It’s often during their fifties or sixties that many first receive shocking news about their health. It may be they have pre-diabetes or high blood pressure. They may be diagnosed with thyroid disease, Diabetes or another autoimmune condition. Menopause may be tiresome and seem endless. Or they may even have serious life-threatening disease like stroke, heart disease or cancer. This is the age when it’s crucial to take control and create your own Wellness Plan to keep you healthy in your fifties and beyond.
Your Wellness Plan
But creating a Wellness Plan that fits with YOUR life can be difficult. Where to begin? What do you do when the advice on “Dr Google” seems to be contradictory?
You can’t change everything at once so how do you know which changes are the most important? And what about natural remedies? There are sure to be some that will help your situation, but which?
And then there’s the issue of different advice coming from different people. What happens when your doctors and therapists are all focused on a different part of you so they all tell you to do something different? For example, you may be told you need to walk every day for your health. But what if your arthritis or foot problems make this really difficult. What if you’re recommended a diet based on foods you know don’t sit well with you?
It can all just seem too much to navigate.
The situation can become confusing and may result in you making only minimal changes at best. For many it’s just too overwhelming and they give up before they even begin.
And of course there’s the whole challenge of how you begin when you need to make dramatic changes. W hat is the very first step?
Information Overload
I have seen this situation occur for many of my clients who are left confused, frustrated and scared. They want to make changes to their lifestyle to become healthier and reduce the likelihood of further problems.
But too often they end up drowning in an overload of information. They lose sight of the big picture and sink below the details. They need the key to managing the situation. Only then they can go ahead and continue to enjoy their life.
That key is to create the Big Plan which I call the WELLNESS BLUEPRINT.
When dramatic change feels overwhelmingly huge breaking down the changes needed into small steps it can help to manage it. If you have been told to cut out coffee or alcohol for example, cutting back gradually can make it easier. It helps break the habit so you achieve your goal gradually over a few weeks or longer if needed.
Of course you often need to do much more than just give up coffee. And especially in the case of certain serious illnesses, you usually need to make the changes immediately. But by making small changes across your whole life you begin the process. By addressing many different aspects of your lifestyle in small ways change happens in small increments in various ways at the same time. And each small change supports the others. Later changes are much easier to make because you’re already part of the way towards successfully achieving them.
There’s no doubt that in order to stay healthy, feel young and continue to enjoy life we must change our lifestyle behaviours and ditch bad habits. But the way you go about it will dictate whether it is easy or difficult. More importantly, it also impacts how successful you are at making long-term sustainable change.
After all, if you just slip back into your old habits nothing is gained. Whether it happens immediately or not for a year or so, you’ll again find yourself back in a health crisis.
The message in a health wake-up call is to make changes that are sustainable.
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation with your health care provider. Do not use this article to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think your condition may be serious or before discontinuing any prescribed medication. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
For most people the question of whether coffee is good or bad for you is entirely irrelevant. Whatever the answer, it makes no difference to their coffee habit.
Lots of us rely on our morning java to get us going and for some that first cup is followed by refills through the day. But caffeine is highly addictive and can lead to adrenal fatigue.
So, in the balance, is coffee good or bad for you?
Coffee is often touted as having health benefits, but the simple truth is that coffee is not a health food. Like other drugs there are side effects to any benefit that it offers. There are better, less risky ways to achieve any of the professed benefits of coffee consumption.
Coffee serves different purposes for each individual. From simply being a taste indulgence to a pick-me-up, it can wake you up or get you through depression or anxiety.
But the caffeine that provides the adrenaline rush, the temporary jolt, also has a dark side. It puts stress on your adrenal glands, increases your stress hormones and leads to a vicious cycle of stress and anxiety. When you drink lots of coffee the adrenaline rush initially makes you alert. But as it wears off cortisol builds up. When this cycle is repeated frequently it has the same effect on your body as chronic stress.
It’s interesting that the heaviest coffee consumption occurs in regions that are overcast, drizzly or lack sunshine for long periods and are generally dreary. Caffeine seems to help with depression initially by contributing to dopamine production, which in turn helps lift our mood. But increased coffee consumption can then create the vicious circle that actually leads to depression.
While caffeine is also present in some other foods like chocolate, cola and tea, most caffeine in our diet comes from coffee. However, caffeine only makes up 1 – 2% of the coffee bean and it is the other constituents of the bean that are now being researched for their positive effect on our health.
Benefits Of Coffee
For some years coffee has been recognised as having benefits for you. As a result, the belief that you need to avoid coffee in order to be healthy has eased.
Caffeine can certainly benefit those suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinsons disease. Research from twenty to thirty years ago found there was a likely relationship between coffee and diabetes. Drinking more coffee lowered the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
However, more recently it’s been found that the caffeine in coffee could be causing insulin spikes and contributing to hypoglycemia. Considering insulin imbalance plays a big role in the rapidly growing problem of ‘diabesity’ the alarm bells are now ringing.
