Complete Guide to Natural Healing and Health

Grow Your Own Remedies

2011-02-21T14:59:00.006+01:00

TOP TEN SUPERSTAR MEDICINAL FOODS FOR YOUR VEGGIE PATCH

Even in the smallest garden, you can create a complete medicinal herb patch. With space at premium, you need to make sure that each plant is really earning its keep.

Below is a list of the top ten plants that are as versatile as they are effective.

• Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) - soothes indigestion and colic, eases tension, and is good for skin irritations.

• Echinacea - boosts the immune system, and lessens the severity of colds and flu

• Lavender - calms and relaxes during stressful times, eases pain and is antiseptic for cuts and bruises.

• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) - soothes nervous tension and anxiety, promotes sleep, and is good for cold sores.

• Marigold (Calendula officinalis) - good for sunburn, and for acne and spots, soothes ulcers and digestive problems.

• Peppermint - good for digestion, wind and headaches.

• Rosemary - helps memory and concentration, improves mood, sweetens breath.

• Sage - for coughs, colds and congestion, hot flushes.

• St John's Wort - anti-depressant and promotes skin healing

• Viola (Viola tricolor) - anti-inflammatory, good for eczema and skin eruptions, and loosens phlegm.

If you have a greenhouse you can boost the contents of your herbal cabinet by growing useful but tender plants such as ginger and cucumber. If you have a windowsill only, an aloe vera plant is a great option.

Many of the above plants can simply be taken as a tea (wash, chop and steep in hot water for 10 minutes).

Related article:

You might like to try this Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) face lotion for relaxation.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) - relaxes the skin and gives it a face wash too. It’s easy in use and simply made.

Ingredients

- Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

- Lavender

- 20 ml Alcohol 60%

- 100 ml Boiling water

Put 3 tea spoons of Lemon Balm leaves and 1 tea spoon of Lavender in a pot or jar. Add the 100 ml of Boiling water to the mix. Leave it alone for 10 minutes. Use a coffee filter as a funnel to pour the mix into a bottle. Let it cool down, then add the Alcohol. Shake the bottle gently. It’s ready to use; store it on a dark cold spot and you can preserve this lotion 6 months.

Manage Stress: Reduce Your Risk of Colds and Flu Naturally

2011-01-06T17:56:00.002+01:00

If you've been coming down with more than your share of colds and the flu, it could very likely be due to prolonged unmanaged stress.

Chronic stress makes you more vulnerable to catching colds and other infections, while actually impairing your immune system's ability to respond to its own anti-inflammatory signals, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). This may increase your risk of a host of inflammatory diseases, including allergies, autoimmune diseases and heart disease.

In fact, a full 75 percent to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are thought to be for stress-related health problems, according to the American Institute of Stress (AIS). Most medical science agrees that to the degree we feel stress and suppress how we feel, to that degree we are interfering with the body's natural immune response.

Stress is the immune system's worst enemy. Whether you're dealing with a brief bout of craziness like Christmas shopping, or a longer-lasting stressor like divorce, your body's ability to fight germs is compromised by physical and mental tension.

Are you secretly sabotaging your immune system every time you feel stress?

Click to read Stress, Cortisol and Immune System

Healthy Aging: Benefits of Sprouts

2010-10-28T15:16:00.002+02:00

Eating healthy is one of the best ways you can take care of yourself especially when you are over 40, get ideas at Healthy Aging: Benefits of Sprouts

Why add Sunflower Seed to our diets?

2010-09-16T16:11:00.002+02:00

There's something so absolutely happy and, yes, rather healing about looking out across a field of bright, yellow, smiling sunflowers.

The way they all gaze forward, shining up and out towards the sun with their petals open wide, just makes me totally grin. Yet, as is always the case, it is also what lies within that makes this flower that much more special!

Loaded with healthy fats, vitamin E, selenium, protein, copper, folates, iron, zinc and B vitamins, the sunflower gives it's glory in both shell and oil form.

Here's what's got us snacking on sunflower seeds:

•Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, which rids the body of free radicals that cause heart problems and cellular damage.

•Sunflower seeds contain phytosterols which help lower blood cholesterol.

•The seeds are very high in Magnesium, which has so many incredible effects on the body. Magnesium is well know for its great anti-stress abilities!

•They contain Selenium, which prevents the formation of cancerous cells.

•Sunflower seeds contain the healthy kind of fats. Poly- and mono-unsaturated fat in the seeds protect the heart against artery blockages.

•The seeds contain phytochemicals like choline, phenolic acids, lignan and betaine, which are known to prevent heart disease and cancer.

Related Read:

Who Needs Dairy Anyway? Benefits of sesame seeds.

