle that includes a sensible diet with nutritional supplements, reasonable exercise and weight management. It is important to be aware of what NOT to eat as well as what you should eat. In general, if it comes in a packet or is processed, it's healthier not to eat it.

Slowing down the aging process includes providing your body all the nutrients it requires. These nutrients must work at the cellular level repairing your DNA and RNA. Ideally, you should be able to obtain the essential nutrients from your diet. However, that has not been possible for years. Numerous studies have found the overall nutrient value of foods has been declining for decades due to soil depletion.

Taking one of the high-quality, broad-spectrum anti aging natural supplements helps fill in the dietary gaps that everyone will have. The essential nutrients that you need are extensive and complex. Your body also needs and will use a wide array of anti aging natural supplements - amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavanoids, neuronutrients, certain herbal extracts, enzymes and specialized substances such as L-Carnosine, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl L-Carnitine, ATP precursors and so on. And these nutrients have to be in the correct proportions to each other based on the latest research.

Even the best anti aging natural supplements cannot substitute for a poor diet. For example, the USDA food pyramid recommends consuming 2.5 cups of vegetables a day for women and 3 cups a day for men - most people simply do not. Consuming mostly junk food, sodas and sweets and taking anti aging natural supplements will not provide you with all the nutrients your body needs. Anti aging supplements should be considered supplements to, not replacements for, a reasonably balanced diet.

If you are serious about slowing down your aging process, remember that there is no single magic pill, supplement or hormone that on its own will help you achieve this objective. The best anti aging natural supplements aren't the one-a-day vitamin type. Why? One capsule or tablet simply cannot hold all that's needed in necessary quantities - it would be way too large to swallow. The minimal vitamins and minerals found in the typical one-a-day supermarket vitamins are only the beginning and probably a waste of money.

And on the other hand, when trying to design your own supplement plan, it's easy to end up with a dozen or more individual vitamins and minerals to take daily, which is both a hassle and expensive. Besides, if certain substances are out of balance, it's possible they can combine to produce other unwanted compounds that can be harmful. This is why buying a variety of supplements and taking them together can sometimes even be dangerous.

Another important consideration is that women need a different vitamin formula than men. Women's anti aging natural supplements should contain nutrients proven by clinical studies to support the balancing of female hormones in the years before, during and after menopause. And the best anti aging supplements for men should contain ingredients proven to support healthy male prostate.

Learn as much as you can about what finding the best anti aging natural supplements really means. After all, your health, energy and wellness is the issue. Before spending your money, be informed about the products you'll be taking every day.

David Buster, http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com (source: www.isnare.com)

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Dietary Supplementation

2006-05-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I wrote to you about Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Dietary Supplementation and the benefits that taking it has in store for people who use it daily. I wrote about some of its holistic health benefits, but there are many more. So, I thought I would share this article that I came across today that discusses more detail about liquid stabilized oxygen and its positive effects on fighting cancer.

Enjoy!

Dave

Cancer and Oxygen
(Posted on the web at http://www.1cure4cancer.com)

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen

You have heard about the concentration of oxygen in the air we breath is being slowly reduced. This means we have to breath more air to get sufficient oxygen. Now the link between insufficient oxygen and disease is firmly established. The more oxygen we have in our system, the more energy we produce. researchers have found that the human body was originally designed to grow and operate at a 50% stronger concentration of oxygen than what's currently available. Knowing this, how do we get a higher level of concentration of oxygen into our bodies?

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is the answer.

Four basic components which have to do with the generation and maintenance of the life process are proteins, carbohydrates, water and energy. When looked at from the standpoint of their chemical makeup, the importance of oxygen becomes readily apparent.

nitrogen + carbon + hydrogen + oxygen = protein
carbon + hydrogen + oxygen = carbohydrates
hydrogen + oxygen = water
oxygen + carbohydrates = energy

All four of these vital elements of life...
have at least this one thing in common- OXYGEN!