Coffee Is Acidic
Coffee is a very acidifying food. Foods that cause an acidic reaction in the body contribute to a wide range of health problems, quite apart from digestive upsets. These include arthritis and gout.
Some symptoms of acidification in your body are:
General: Constant fatigue and low energy; heaviness in the limbs; feeling cold, low body temperature
Eyes: Easily tear, conjunctivitis, inflamed eyelids and corneas
Mouth: inflamed gums, ulcers, loose teeth, cracks in the mouth corners, frequent throat infections, teeth chip easily, teeth are sensitive to heat and cold, nerve pain in the teeth
Hair and Skin: Nails split easily; dry skin; hives; hair is dull, split ends and falls out
Legs: Cramps
Health Problems from Coffee
Caffeine is a diuretic, causing the body to release more fluid. When you excrete more fluid than normal you also excrete higher levels of minerals, including calcium, magnesium and potassium. This becomes particularly significant in Australia where the soil is already very mineral deficient. Foods grown in this type of soil is also low in minerals. Therefore, your levels of these vital minerals are likely to be low to begin with, even before drinking coffee. High coffee consumption causes them to slump even lower.
So many people are now stressed, depressed, overworked, sick, nutritionally deficient, hormonally imbalanced and generally living with inflamed or toxic bodies. With chronic illness also constantly increasing it seems that the time has arrived for many to kick their coffee habit.
Health effects of caffeine on the body include:
Contributes to fertility problems including increased miscarriage and infertility
Triggers the secretion of stomach acids and causes heartburn
Contributes to hypoglycemia, an imbalance of blood sugars
Increases weight gain over the long term linked to the production of stress hormones
Hastens osteoporosis because it interferes with mineral absorption in the bones
Affects the normal detoxifying process in the liver
Causes dehydration which then can lead to many other problems including wrinkles and stretch marks.
It can even contribute to gluten intolerance or Coeliac disease.
How to Quit Coffee
Caffeine is very addictive and when it’s combined with stress the coffee habit can get out of control. But some people don’t actually want to consider that they may have an addiction, let alone want to kick it.
Quitting coffee can be very difficult. Apart from leaving you feeling weak and tired it can cause all sorts of side effects. Headache, fatigue, depression and difficulty concentrating are a few, as anyone who’s had to forgo their normal fix knows very well.
The answer is not to turn to de-caf coffee but to turn to healthier alternatives. Decaf coffee is often subjected to nasty toxins in the decaffeinating process such as solvents. It also still contains trace amounts of caffeine. Choose NO-CAF over DE-CAF.
Caffeine withdrawal doesn’t have to be overwhelming and there are natural remedies that can ease it. Homeopathic remedies can be extremely helpful to stop cravings for all manner of substances, including coffee. Hypnotherapy and EFT are other strategies that can successfully break addictive habits. Supplementing with the amino acids L-Tyrosine or Phenylalanine can also help. Some people do better on one and some on the other.
Healthy Alternatives to Coffee
When my clients need to cut back on their coffee, I encourage them to do it in small manageable steps. They start by drinking just one cup less each day. Gradually over time, they work down to one ‘high quality’ coffee treat on the weekend, or even better, no coffee. The easiest way to do this is to replace some of the coffees with healthier alternatives.
Begin to wean yourself off coffee by replacing one or some of your daily coffees with any drinks from this list. Then gradually decrease the coffees and increase the alternatives.
1. Dandelion Coffee
Dandelion coffee has a strong, slightly bitter flavour, very similar to coffee but it contains no caffeine. It has an astonishing range of health benefits. It is nutrient rich, supports the liver and kidneys to remove impurities, aids digestion and decreases inflammation, plus much more. The root is roasted and sometimes mixed with chicory root. You can drink it black, with milk, as a latte or take it any other way you prefer your coffee. It is frequently used to make a chai.
Chicory has many health benefits but is known for it’s ability to reduce the effects of stress and for liver support. Try the pure dandelion root and the chicory/dandelion mix to discover which you prefer. You could also have an occasional dandelion / coffee mix.
Dandelion coffee is simple to make, and you’ll find instructions online. If harvesting your own plants, make certain you’re using true dandelion and not the very similar Catsear.
2. Teechino
Teechino gives the energy feel of caffeine without the crash. It tastes like coffee but is made of carob, barley, chicory, dates, figs and almonds. However, this drink contains gluten so don’t use Teechino if you avoid eating gluten.
3. Yerba Mate
Yerba mate (pronounced yerba martay) is a herbal tea from South America. It doesn’t taste exactly like coffee but has a pleasant flavour of its own. It is rich in antioxidants and minerals. Like coffee it boosts energy and fights fatigue. It does contain caffeine, but the levels are lower than in coffee. You can also find Yerba Mate in some herbal tea blends.
4. Green Tea
Green tea has small amounts of caffeine, about 20 grams a serve, but these are substantially less than in coffee. It has high levels of antioxidants that fight free radical damage, improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of cancer and help with weight loss. By the way, your green tea needs to be green, if it is brown it has been oxidised.