Mung beans for Healthy Eating

2010-08-29T19:06:00.016+02:00

Mung beans are an important constituent of human diets in Central, Southern and Eastern Asia and have been cultivated in this region for centuries. Mung beans provide a major source of protein in cereal-based diets. The dried seeds may be eaten whole or split, cooked or fermented, milled and ground into a flour. Whole or split seeds are used to make dhall, soups, and curries and are added to various spiced dishes.

Germinated mung bean sprouts are extensively used in Chinese cooking and are becoming popular in Western countries where they are used as a garnish in mixed diets or as a valuable source of protein in vegetarian diets.

Mung beans, apart from being a good source of protein in the diets of millions of people also contain useful amounts of fiber, potassium, and B vitamins. They contain low levels of fat, cholesterol and sodium. The total phosphorus content of the seed is relatively high, but much of this is present as phytate. The phytate ion complexes with zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron making insoluble compounds that are not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Germination, soaking fermentation and cooking all reduce the effect of phytate in legumes.

Mung beans sprouts can easily be obtained by germinating the seeds in the dark for up to 4 days. Sprouting does not require soil or direct sunlight and is not limited to seasonal growth. Large amounts of sprouts can be obtained in a relatively short time. Some vitamins are synthesized in the germinating seeds and sprouts are a very cheap source of vitamins.

Get more info at Fresh Network.

Juicing versus blending - which is better?

2010-07-12T11:29:00.007+02:00

Is it better to juice your fresh, raw, organic fruits and veggies, or to blend them? In today's must-read article excerpt, nutritionist and deep-tissue cleansing specialist Emma Sgourakis outlines the pros and cons of both and explains why she thinks one is optional but the other is mandatory.

The article is from the newly-released Summer issue of Get Fresh! magazine, which also features:

Dao Earl on why the agave controversy is a simple reminder of the difference between "natural" and "processed"
Tonya Zavasta's guide to achieving a beautiful complexion with a raw diet and lifestyle an exclusive report by Thomas Lodi, M.D. on new research showing the cancer-protective powers of broccoli and other Brassica vegetables cutting-edge info on making your health regime truly holistic, from leading nutritionist Niki Gratrix
an article on why we must make a lifetime commitment to regular cleansing if optimal health is our goal, by Fiona Robertson
all you need to know to make your own raw ice cream, plus three fantastic recipes - exclusive feature from inSpiral Lounge, renowned for London's best raw ice cream

The Summer issue is packed with many other great articles - go here to see the full rundown, and/or to order your copy.

Eating for Beauty by David Wolfe

2010-07-09T10:31:00.005+02:00

As the old adage goes, to look young and naturally beautiful, you have to nurture your inside. Most fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants and vitamins vital for good skin. Antioxidants are essential to help ward off free radicals that we encounter in our everyday lives. through smoking sunbathing, fried and junk food, infections, stress, radiation and polluted environments. All these elements make us age and by making sure we eat plenty of fruits and veg rich in antioxidants, we help slow down this process.

Fruits such as the superfoods blue berries, black berries, strawberries, black plums, apples, red grapes are all rich in anti oxidants. Veggies are also great source of antioxidants, because almost all contain one or more of the following: vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and beta carotene, all hailed for having high antioxidant properties. Dark orange, red, yellow and green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, red peppers and yellow peppers, are all excellent sources of beta carotene also known as Vitamin A. This helps rejuvenate and protect the complexion, and it promotes efficient skin cell regeneration - important in order to maintain the skin's suppleness. It also works to block the sun's UV rays we are exposed to when outside too long

When you don't get enough of these, free radicals can do permanent damage to the skin, and this can lead to discoloration, dryness and those dreaded wrinkles. So feed your skin from the inside!

"Proper nutrition is an art. It is an art form. Every bite is a brush stroke. Every swallow is a new color. Each meal is a cloud or a tree or a flower a piece of the beautiful painting that you are becoming. You are becoming an ever more attractive work of art each day. You truly are a work of art in progress."

In Eating for Beauty , David Wolfe one of America's foremost nutrition experts, describes how to cleanse, nourish, and beautify by utilizing the benefits of a fresh-food diet. You can apply the lessons contained within this book to improve your appearance, vitality, and health.

Beauty is the universal language. Whether it is skin-care, a fresh-food diet, vital energy, or any other facet of healthy living, David Wolfe is the authority. Contains over 100 full-color photos and illustrations and references the most unique and highest-quality natural beauty products in the world!