The makeup of the human body is largely composed of the element oxygen. Especially after you factor in the human body being about four-fifths water, with water itself being at least 33% oxygen. The process of oxygenating the human body works like this: When a person breathes, there is an exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. The oxygen, which is taken in by the body from the atmosphere around us, is picked up by the hemoglobin in the blood and distributed to all of the body's seven trillion cells where, among other things, it is then used for another vital process called oxidation.

Any form of stress can cause oxygen deficiency. Stress due to chemical toxicity leads to a reduction in oxygen as the body attempts to detoxify itself by oxidizing accumulated toxins; emotional stress produces adrenaline and adrenaline-related hormones, requiring the body to draw down its oxygen reserves for their production and eventual oxidation; infection also depletes the body of oxygen which it uses to combat bacteria. Even the stress of a chronically heavy workload will deplete the body of much needed oxygen. In short, oxygen deficiency will result from any excessive stress, whatever the cause.

Also a chronically acidic system-practically a "given" for most people in today's society-also causes the body to draw down its precious oxygen reserves. Doctors believe this often leads to a vicious cycle of toxin accumulation and oxygen depletion which eventually results in serious illness and disease.

Cancer has only one prime cause. It is the replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body's cells by an anaerobic (ie., oxygen-deficient) cell respiration).

Symptoms of Oxygen Deficiency

Over all bodily weakness, muscle aches, depression, dizziness, irritability, fatigue, memory loss, irrational behavior, chronic hostility, circulation problems, poor digestion, acid stomach, lowered immunity to olds, flu and infection, bronchial problems, tumors and deposit build ups, bacterial, viral and parasitic, infections.

The solution.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is a welcome arrival for effective solutions to accelerate treatment.

Couple that with the fact that oxidation is also the process the body uses to quickly rid itself of built-up toxins, poisons, infectious microorganisms and their toxic waste products, and you can realize the effectiveness of Liquid Stabilized Oxygen.

How does Liquid Stabilized Oxygen work?

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is a new generation of super oxygenation technology.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen, which some call Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is a safe, non-toxic, supplement containing Liquid Stabilized Oxygen molecules [primarily diatomic oxygen, or O2- Ed.] in a liquid solution of sodium chloride (otherwise known as "salt") and distilled water. When taken orally as a daily supplement [10-20 drops in a glass of pure water, 2-3 times per day-Ed.], it makes PURE OXYGEN available to be immediately absorbed directly into the bloodstream. The hemoglobin then carries this oxygen straight to your body's cells and tissues, highly saturating them with oxygen in the process. This gives your body's cells and tissues the extra oxygen they need to help fire up your body's vital oxidizing processes, which in turn allows your body to oxidize and metabolize a far greater proportion of your nutrient intake, as well as purifying your bloodstream and oxidizing and eliminating from your body any accumulated toxins and poisons.

What is Liquid Stabilized Oxygen?

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is a liquid solution which contains intact oxygen molecules ready for immediate absorption, the older Chlorite type compounds must first come into contact with the hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach before oxygen is released by way of a vigorous chemical reaction. What's more, unlike Liquid Stabilized Oxygen which is pH balanced and can be placed directly onto the skin, the older Chlorite type compounds are extremely caustic [pH values usually in excess of 10!- Ed.] and can do serious damage to the skin and delicate mucous membranes.

Don't confuse Liquid Stabilized Oxygen with a therapy using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This therapy can be quite harmful to the body.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is natural oxygen and therefore cannot harm the body in any way. The downside of Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is zero, nothing, no side effects at all!

On the contrary, Liquid Stabilized Oxygen has fantastic benefits.

"Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is helpful in such a myriad of ways besides its obvious anti-bacterial/viral/fungal properties. For example, it can be added to contaminated water (20-30 drops per liter) and left to stand for 24 hours to completely neutralize any potentially harmful water-borne pathogens that may be present. Imagine how beneficial this is for anyone traveling to third world countries where giardia is a real problem. Liquid Stabilized Oxygen accelerates the results of herbal, vitamin, enzyme and mineral supplements. The areas of highest efficacy are in the treatment of herpes simplex I and II, candida albicans, M.E., influenza, low grade chest infections, asthma, sinus problems and eczema."