5. White Tea
Even better than green tea is white tea which is less processed and retains a higher number of antioxidants than green. It also has less caffeine than green with only 15 grams a serve and is light and delicious.
6. Rooibos Tea
Rooibos is a pleasant full flavoured, slightly sweet and nutty tea from South Africa. Like coffee it can be mixed with milk. It contains no caffeine and very little tannin. It’s also rich in antioxidants and minerals. It reduces stress, irritability and headaches, the opposite of coffee. Plus, rooibos has many other health benefits as well as relieving many illnesses.
7. Reishi Mushroom Tea
Reishi Mushroom tea is the one to take when you’re determined to wipe the slate clean, although it is certainly an acquired taste. This tea has many qualities to recommend it. It’s loaded with antioxidants, a wonderful immune stimulant, lowers blood pressure and is purported to have cancer fighting qualities. It requires long brewing, and you may need to add ginger for flavour, or to sweeten it.
8. Turmeric Latte
Turmeric latte is also known as Golden Milk and brings all the wonderful health benefits of turmeric without any caffeine. It combine turmeric with other spices such as black pepper, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon and milk. It’s rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory and offers many health benefits.
Healthier Coffee
If in spite of everything, you wish to continue drinking coffee then consider the coffee you drink and choose the best options around.
Firstly, opt for Organic fair-Trade varieties. Coffee is notorious for its dangerous growing practices.
If your coffee is milky you might want to think again. Lattes offered by Starbucks for example are high in kilojoules, sometimes as high as fattening desserts like ice-cream or chocolate cake. What’s more, those joules are all in the form of unhealthy fats.
The way coffee is prepared affects the caffeine levels. Espresso coffee contains less caffeine than drip coffee and also has the most antioxidants. But it is also the one linked to higher levels of Triglycerides and LDLs.
The amount of caffeine in light and dark roasts varies only slightly so choose whichever you like best as it makes little difference.
After all this bad news are you still reading?
If you’re still with me let me know in the comments below what your favourite coffee alternative is.
Disclaimer.
All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site.
As winter loses its grip and we have the occasional sunny day some unfortunate people already face the dreaded prospect of seasonal allergies. That’s right, we’re at the onset of hay fever season and that’s enough to ruin anyone’s day.
Seasonal allergy sufferers have a choice between using conventional treatment or being housebound. Either way they lose. They’re either unable to get out and enjoy the beautiful Spring sun or they can take medications with side effects that really knock them about.
But there are many effective natural remedies for hay fever relief.
Hay fever occurs when pollen released from grasses and other plants is carried through the air on spring winds. These pollens affect the immune system and cause inflammatory reactions on the mucous membranes.
Sneezing, itching, runny nose, coughing and congestion, hay fever (or seasonal allergic rhinitis) is enough to ruin anyone’s day. It can affect any of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, sinuses, throat and palate, or all of them at once.
But it doesn’t need to be like this!
Natural Remedies For Hay Fever
There are many natural alternatives that can effectively knock hay fever symptoms on the head by providing natural antihistamines. These include herbs, vitamins, kitchen cures and my favourite, homeopathy,
In addition to actual remedies to relieve the symptoms some precautionary practices can help minimise the effect of the allergen on your system. Gifting your liver a Spring clean can reduce the allergic effect. These tips will help you gently detox your liver without doing a ‘full detox’.
Vitamin C and the bioflavonoid quercetin have an antihistamine effect to reduce the release of histamine.
Vitamin A helps maintain healthy mucous membranes which can improve your response to allergens.
Studies have shown a link between low zinc intake and higher allergy risk. Therefore a zinc supplement may help anyone who falls into this category.
With any aggravation of the mucous membranes it’s essential to reduce the amount of dairy food you eat. Dairy foods increase the production of mucous on these surfaces and exacerbate congestion. So eat less milk, cheese, ice-cream, cream, yoghurt and butter during hay fever season. And watch for “milk solids” often added to processed foods.
Refined starches can also stimulate mucous production. Limit bread and other baked goods to reduce the severity of your symptoms.
Increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids over the season. These can help decrease your hay fever because they help lower the amount of inflammatory chemicals produced when you’re exposed to an allergen.
Many herbs including chamomile, stinging nettle, ginger, and butterbur have great use blocking histamine and relieving symptoms. But their effect is often limited to just some of your symptoms, not all. Plus they can take time to have an effect so its better to start taking then before allergy season.
Reduce Hay Fever
Many alternative treatments, including nutrition and supplements, can alleviate hay fever by strengthening the immune system. However they don’t always give immediate relief in the moment when symptoms strike. Some can reduce symptoms when taken in mega dosage but they often need to be taken in combination with others.
Air filters can make a real difference in keeping the air inside your home allergen free. They help keep irritating pollens out of your home especially when placed over windows and doors.
Steaming is an age old practice for breaking up congestion. Add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a bowl of steaming water. Place a towel over your head and breathe in the enclosed eucalyptus-rich vapour to loosen mucous and clear air passages. Tea tree is another suitable essential oil.