Table of Contents:

* Introduction

* Lesson 1: Cosmic Beauty

* Lesson 2: Beauty Nutrition

* Lesson 3: The Acid/Alkaline Balance Simplified

* Lesson 4: The Three Food Classes

* Lesson 5: Elements of The Beauty Diet

* Lesson 6: Detoxification & Transformation

* Lesson 7: Alchemical Beauty Secrets (The Beauty Minerals)

* Lesson 8: Beautifying Foods

* Lesson 9: The Beauty Diet

* Lesson 10: Beauty Recipes

* Lesson 11: Body Beauty (Skin, Hair, Nails, Teeth, Eyes, Voice)

* Lesson 12: Yoga; Beauty Sleep

* Lesson 13: The Psychology of Beauty Consciousness

Get your copy of Eating for Beauty by David Wolfe

Natural Sleep Aids with Relaxation Techniques

2010-07-08T18:56:00.004+02:00

Relaxation techniques are one of the most effective ways to increase sleep time, fall asleep faster, and feel more rested in the morning. They require a minimum of 20 minutes before going to bed.

There are many different techniques:

· Visualization involves imagining a relaxing scene. You can try it in bed before falling asleep. Involve all your senses. If you're imagining yourself on a tropical island, think of the way the warm breeze feels against your skin. Imagine the sweet scent of the flowers, look at the water and listen the waves--you get the picture. The more vivid the visualization and the more senses you involve, the more effective it will be.

· Relaxation Response - A mind/body technique based on the principles of Transcendental Meditation. Learn how to elicit the relaxation response

· Mindfulness - A type of meditation that essentially involves focusing on your mind on the present. Learn mindfulness.

· Yoga combines deep breathing, meditation, and stretching. A Harvard study found that daily yoga for eight weeks improved total sleep time, the time to fall asleep. If you've never tried yoga before, not to worry. There are many gentle yoga styles to choose from.

· Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a promising natural remedy for sleep. If you've never tried a relaxation technique before, this technique is easy to learn and simple to master.

Super Foods to DeStress

2010-05-13T14:13:00.003+02:00

We all are stress victims. Bad news - stress is here to stay. Good news - we can help ourselves to overcome stress with small lifestyle changes.

Because we are what we eat, the first step in helping with stress overload is to eat more super foods that can help us to reduce stress and feel better.

Whole foods rich in anti-stress vitamins and minerals are stress fighters and we have to incorporate them in our diet as much as possible.

Magnesium.

It has been found that people under stress have low magnesium levels. A deficiency of magnesium interferes with transmission of nerve and muscle impulses, causing irritability and nervousness.

Almonds, apples, apricots, brown rice, garlic, leafy vegetables, spinach, salmon, etc. contain Magnesium.

Calcium.

Our body needs a proper balance between magnesium and calcium to have a healthy stress response. Healthy foods rich in Calcium arealmonds, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, kelp, mustard greens,

oats, prunes, salmon, seafood, sesame seeds, tofu, yogurt / kefir, etc.

B vitamin complex

Studies show that people who are under chronic stress have low levels of B vitamin complex and serotonin. We need eat more avocados, bananas, fish, spinach, walnuts-to get more Vitamin B6.

B12 deficiency can contribute too many anxiety disorders caused by stress, such as hormonal imbalances, blood sugar fluctuations, chronic fatigue, depression, irritability, moodiness, nervousness. We need to eat more salmon, seafood, sea vegetables (if we don't eat meat) to get more Vitamin B12.

Folic acid.

Studies show that folic acid helps make dopamine - the real key to transmitting feelings of pleasure. Healthy foods rich in folate are asparagus, barley, brown rice, dates, green leafy vegetables,legumes, lentils, mushrooms, oatmeal, oranges, root vegetables,salmon, tuna, whole grains, etc.

Start creating your low stress life righ now with a help of certified Holistic Stress Management coach..

Why Eat Salad?

2010-05-03T14:22:00.002+02:00

From a dietary standpoint, salads come in many forms. Not all salads are healthy or nutritious. One can create a healthy meal from a salad bar. But it is also easy to make unhealthy choices and select many items high in calories and fat.

What food source is the nutrient found in?

The most basic offerings at salad bars are healthy choices. These are leaf lettuces, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. These are loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, which are so-called plant chemicals, and fiber.

However, most salad bars also have nutrition traps. The creamy desserts, some salad dressings and side salads, such as macaroni salads and potato salads, are drenched with fat and calories.

How does the nutrient affect the body?

Health experts recommend eating between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These foods can help protect against heart disease and some cancers. Salad and salad bars are a great way to get five servings if a person makes healthy food choices when preparing the salad.

Vegetables are a good source of fiber. So are beans, such as kidney beans and chickpeas. Fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels. This helps to cut heart disease risk. Fiber may also be key in cancer prevention. Experts believe this may be due to fiber's role in keeping foods, including potential cancer-causing agents, through -- and ultimately out of -- the intestinal tract.