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen can also help overcome chronic sluggishness.

The Chief Benefits

According to the experts, taking Liquid Stabilized Oxygen on a daily basis helps to provide the following benefits:

Increases oxygen uptake at the cellular level
Dramatically boosts energy levels
Strengthens the immune system
Quickly heightens concentration and alertness
Has a calming effect on the nervous system
Allows the body to focus plenty of oxygen on its primary metabolic functions without having to draw down oxygen reserves to fight illness and disease
Rapidly kills infectious bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites without harming beneficial microorganisms needed by the body
Greatly enhances uptake of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, and other essential nutrients, from either natural food sources or from dietary supplements
Gives the body the added oxygen it needs to oxidize and eliminate built-up toxins and poisons in the cells, tissues and bloodstream
Promotes up to 50% faster recovery from injury, stress or strenuous exercise
Aids tremendously in the treatment of respiratory and allergy related conditions such as asthma, sinus and upper respiratory infection.
How is Liquid Stabilized Oxygen created?

The Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is processed by a secret, proprietary method [The developer doesn't want to patent the method, simply because he would have to disclose it to the US Patent Office and therefore risk having someone steal it!]. The only disclosure available is that the method uses distilled water and a very tiny amount of food grade salt, which is heated with an electrical current in order to create dissolved oxygen, along with other species of oxygen, all of which are bio-available. An almost insignificant amount of molecular sodium chloride (otherwise known as "salt") remains in the final solution, less than 40 parts per million, per dose.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen is not on any government agencies list of "Minimum Daily Requirements" for essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Therefore the answer is that in the low oxygen concentration environment that we live, we must breath at least three times the air to get sufficient oxygen to maintain a truly healthy human body. That is why we suggest 10 to 20 drops per day added to "filtered" water, depending on the individual. Each 2oz bottle should be a one-month's supply per individual.

What's more, Liquid Stabilized Oxygen appears to work without creating artificial chemical conditions in the body! Instead, it restores the body's own oxygen balance closer to the high natural range it was originally intended to function under.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Supplement

2006-05-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post some new information, but these past few days have just been so busy! Needless to say, I am very excited that today is Friday and a hopefully relaxing weekend lies ahead.

Being so busy really got me thinking about how my body would have felt in the past had I not been taking supplements and vitamins. Most likely a week like I just had would have at minimally drained my body enough to catch some sort of cold or virus. This was very common especially my first few years of being a teacher. This then twice a year would lead into a sinus infection and put me in a state of misery of which I could not function without having to be put on an antibiotic. I used to think that it was just a natural twice a year occurrence that I could not do anything to prevent. Boy was I dead wrong!

Today I decided to introduce to you one of the products that has truly changed my life for the healthier by using Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Supplement daily into my diet. Of course we all know that we need oxygen to live, but many people do not know that often our bodies and organs do not get the necessary oxygen they need to stay healthy. Without a consistent and adequate supply of oxygen, we cannot utilize the nutrients our body requires for healthy cell metabolism.

Our bodies are on a daily basis experiencing what is called oxygen starvation from the following factors:

Emotional stresses caused by increases of adrenaline which forces our
bodies to use available oxygen to metabolize chemicals and reestablish
metabolic balance.
Lack of exercise which reduces the bodies ability to cleanse itself of toxins and reduces the capacity of the body to intake oxygen.
Pollution and toxins in the air we breathe and water we drink which
increases the oxygen our bodies need to metabolize and eliminate lethal
chemicals from the body.
Improper diets that are high in fat reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood stream.
Reduction in available atmospheric oxygen by as much as 50% over the
past 200 years because of the elimination of green plants, tropical rain
forests, growth, and pollution.
Physical trauma and infections causes the immune system to be oxygen deprived as bacteria and viruses but tremendous stress on our bodily systems.