And make certain to maintain your water intake to keep your system flushed.
Herbs can provide welcome relief to hay fever sufferers. Butterburr, gingko biloba and garlic all act as antihistamines. However, to be effective they need to be taken for a few months before the symptoms begin to all ow your body to build up a defence.
However, herbs can be a poor choice for someone who is already highly oversensitive to plant material. They may even exacerbate the symptoms. Sometimes a herb commonly used for its antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties may have the opposite effect. It may even cause the very symptom it’s supposed to cure. The crude nature of herbs may actually be too harsh for some of these highly sensitive individuals. A viable and often effective alternative is Homeopathy.
Homeopathy for Hay Fever
Homeopathy has a great track record for treating hay fever. Symptoms are often switched off almost immediately when the correctly matched remedy is used. I can personally vouch for this.
In France the most commonly prescribed treatment for hay fever by medical doctors is a homeopathic remedy, simply because it can be so effective and fast-acting.
I’d like to introduce you to some of the more commonly used homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic preparations are excellent to quickly relieve symptoms of acute bouts of hay fever. But there is not a ‘generic homeopathic hay-fever remedy’.
Each person with allergies experiences them slightly differently, with an individual response to the trigger. Homeopathic remedies must be selected to closely match the individual symptom picture experienced by each person. The remedy picture must match your symptoms for it to work.
Combination Remedies
‘Combination Homeopathic Remedies’ are available over the counter (OTC) or online. These remedies include a selection of the more commonly used remedies and so can be used by those with different symptoms. They are useful if you do not know which remedy matches your symptoms.
It is always best to get the advice of a professional homeopath for the best remedy match, but you can also treat yourself with OTC remedies. If the remedy does not provide relief, consult a professional.
When treating yourself select remedies in 6x or 30c potencies, taking one dose four hourly for up to 3 doses. When the right remedy is selected symptoms should improve after the first or second dose. If symptoms don’t improve after the third dose you probably have the wrong remedy. Go back and again compare and match the remedy picture to your symptoms for a closer match. If symptoms reappear later take one more dose. Pay particular attention to what makes your hay fever symptoms better or worse. These are important pointers to the correct remedy.
These are a few commonly used remedies for symptomatic relief of hay fever. However, if none of these remedies match your symptom picture visit a homeopath who can select the right remedy for you from the hundreds of possibilities.
1. Allium cepa
Allium-cepa (red onion) is perhaps the most commonly used remedy for hay fever. Use this when sneezing is prominent along with watery eyes that burn and smart. The tears here are non-irritating and don’t affect the skin around your eyes. Instead the copious watery discharge from the nose is acrid and irritates the skin between the nose and upper lip which becomes red and sore. The nose feels blocked and the sense of smell is gone. The voice may become hoarse. When Allium cepa is called for, the symptoms improve outside in the fresh air or in cool air.
2. Arsenicum album
This remedy is very commonly used for hay fever when there’s burning and itching in the throat, nose or eyes. The discharges burn and redden the skin. This person feels quite cold and although they want to be rugged up, their head clears in cool fresh air. They are sensitive to light.
3. Euphrasia
Eyes that feel swollen and gritty call for the remedy Euphhrasia. The copious watery tears are acrid, unlike Allium cepa, and they irritate and burn the skin around the eyes and even the cheeks. There is a watery discharge from the nose which is bland and non-irritating. There may be much sneezing. Symptoms are worse outside in the open air, and also worse from heat or wind. (Notice how the symptoms of Allium cepa and Euphrasia are opposite to help you distinguish which is a closer match)
4. Natrum muriaticum
Violent sneezing is a symptom that may call for Nat mur, particularly when it is accompanied by itching and tingling inside the nose. There may be a watery or egg white like nasal discharge, although not usually at the onset of hay fever. These symptoms get worse after being out in the sun. Taste and smell are lost. Cold sores may occur at the same time. The person needing Nat mur may feel sad or sorry for themselves and want to be alone, and they feel better outside.
5. Nux vomica
Sore, smarting eyes that are light sensitive call for Nux vomica. The nose feels stuffed up making breathing difficult. There may be a streaming discharge through the day even though the nose feels stuffy. At night the nose dries up. This person feels irritable, even nasty, and chilly. Other people can really annoy them. They may have a headache with the stuffy nose which is made worse from stooping. Their symptoms are worse in dry air and better when the air is damp. These people have a tendency to over work, and may crave coffee to keep them going
6. Sabadilla
Eyes that water with red burning margins of the eyelids, and lots of watery nasal discharge indicate the need for Sabadilla. There is much sneezing which occurs in spasms, one sneeze after another, caused by a tickle in the nose. The sneezing causes the eyes to water. This person is very sensitive to the smell of flowers which may exacerbate the sneezing. Warm drinks may relieve the tickle in the throat. This person feels very chilly, and the symptoms are worse in the open air and better in a warm room.
These are just a few of the hundreds of homeopathic remedies used for treating hayfever. If you cannot match one to your symptoms consult a professional for a closely matched remedy.