Dark green, yellow, and red vegetables such as spinach, red and yellow peppers, and tomatoes, are rich in vitamin A. These are called carotenoids. These key nutrients have been studied for their potentially protective role in heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, avocado and cabbage have an antioxidant effect due to their high levels of vitamin C.

Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage all belong to a family of plants known as cruciferous vegetables. In addition to fiber and vitamins, these foods have phytochemicals. Some experts believe that eating cruciferous vegetables can prevent cancer.

Eggs, nuts, seeds, tuna, and lean meats can be great protein sources in salads. Be careful of tuna made with mayonnaise or high fat meats such as pepperoni. They can add too much fat and calories. Cheese can contribute calcium and protein, but watch portion sizes because cheese also tends to be high in fat.

Salad dressings are usually high in fat. The types of fat salad dressings are made of matters. Most salad dressings are made from vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are unsaturated fats, which are thought to be good fats. The only problem is the calories. Fats of any kind contain 9 calories per gram. This is more than twice as many calories as are in carbohydrates and proteins. When choosing non-diet salad dressings, watch portion sizes. Also, look on the label for dressings that do not contain much saturated fat. Saturated fats may be higher in certain types of salad dressing such as buttermilk ranch. If weight loss is a goal, reduced fat or fat-free dressings are the best choices. Dressings made with olive or canola oil have monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats may actually help lower cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in dairy products, meats, and some creamy salad dressings. Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels.

For more Healthy Eating ideas visit http://www.rawaffiliate.com/cgi-bin/clickme.cgi?exec=Action4Balance.com&site=site1

40 Great Reasons to Go Raw

2010-04-16T14:31:00.003+02:00

This list created by Karen Knowler and Sarah Best (of Get Fresh! magazine) from eavesdropping on their conversations and those of others over the past few years...

They mean, could you get any more win-wins from your food?!

“To detoxify my body naturally”
“To become more vibrant”
“To re-create a clean shiny new me!”
“To create a sense of balance”
“To strengthen my immune system”
“To reawaken my intuition”
“To dramatically reduce my chance of disease”
“I want to use raw eating as a tool to help me release negative emotions and blocks”
“To extend my life span”
“I’ve only been raw for a short while but for me it’s the biggest high ever!”
“To function at my peak”
“I want to reduce my food bills”
“To balance my body’s temperature, regardless of external conditions”
“I want to break my emotional attachments to foods”
“To have eyes that sparkle”
“I want to get back in touch with my body and myself”
“To have clear skin”
“I want to become more calm and collected”
“To have young-looking skin”
“It’s environmentally friendly”
“To have shiny, glossy hair”
“I’m a vegetarian/vegan and this is the next step”
“To improve my eyesight”
“I want to use less fossil fuel”
“Because the food is delicious”
“I want those insights people talk about”
“I discovered the durian!”
“Meal preparation is so easy”
“I like to eat truly natural food”
“It saves time”
“I want to explore a world of taste I never knew existed before”
“I want to meet like-minded people”
“I love fruit!”
“To lower my fuel bills!”
“I love the beautiful colours of raw food”
“It’s an exciting adventure”
“I want to learn how to become hungry properly”
“It will help me achieve my potential”
“Because it will help me grow as a person as well as better my health”

40. “Because I love myself”

More Raw and Healthy ideas on www.fresh-network.com

20 ways the raw diet makes you different by Tonya Zavasta

2010-04-01T16:58:00.002+02:00

After 12 years following the raw food lifestyle, I have found myself delightfully doing the backstroke downstream in the river of health, while most around me are swimming upstream and telling me I’m going the wrong direction!

I want to prepare you for some things you can expect over the long term when you truly become clean and healthy, inside and out. Your body will not function quite as it used to, nor will it function like the body of the “average” person. You will react differently to foods, medications and lifestyle choices. It will not be possible to compare you in any arena to the average Joe because you’ll no longer be average.

1. Doctors and you

Doctors won’t know quite what to do with you. For instance, one of my readers wrote:

"I had my white blood cells tested about three weeks ago, and my result was 2.9. The normal range is 4.1 to 5.6. My doctor ordered a repeat of test. Knowing my raw food diet was responsible for the test results, I ate some bread and cooked vegetables the afternoon before my next test. Next morning the result was 4.2! I was happy I’ve proven to myself one more time how sensitive our bodies are to the quality of food we eat. Can you imagine my delight, when several days later in your book Quantum Eating I read that you experienced the same thing?"

Here’s the explanation… Cooked food sets off an immune response that raw foods do not. That the blood of most cooked food eaters is infiltrated with white blood cells means that the body is fighting back, sending immune-cell soldiers into battle against infection. But with most folks on a raw food diet, there’s little or no infection – hence few soldiers.