But what can taking a liquid stabilized oxygen supplement do for you? Well, let’s take a look at what ailments this supplementation has helped actual people already.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Supplementation can:

Improve sinus problems, prevent and eliminate infections without the use of taking antibiotics.
Improve breathing for people who have respiratory problems.
Eliminate epileptic attacks from people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Slow or stop cancer growth as it will not grow in the presence of oxygen.
Kill infectious bacteria and eliminate chlorine from drinking water.
Reverse the effects of emphysema by breaking up bronchial infections and allow for oxygen absorption that the lungs were no longer capable of doing anymore.
Improve other respiratory problems.
Aids in digestion before food nutrition’s are lost by infectious bacteria in
the body.
Has shown to clear up Candidiasis with daily supplementation.
Can aid in clearing up infections due to sore throats, ulcers, and kidney infections.
Reverse the effects of the common cold and increase recovery time.
Relieves breathing issues related to chronic asthma problems.

Click here to view some actual customer’s testimonials and how Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Supplements have helped them with their ailments.

For me personally, I have noticed feeling healthier with more energy, not getting sick as much as I used to, and all but eliminating my sinus problems that I used to have.

Please respond to this article as I look forward to your comments and how Liquid Stabilized Oxygen Supplementation has helped you.

Until next time, good health and well-being!

Natural Colon Cleanse System

2006-05-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

pTo begin a healthy living lifestyle or to maintain your natural health diet, you first have to be healthy inside. This means using a holistic health system for cleansing your body thoroughly with a colon cleanser dietary fiber supplement and stool softener.

People have taken to their workout programs using weights, aerobics, running, and other methods of staying fit. Many of these health conscious people try to eat healthy and supplement their diets with vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements. Though, the colon is often not thought of as something needing attention in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and boosting the immune system. An unhealthy colon can be the root of many health issues!

Reabsorbing nutrients and water into our bodies is the colon's main function along with ridding the body of toxins and waste materials through regular bowel movements. When the bowel is impacted, however, problems arise such as constipation, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis and colon cancer. Common symptoms resulting from accumulated toxins in the bowel can include headaches, bad breath, allergy symptoms, PMS, fatigue, depression, irritability, bloating, and frequent infections.

As Dr James and Phyllis Balch writes, “Retained debris in the colon leads to the absorption of toxins resulting in systemic poisoning. Colon cleansing can rid the colon of debris and help prevent and treat a variety of health problems.”

In order to prevent such problems, it is recommended that one regularly cleanses their colon. The holistic health option for this is called colon cleansing. It has been shown that the average adult has between 5 and 40 pounds of compacted waste in their bowels and is in need of a complete natural colon cleanse. There are many products that claim to provide a successful colon cleansing system, but not all are equal and provide the same benefits.

The best alternative herbal medicine for cleansing your colon successfully while not being harsh on your body's system is using stabilized oxygen based colon cleansers. Psyllium and other fiber products only flush out the large debris that are clogging up the colon in the center. Stabilized oxygen therapy removes the old impacted fecal matter as it detoxifies and cleans out the entire colon.

This alternative health care solution is provided by Aerobic Life Industries which is supplied by All Holistic Health. Our Mag O7 colon cleanse line has the right amount of oxygen for that ultimate cleanse the body needs.

Liquid stabilized Oxygen is another natural health solution for boosting your immune system and living a healthy lifestyle. I will focus more on this supplement in my next article.

For more information on this and many other alternative health care solutions, please visit http://www.allholistichealth.com providing the following colon cleansing products:

10 Day Colon Cleansing Kit (with Aloe Vera Softgels)
10 Day Colon Cleansing Kit (with Aloe Vera Juice)
45 Day Colon Cleansing Kit for the Colon, Blood, and Lymph
Aerobic Bulk Colon Cleanser
ABC Max Bulk Cleanser
ABC Max Herbal Colon Cleanser
Digestive Enzyme Blend
Mag O7 Magnesium Oxygen (90 Softgels)
Mag O7 Magnesium Oxygen (180 Softgels)
Mag O7 Magnesium Oxygen (150 Grams Powder)

Until next time...Good Health and Well-being!

Dave Kettner