Hay Fever Prevention
Homeopathic treatment can be excellent for preventing, as well as treating, hay fever attacks. But for prevention it must begin well before the hay fever season. While you can use homeopathic remedies during an acute attack to quickly relieve symptoms, improving your ability to withstand the impact of pollen needs forward planning. Visit a professional homeopath about six months before hay fever season. They will treat you to improve your resistance to allergens in order to prevent, or reduce, further attacks in the future.
I experienced terrible hay fever when I was younger. But I haven’t had any for years and years after taking preventative homeopathy over one winter years ago.
How do you deal with your hay fever?
Please share you favourite natural cure with us in the comments below.
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation with your health care provider. Do not use this article to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think your condition may be serious or before discontinuing any prescribed medication. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
Many people think of inflammation as being skin redness, joint swelling after exercise, or even a pimple. And it is. But there’s a different kind of inflammation that is more insidious. This is chronic inflammation, or systemic inflammation. It’s a slow, silent attack on your body and health that never switches off. And worse, it’s the underlying cause of many serious chronic diseases in our lives. Luckily there are simple changes you can easily make to reduce the chronic inflammation in your cells.
You actually need some degree of inflammation in your body to stay healthy. However it’s more and more common for the inflammatory response to get out of hand.
Inflammation serves an important purpose but when it continues indefinitely it can become dangerous. You know your immune system is stuck in “high alert” when inflammation doesn’t recede. And this is where chronic disease develops.
Effects of Chronic Inflammation
Many common chronic illnesses today are thought to develop when the body is in a state of chronic (or systemic) inflammation. Osteoarthritis, autoimmune diseases, allergies, asthma, IBS, heart disease and even cancer are just some indicators of chronic inflammation.
Many things in life both contribute to and maintain chronic inflammation. Excess weight, lack of exercise, poor diet, excess alcohol, poor oral health and ongoing stress are just some factors that lead to it. Others such as pollution and toxins in our environment can also contribute.
Stress And Chronic Inflammation
For many people stress can be the major problem. Cortisol is an important part of your body’s stress response to perceived threats. So levels of the hormone cortisol rise in response to any stressful situation. However, when stress of any type is ongoing the cortisol release mechanism doesn’t turn off. This results in persistent low grade inflammation. In some cases it can go on forever.
The first step to turn off the chronic inflammation response is to change your lifestyle. Simply switching to an anti-inflammatory diet is a great starting place for a significant impact.
Stacking on the kilos causes fat cells to grow. This leads to immune system distress and results in an inflammatory response within the fat cells. Over time these cells become insulin-resistant which can lead to diabetes.
Chronic stress
Whether it’s a terrible job, unhappy marriage, sick parents, overfull diary or worry about your kids makes you anxious, they’re all chronic stressors. Chronic stress causes unchecked chronic inflammation.
Poor Air Quality
Chronic inflammation is one result of smog or any other form of pollution. Tobacco smoke is probably the worst form of air pollution.
Gut Health
The gut is integral to your immune system. Seventy percent of it is seated within the gut. Therefore bacteria balance is crucial to the regulation of inflammation. Beneficial bacteria suppress inflammation and harmful bacteria activate it. Boost the beneficial bacteria and reduce inflammation.
Certain foods contain inulin, a prebiotic which feeds beneficial gut bacteria and keeps your gut healthy. These include onions, raw asparagus, raw dandelion greens, raw banana, yoghurt, sour cream, and raw leeks.
Gut inflammation can initiate diseases like Crohn’s or rheumatoid arthritis.
Alcohol
That relaxing evening drink might reduce your stress initially. But it also releases inflammatory toxic by-products as it breaks down.
Contraceptives and Hormone Treatment
Oral contraceptives cause low-grade inflammation. Research shows women taking the pill show high levels of inflammation markers.
Poor Diet
High-sugar, high-carb and high-fat diets are your enemy. They all contribute to inflammation, but excess sugar is particularly dangerous. High GI foods cause a sudden dump of sugar into your bloodstream which triggers the inflammatory response.
Inflammation Fighters
Reduce Stress
Lowering stress is the key to reducing inflammation, whatever the cause. When stress is caused by anxiety or depression simple practices such as deep breathing can help reduce it.
Homeopathic remedies, flower essences and some herbs are natural alternatives to pharmaceutical medications to manage the effects of stress. Speak to your natural health practitioner about the best remedy for you.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Mediterranean style diets are anti-inflammatory. They include more fish, fresh vegetables and fruit, healthy fats, and moderate amounts of nuts. These types of diets include very small quantities of red meat and dairy foods. Plus, they also reduce alcohol apart from moderate amounts of red wine. However, purple coloured foods like grapes are the perfect replacement for red wine as they don’t include the inflammatory alcohol.
Omega 3
A vital component of these diets is omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 inhibits the enzyme that produces inflammation triggering prostaglandins. Plus, they’re awesome for your heart and entire cardiovascular system as well as your nervous system.