In the hospital or in the doctor’s office, the parameters you will be measured by aren’t normal – they are more aptly termed average. They are derived by experimenting on people who eat cooked foods. The healthier you become, the more you will find yourself – quite literally – off the charts!

2. Sleep

You will need less sleep. I sleep only five or six hours a night. Cooked food is damaging, so we need more time to recover. If your body is abused either by cooked foods or by stress, it needs more sleep to heal. The absolute opposite is true if you are healthy. Remove the cause of illness, and you reduce the needed healing time. Sleep is like a recovery room. The more you hurt yourself, the more time you need to spend there in order to recover. After being on a 100% raw lifestyle for over 12 years and experimenting with different raw foods and quantities, I feel confident in saying that nothing influences your sleeping needs more than the amount and quality of food you eat.

3. Supplements

It always amazes me when people go raw, get more nutrients in one day than they had in a month on their former cooked diet, and then ask: Am I getting enough nutrients?

What nutrients are in the food does matter. But what matters more is whether your body is cleansed and efficient enough to absorb what you are getting. Don’t just load your body with more and more nutrients and calories. Instead, clean it. Make it more efficient at getting those nutrients. I eat fewer calories than ever before, after following a raw foods lifestyle for many years. My body now gets more nutrients from less food. Yours can, too.

There are, however, situations when short-term supplementing of a particular nutrient can be helpful or even necessary, if you are deficient. If you are not energetic, you are not healthy, and taking a pill is not going to change anything permanently. I am discovering: no supplementation is needed for the healthy body to feel great! (Okay – one exception: B12. But this is a topic for another article.)

4. Water, water, everywhere

Many health-conscious people are plagued with the question: Which type of water is the best to drink? After all, if we’re to be drinking the proverbial eight glasses of water per day, shouldn’t we drink the best? Should it be spring water or distilled water? Or maybe ionized water or silver water? When I am asked this question, I honestly say: I have no idea. Nor do I think it will become a topic of my research. Why? After 12 years following the 100% raw food lifestyle, I have no need for free water. I don’t drink water. Am I dehydrated? Not at all.

How can I do it? I do not eat anything from which water has been removed. I no longer consume dehydrated or concentrated foods. I get all the hydration I need from my daily juices, smoothies, melons and other foods with high water content. In my book Quantum Eating I use the analogy of dried prunes. If you place them in water, will they ever look like fresh, plump plums again? Is a soaked prune really hydrated? It’s the same with a person who eats cooked food and drinks lots and lots of bottled water. All that drinking swells you up without really giving you the dewy look of youth you desire. I believe that the best biologically active water comes from nature’s own vessels – fruits and vegetables.

However, if you are still transitioning, you must, I repeat, you must find out what is the best water to drink and drink lots of it.

Buy the Spring issue of Get Fresh! magazine to read the rest of the article and discover what Tonya has to say about the changes you can expect in the following areas when you go raw:

Cleansing

Sun exposure

Calorie requirements

Metabolism

Cravings and binges

Freedom from diseases

Avoiding middle-age spread

Muscle cramps

Recovery time

Peaceful mealtimes

Skin

Skincare

Spontaneous bliss

Finding your destiny

Peace of mind

Whole Fish Oil . . . Now For Mom & Baby!

2010-03-30T18:03:00.000+02:00

Did you know that the Omega fatty acids in fish oil offer many health benefits, including nourishment of the brain, heart, eye and kidney tissues? And, according to the American Heart Association, salmon has more than 2X the Omega-3 fatty acids as other seafoods.

Most of you are aware of our latest innovation and true new chapter in health and wellness, but for those who aren't, we're referring to Wholemega®, New Chapter's 100% sustainably-caught wild Alaskan Salmon oil. The whole fish oil in Wholemega contains Nature's whole complement of Omegas - 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9's.

And now, Nature's optimal balance of sixteen Omegas is available for mom and baby in all-new Wholemega Prenatal ! Wild salmon oil, an excellent source of whole-food DHA, is important for fetal development of the brain and retina during pregnancy and through the first year of life. Emerging research also suggests that other omega fats, including whole-food EPA and AA, play an important role in delivering this critical DHA to the fetus and in promoting a healthy pregnancy.

Learn More About Wholemega Prenatal

Get tons of energy with antioxidant-rich and protein-packed Soy

2010-03-08T13:40:00.004+01:00

Whether you need more energy to keep up with a busy schedule, your daily work out or to simply enjoy life, soy protein may support better energy levels by providing protein as an energy source.

Soy antioxidants may also neutralize free radicals during exercise better than whey protein.

Soy protein has key nutritional qualities that support energy levels, stamina, and sports performance (better lean muscle mass, endurance and recovery time).