Some of the best sources of omega-3 are cold water fish such as sardines, salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel. Eat about 300-350 grams two to three times a week.
Fresh Produce
Fruits and vegetables are chock-full of antioxidants to reduce free radicals and fight inflammation. Each different colour of produce contains different antioxidants. So eat a full rainbow of fruit and vegetables to get the full range.
Avocados are a marvellous anti-inflammatory food. They’re loaded with many awesome compounds. Omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoid antioxidants help reduce inflammation.
Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane which reduces chronic inflammation linked to joint deterioration. They include broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage plus others.
Watermelon contains lycopene to neutralize free radicals and inhibit the inflammatory process.
Nuts, especially walnuts, are an excellent source of omega-3 to reduce inflammation. Extra-virgin olive oil is another.
Onions contain quercetin which inhibits histamines that cause inflammation
Coconut oil is anti-inflammatory and has many other health benefits
Berries are rich in antioxidants particularly anthcyanins which produce their dark red colour
Wholegrains like brown rice and quinoa contain high levels of fibre to feed beneficial gut bacteriato reduce inflammation.
Chia seeds contain lots of omega-3 as well as fibre and protein.
There are many more anti-inflammatory foods including pineapple, spinach, raw oats, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, beetroot, green tea and dark chocolate. Include as many as you can in your eating plan.
Turmeric
Turmeric contains curcumin which provides its glorious golden colour. An extremely potent natural anti-inflammatory, it’s very effective at shutting down the activation of inflammatory pathways. As well as easing inflammation and associated pain in back, joints and arthritis it also helps prevent cognitive decline.
Reduce chronic inflammation in your body today
to help keep serious chronic disease at bay.
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only. They are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation with your health care provider. Do not use this article to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think your condition may be serious or before discontinuing any prescribed medication. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
Salt lamps are beautiful. They create a soft gentle ambience in any room; make marvelous night lights for children; plus, they lift our spirits. But salt lamps also play an important role in maintaining your health. Significantly, Himalayan salt lamp benefits include their ability to counteract the negative effects of indoor electromagnetic (EM) radiation.
Spending too long indoors can leave you feeling sleepy, head-achey, inattentive and generally unwell. But it’s not simply the lack of fresh air that leaves you feeling so low. Science shows it’s due to the excessive positive ions in the air in our homes, workplaces and schools. These harmful positive ions are largely created by the electronic devices and synthetic substances surrounding us.
Although you can’t see EM radiation it’s believed to have serious long-term health effects. With over two thousand studies supporting the toxic impact, it’s known that being constantly exposed to EM radiation increases stress, causes fatigue and compromises your immune system.
Positive vs Negative Ions
Positive and negative ions are charged particles in the air. Each is produced in particular circumstances and each affects us in opposite ways. Strangely, negative ions are not the “bad guys”, as that honour goes to the positive ions.
Beneficial Negative Ions
Beneficial negative ions form around water, especially if it’s moving – oceans, rivers, waterfalls, thunderstorms, lush gardens and even the shower. In these places they can exist in quantities up to 100,000 per cubic centimetre. But in some offices and homes the levels can sit at just a few hundred per cubic centimetre and sometimes, as low as zero. These are the environments that cause unhealthy symptoms and illness.
Negative ions affect the levels of serotonin we produce and leave us feeling happier. They also positively affect how our body functions, reduce pain and improve many illnesses.
Negative ions have a purifying effect on the air. They neutralise extra positive ions and help re-balance our environments to benefit our health.
Besides watery environments, the air around Himalayan salt lamps also contains higher numbers of negative ions.
Harmful Positive Ions
Positive ions are found where there are lots of electronic devices, synthetic materials or toxins like cigarette smoke. They have a detrimental effect on our health and feelings of wellbeing. In excess they affect body functions and leave us feeling tired, sick and depressed. They’re found in alarming levels in our indoor environments wherever there is a concentration of electronic equipment.
Negative Health Effect of Positive Ions
When you hang out in places of high positive ionic activity it’s not simply your mood and sense of wellbeing that’s affected. Excess positive ions impair many body functions including the brain and they suppress the immune system.
Symptoms include:
headaches
fatigue
irritability
poor concentration
depression
lack of energy
anxiety
nausea
vertigo
breathing difficulty and asthma
dry throat.
Chronic exposure can cause cancer, reduce immunity and contribute to many other chronic diseases including Alzheimer’s, heart disease and dementia.
Once in the body positive ions can become free radicals which destroy cells, lead to premature aging and cause illnesses like cancer.
How Negative and Positive Ions Affect the Body
Beneficial Negative Ions
Harmful Positive Ions
Blood vessels
Dilate blood vessels
Constrict blood vessels
Blood Pressure
Stabilize BP
Increase BP
Blood
Increase blood alkalinity
Increase blood acidity
Bones
Strengthen bones
Weaken bones
Urinary tract
Promote urination;
increase nitrogen in urine
Suppress urination;
decrease nitrogen in urine
Respiratory
Stabilize respiration and make breathing easier
Accelerate respiration and make breathing more difficult
Pulse rate
Decrease pulse rate
Increase pulse rate
Heart
Enhance heart function
Impair heart function
Fatigue
Speed physical recovery
Prolong physical recovery
Autonomic Nervous System
Calm and relax nerves
Tense and strain the nervous system
Growth
Promote healthy growth
Suppress and delay growth
Negative Ions & Health
Way back in 1910 a Japanese study found that arthritis sufferers endured increased pain when weather changes cause positive ions in the atmosphere to increase. (cold fronts and low-pressure systems, and positive ion winds).
There have been a number of studies that have found negative ions have measurable health benefits. One was conducted by Dr Kornblueh from the University of Pennsylvania found they can sedate and relieve pain, helping with illnesses such as depression and arthritis. It also found positively ionised air led to headaches, dizziness and mucous membrane irritation.
Himalayan Salt Lamp Benefits
1. Promote restful sleep
2. Improve asthma and allergy symptoms
3. Reduce electromagnetic radiation
4. Purify air
5. Improve mood
6. Reduce stress
7. Improve respiratory distress
8. Reduce anxiety
9. Help alleviate depression
10. Increase energy
11. Enhance immune function
12. Protect against chronic disease
Salt lamps provide their health-giving benefits when they’re warm so they must be lit up. Although there are no studies into Himalayan salt lamp benefits there are many others that show the benefits of salt therapy in general.
Create Healthier Environments with Salt Lamps
We’re swimming in a pool of electromagnetic radiation. With wi-fi, mobile phone, TV, computers, bluetooth, and a myriad of electrical gadgets we cannot escape its impact. This makes the benefits offered by salt lamps even more valuable.
Spending time in nature, especially around running water is an awesome way to increase your exposure to negative ions. But you can’t always do that, so Himalayan salt lamps help reduce harmful electro smog when you’re stuck indoors.
Anything we can do to reduce the negative effect on our health as we live surrounded by this electro smog helps protect our immune system and maintain our wellness.
Become aware of your surroundings.
Move children away from electronic hotspots particularly when they’re trying to study
Sit outside in the garden or take a walk beside fast flowing water whenever possible
Place plants around your home
Install a few Himalayan crystal salt lamps to counteract the harmful effects of wi-fi and other positive ion producers
Place all electronic devices away from your body while you sleep, preferably in another room.
We can’t completely avoid dangerous levels of positive ions while we live in a modern society. But we can take steps to reduce the impact on our health and wellness using simple practices and objects. Becoming proactive by simply introducing indoor plants, water fountains and Himalayan salt lamps benefits us and helps counteract the damage.
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation with your health care provider. Do not use this article to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think your condition may be serious or before discontinuing any prescribed medication. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
While this post was written for the close of 2016 the ritual presented here is suitable to use at the end of any year.
2016 is coming to a close and it’s naturally time to reflect back on the year… and start to look forward to 2017. It’s been a heavy year of releasing for many people, a year of endings. As we enter the countdown to 2017 many of us are still holding things that no longer serve us. In order to make the quantum leap into the New Year and the new cycle filled with awakened potential it’s essential to release these in the next few weeks. A 2016 releasing ceremony is the perfect way to weeks to round off the energetic cycle of 2016 and make the transition into 2017.
2016: End Of A Cycle
2016 is the final year in a nine year cycle of growth. As it winds down take the time to acknowledge how far you’ve come over the last 9 years. Reflect on your lessons and new awareness. Embrace wisdom gained and re-remembered and be GRATEFUL for all the joyous moments in your life.
Many people start off their New Year by making a list of resolutions. Many also don’t reach any of their goals. Often they make the same resolution year after year without achieving it!
Create Strong Foundations
Trying to set achievable goals to reach your dreams without first firming a solid foundation is like building a home over a sink-hole. Without firm footings it will collapse. Therefore you need to get really clear about where you’re starting out from. Only then will you create the footings you need in order to create achievable goals. The 2016 Releasing Ceremony does just that by highlighting both the journey you travelled and the lessons and achievements you encountered along way.
2016 has been a difficult year for many. It was filled with difficult challenges that provided great opportunity for personal development and spiritual growth. Many of these challenges revisited familiar life lessons, lessons that repeat over and over, spiraling back upon themselves. Each revisit brings a variation of the core lesson providing the opportunity to reach a deeper awareness of both the lesson and yourself.
Coming at the end of a nine year cycle the lessons of 2016 are the culmination of this spiraling awareness and deepening consciousness. It’s essential to now finalise them or they will be carried into the new nine year cycle to be repeated yet again.
Bear in mind that the significant aspects of 2016 will be those that bring these nine year long lessons to culmination.
Create Your 2016 Release Ritual
Before you begin your 2016 Releasing Ceremony prepare your space. If you have an altar or space you normally use to meditate or journal it would be ideal, so use that. If not create a special space for this ceremony.