Soy protein is rich in "branched-chain amino acids" which the body can burn as "fuel" to produce energy.
As a complete protein, soy helps to build and maintain lean muscle mass.
Soy may help support a hormonal profile that promotes muscle formation.
Soy may help sustain endurance levels during exercise.
Soy may help improve recovery time.
Soy helps support a healthy cardiovascular system (critical for exercising or an active lifestyle).
Soy may support better antioxidant health for exercise than common whey protein.

You might be interested

Soy | Benefits of Soy | Soy Products Recipes of Healthy Meals

Rescue Remedy For Stress

2010-02-09T11:58:00.002+01:00

According to the Health and Safety Executive half a million people experience so much work related stress that they believe it is making them ill and four out of ten people can't sleep at night for worrying about work or family life.

It comes as no surprise then that stress is blamed for triggering up to 85% of chronic illnesses from sleeplessness, mild depression and fatigue to skin irritations and digestive disorders.

There are many stress management/stress reduction/stress relief techniques and methods. Get hands on stress management techniques.

Rescue Remedy can be effectively used to treat emotional stress in emergency situations and is now available in different preparations apart from the original alcohol-based drops.

Shop for popular Rescue Remedy products.

Kava Kava: A Natural Stress-Buster

2010-02-08T19:27:00.002+01:00

Kava Kava is time-honored herb, which has soared in popularity as the best natural stress buster, can calm your nerves and help you unwind. Not only that, it’s fast-acting, so you may see the effects in as little as 30 to 60 minutes.

Kava can actually prevent stress if you take it prior to an expected stressful situation.

It’s also a post-stress soother: you can take it to relax tense muscles and wind yourself down after an especially stressful day. You’ll feel at peace and maybe even a little euphoric.

The secret behind kava is its anxiety-reducing effect on your brain. It contains a group of chemicals called kavalactones that are responsible for its anti-anxiety effects. Animal studies show that kavalactones act on the limbic system, the part of the brain that is the center of emotions.

What’s more, kava isn’t addictive, it won’t lose its effectiveness over time, and your mind will remain alert and sharp even when you take it during the day.

Check out kava kava products on Amazon.com

Seasonal Support . . . For The Whole Family!

2010-02-03T15:55:00.006+01:00

No matter where you go theres one topic that seems to be on everyones mind this winter season . . . immune health.

During the winter, the body's natural defenses tend to be challenged, making it easier for imbalances in the immune system to occur.

As adults, we take this commonly-known seasonal fact and apply it to our everyday regimens; whether its eating just a little bit healthier, drinking just a little more water, washing our hands more frequently, or exercising more regularly.

However, taking these extra measures to help strengthen the immune system and maintain well-being isnt as popular with our kids.

Discover how to support immunity naturally.

How to Maintain A Healthy Colon | Chronic Constipation

2010-01-22T19:10:00.005+01:00

Chronic constipation is the single greatest cause of having an unclean and unhealthy colorectal region because over time, constipation causes your bowel walls to face excessive pressure -- pressure that is created by you straining to go and by your colon walls creating stronger contractions to help eliminate hard stools.

Excessive pressure on your colon walls can cause little pouches called diverticuli to form. Sometimes, small bits of waste material can get lodged in diverticuli.

Here are some tips for Colon Health:

Eat substantial meals; don't nibble on small amounts throughout the day. Each time you eat a substantial meal, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines, ensuring regular movement of waste material through your colon and rectum. Also, eating substantial meals allows significant "chunks" of waste materials to travel together through your colon, turn into well formed stools, and get eliminated from your body in an efficient manner.

Don't suppress the desire to go. If you regularly suppress the urge to have a bowel movement, waste materials spend more time than is optimal in your colon, causing excessive dehydration of waste materials and formation of hard stools.

Ensure adequate intake of water and/or water-rich food. Water helps to move waste materials along, and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stools to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to drink several glasses of water per day. If you eat plenty of water-rich plant foods, then you can rely on your sense of thirst to dictate how much water to drink.

Eat fiber-rich foods regularly. Fiber adds bulk to the boluses of waste material that travel through your large intestine, and this bulk is essential to your colon's ability to turn waste materials into well formed stools. A diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains ensures high fiber intake.

Ensure adequate vitamin D status. Adequate vitamin D status significantly lowers your risk of developing all types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. When you aren't able to get regular exposure to sunlight, look to ensure adequate vitamin D status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin D, such as wild salmon and a high quality cod liver oil.

Ensure adequate vitamin A status. Glands that line the mucosal lining of your colon are responsible for releasing mucous that is needed to lubricate your feces; vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of these specialized cells that release mucous. It's best to ensure adequate vitamin A status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin A.

Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats. All of your cells, including those of your large intestine and nervous system, require a constant influx of undamaged fatty acids and cholesterol to remain fully functional. If you don't ensure adequate intake of healthy fats, your nervous system and the smooth muscles that surround your digestive passageway -- both of which are responsible for creating peristaltic waves throughout your digestive tract -- may deteriorate in function.

Also, intake of healthy fats is necessary for optimal absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A, which, as mentioned above, is critical to building and maintaining the mucosal lining of your colon. Healthy foods that are rich in healthy fats include: avocados, organic eggs, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconuts, raw nuts, raw seeds, and cold-water fish.

Build and maintain large colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. Large populations of friendly bacteria can keep your digestive tract clean and healthy by promoting optimal digestion, thereby preventing build-up of toxic waste materials. Bacteria also take up space and resources, thereby helping to prevent infection by harmful bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The easiest way to build and maintain healthy colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract is to take a high quality probiotic.

Work at feeling emotionally balanced. Stress can interfere with your ability to clean your colon through its effect on your enteric nervous system. Most people who have come to me over the years with a chronic colon-related health issue have had significant emotional stress in their lives. If you have a challenge with colon and rectal health, I encourage you to take a careful look at ways that you can more effectively manage emotional stress in your life.

Here's the bottom line on this topic: Your body is well designed to keep your colon and rectal regions clean and healthy.

If you follow the steps outlined above, you can rest assured knowing that your lifestyle choices are minimizing your risk of having colon-related health issues.

Get more information about Colon Health

A Delicious Carrot and Avocado Salad Recipe

2010-01-22T18:30:00.003+01:00

If you love salads but are tired of making the same old leafy greens with vinaigrette dressing this recipe is for you! It is time to try something new. Break away from a purely green salad, and try adding some excitement to your normal eating routine. This is a very quick recipe that anyone can make.

Serves 2 people

Ingredients:
For the salad:

* 4 Cups of Carrots (grated or sliced)
* 1/2 Cup Cilantro
* 1/2 Cup parsley
* 1 Avocado
* 1 Green Onion
* 1/2 Cup Sesame Seeds

For the dressing:

* 2 TB Flax seed Oil
* 2 Limes
* 1 1/2 Soy Sauce
* 1 TB Ginger
* 1 TB Coriander

Method:
For the salad:

* Step 1: Chop your Cilantro, Parsley, and Carrots. You can also use a grater for your Carrots.
* Step 2: Mix all three into a medium size bowl.

For the Dressing:

* Step 1: Place all the dressing ingredients into a food processor.
* Step 2: Mix until everything is well blended
* Step 3: Pour dressing on top of the salad
* Step 4: Toss on the 1/2 Cup Sesame Seeds

Get More Info At The Fresh Network

How To Create Stress Management Plan For Free

2010-01-18T20:41:00.001+01:00

Is stress a problem for you?

For most women, stress ranks at the top of the list of daily problems.

If you're ready to reduce stress in your life, creating your own stress management plan may help you to reach your stress reduction goals, whatever they might be.

Start Creating Stress Management Plan For Free

How to survive holidays without a weight gain

2009-12-11T17:14:00.002+01:00

Egg nog, honey-glazed ham, cocktails and chocolate. Who doesn't love the holidays? The answer is probably you if you're trying to stay healthy or lose weight through this season of calorie bombs.

Tips to survive holidays without a weight gain:

1. Set realistic goals for your holiday exercise but commit to the new plan.

Motivation and time are what we lack during the holidays, so adjust for that and do what you can. A little commitment to yourself will go a long way.

2. Start a new, active family tradition.

Instead of gorging on a holiday dinner and taking a nap, you can share an after-dinner walk or a holiday hike. The holidays are about spending time with loved ones, but that doesn't mean you can't be creative and active.

3. Start each meal with a bit of protein.

This stabilizes your blood sugar, which helps in the digestion and absorption of fatty foods

4. Make the best out of every situation, no matter what.

If you're attending your ninth holiday party in a week and you feel like you're going to explode if you eat another cream puff, take a step back. Be smart, be sensible and stay in control. Go back to your good eating habits and make healthier choices. Move away from the cheese balls and move closer to the veggie spread.

5. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day.

This is so simple and such an effect way to dilute and cleanse the body of empty calories, sugars and salt. If you're having trouble drinking that much water, start by adding a glass or two a day until you get used to it.

6. Try to cut down or eliminate white sugar.

This one simple step will not only save your figure but will save your immunity and keep you healthy during the holiday season. Again, if you can't go cold turkey, start with small steps, like avoiding sugar in your coffee, and gradually remove it from your diet.

7. Don't let others pull you off your program.

It can be really hard to stay on a diet during the holidays, but if you are truly committing to a healthy lifestyle, you have to stick to your guns.

8. Go green for a day.

Green foods, that is! From juices to salads, from soups to veggies, go all green one day this month and give your body a boost of the nutrients it needs.

5 Steps of Softer Hands

2009-11-11T10:10:00.008+01:00

In order to have soft hands all you need is a rich formula hand cream pair with this simple five-step massage to cultivate beautiful hands and relieve tension.

1.Wash your hands in a basin of warm water. For a luxurious experience, add Weleda Calendula Cream Bath to water and soak your hands for three minutes to help relax muscles and soften skin.

2.Apply a small amount of hand cream and begin the massage by smoothing hand cream all over your hands and wrists. A gentle wrist wringing will relax the hands and wrists after a long day of computer work or driving.

3.Massage the top and sides of your hands with a circular motion. On the palm, use the thumb and moderate pressure to stretch and relax your hand. Interlace and pull fingers through each other several times to release tension.

4. Massage each finger using the thumb and index finger of opposite hand. Press and release with rolling pressure along the sides of each finger to the tip. Begin again at the base and slide the two fingers gently to tip to stretch each finger.

5. Massage the cuticles by applying a circular motion on top of the nails, gently pressing cuticles back into place by following the natural curve of your nail. Finish by massaging the tops of your hands again until cream is completely absorbed.

6. For very dry hands, remember to re-apply

hand creamafter every cleansing throughout the day. Enjoy!

For more tips visit: Anti-Aging Skin Care Tips,Looking Younger,Healthy Aging Holistic Approach

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Cherry & Mango Ice-cream Cups

2009-10-30T15:51:00.002+01:00

Base
* 3/4 cup cashews
* 1 tablespoon agave
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* pinch salt
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut

1. Grind all ingredients in a food processor.

2. Press into 2 small individual cup or cake moulds of your choice that have been lined with plastic wrap.

3. Dehydrate for approximately 3 hours until the shells are strong enough to hold together without the case, and then remove from the case to dry for a further 6 hours or overnight.

Filling
* 1/2 cup cashews
* 3 tablespoons coconut oil
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* pinch salt
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1 teaspoon agave
* 1/2 cup cherries, stones removed
* 1/2 cup mango, flesh only

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. You may want to have some chunks of mango or cherry stirred in at the end so you get little bursts of flavour.

Pour into an ice-cream maker, or freeze in a tub then pass through a juicer with the homogenizing attachment on.

Fill the shells with the ice-cream and garnish with slices of mango.

This recipe appeared in the Autumn 2008 issue of Get Fresh! magazine as part of the feature "Indian Meal For Two".

Raw: Your Biggest Questions Answered

2009-10-13T15:22:00.014+02:00

Let us show you the Way to a Happier, Healthier, More Energetic YOU!

• Is it best to go raw slowly or quickly?
• Is it necessary to be 100% raw?
• Do we need supplements?
• How much fruit is too much?
• Is raw chocolate a health food? (Go online and download FREE chapter - (Cacao and sweeteners)
• Is salt essential or harmful?

Back in April we announced the Fresh Forum: a project that involved us assembling a panel of 12 raw food experts and asking them the biggest questions regarding the raw diet and lifestyle.

The above represents just the tip of the iceberg. The list of questions asked was so extensive that it generated a book that is 280 pages long.

That book is now available to instantly download. In no other book is such a wide range of raw-related topics discussed in such depth and by so many experts. The experts include Dr Brian Clement, Dr Douglas Graham, Thomas Lodi, M.D., Natalia Rose, Shazzie and Tonya Zavasta. Although, inevitably, the panel doesn't see eye to eye on everything, on many topics there is a much larger degree of consensus than you might expect.

For just £9.97 you can instantly download this book and tap into our panel's wealth of knowledge and expertise.

Click here to buy the book now.

Stress Pets - The Natural Way

2009-09-29T08:14:00.008+02:00

Think you’re the only one worried about the economy? Think again.

Most of us are feeling the stress caused by the current economy and upcoming election.

And we’re not the only ones: researchers have found that when humans get stressed, their pets will often take on that stress, too.

Dogs and cats are very good at picking up stress in people, as are birds. After all, they're smart animals! They know what's up.

And how do they deal with stress? (Get More Info on Homeopathic remedy for Anxious and Stressed Pets)

The same way many of us do—by seeking out 'comfort foods' that are high in fat and sugar. So now you know you know why Fido has been begging for more treats or table scraps over the past few weeks!

Research also finds that the stress our pets feel is nothing compared to what we humans go through on a daily basis (big surprise). After all, we’re the ones that have to go to work and pay the bills, while our pets generally lie around all day, waiting for us to come home and rub their bellies.

Maybe try giving your pet a little extra love when you come home today, and take comfort in the sweet friend who loves you, no matter what!

Homeopathic remedies for Pets at PetAlive!