First select a quiet, clear corner. Collect your tools together. You need a pen and paper or a dedicated journal, a pillar candle and matches. Brew a relaxing herbal tea. Close the door behind you and turn off your phone so you won’t be disturbed.
To begin your release ritual take a few deep belly breaths to settle and ground yourself. Once you feel solid and grounded light the candle to mark the start and open the energies. Spend as long as you need to quietly disconnect from outside cares. Focus inward and allow yourself this time and space away from the obligations of your life.
Once you feel calm and centred consider the following and record your thoughts and insights in your journal or paper.
Acknowledge Success
1. List your illuminating insights and the great insights that occurred.
2. What dreams came true for you? It’s important to record any dreams that actually manifested. Dreams, and how dearly you held them, are easy to forget once they come to fruition. Include both large and small dreams as small dreams often evolve into big dreams later
3. Include your 2016 achievements, both the small glories and the big ones. Describe what you learnt. What are you now aware of that you weren’t previously?
Recognise Growth
4. In what ways have you changed? What brought about the change in you?
5. What are you now aware of about yourself that you didn’t know before?
6. What no longer serves you that you have now outgrown?
7. Were you asked to step up in the past year? Have you finally achieved something you have never managed before? Acknowledge your awesomeness and include everything that swells you with pride.
8. Have you surprised yourself by achieving something you never dreamed you were capable of?
Release Frustrations
9. What really jarred with you over the year? Was there anything that caused ongoing disharmony? What can you no longer tolerate at all and can’t wait to ditch? What is it that MUST GO?
10. Need to rant? The floor is yours – get it off your chest. Cry if it helps you release, relief will flow into the space it creates. Just Let. It. Go.
Express Gratitude
11. What gifts have you received this year? How have you grown? What insights do you now have? How has your life moved forward? Include everything, even the smallest gift. Include everything that has made your life better.
Once you have finished writing you are ready to release 2016 with a huge sigh of relief. You can now face the year ahead and the next nine year cycle with a fresh, clean page. You can now open yourself to new opportunities and awareness. You’re ready to identify dreams, clarify goals and make resolutions.
After doing the 2016 Releasing Ceremony you will see clearly what the first step you need to take is, and then to take it with purpose. As Lao Tzu said:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.
Close Your Release Ritual
To finish your ritual put your notes aside. Begin by breathing deeply into your belly. Sense golden light flooding into you and filling your whole body with its sparkling glow. Breathe in this beautiful vibrant light for a few more breaths.
Taking your focus to your exhale, allow every frustration, disappointment and disharmony of the past year that you’ve been holding in the cells of your body, to be carried out on your breath.
Repeat this three times until you feel the negativity shift out of your body. Feel your shoulders drop as the weight you have carried is released. Feel yourself becoming lighter and freer.
Once more breathe deep into your belly drawing in the indigo light of vision and perception with your breath. Sense if flow through your body energising your body and clarifying your mind.
Again focusing your attention on your exhale, slowly release your breath along with the difficult energy of the past year. Allow it to gently leave your body knowing that it leaves within you all the positive energy, self-knowledge and awareness you have gained from the experiences and lessons it offered. Know that the insight and knowledge you gained provide a strength to carry you into the New Year.
Sit with the loving positive energy as long as you need and when you are ready slowly open your eyes and prepare to welcome in the coming year with joy and anticipation in your new cleansed state.
Disclaimer
The Information contained on this site is for your general health information. It is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional healthcare. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
Your thoughts can have a huge impact on your health. The human mind is the most powerful supercomputer in the world. It controls all the functions of your body, your behaviour, and your emotions. But your mind doesn’t necessarily control you, and recent research shows that you have the power to control your mind. The secret lies in the way you think because thoughts affect health. It turns out the power of positive thought may be stronger than we thought, and it can be harnessed to create health and wellbeing. The way you think can either make you sick or it can make you healthy.
IMPACT OF THOUGHTS
How we think determines how we speak and what we talk about which then impacts how we feel. Every decision, choice and action we make is influenced by how we feel.
Studies have shown that our mindset can change us in ways we had not imagined possible. So, science is now considering that if mindset can change us, can we then deliberately choose our mindset to improve our abilities. And the answer appears to be yes.
The cells in your body react to your thinking. Your thoughts can literally change your health by altering the cells and how they function. Every thought you have causes neurochemical changes within your brain and these can either help or harm you.
THOUGHTS AFFECT HEALTH
Your thoughts can alter your performance. They can alter your engagement and enjoyment of life. They can even alter your energetic body.
This really is a case of mind over matter.
Studies have produced much evidence that the way we think both creates and changes real-life physical and mental outcomes.
Our expectations can change brain chemistry and circuitry. This can result in cognitive and physiological changes such as reduced anxiety, elevated hormone levels, or lower immune system reactions. Thoughts alone can improve our vision, weight loss, fitness, fatigue level, and can even stop allergic skin reactions.
Essentially your brain is shaped by your thoughts. And apparently your health and wellness is too.
THE PLACEBO EFFECT
Dr Lissa Rankin MD conducted extensive research which convinced her that a combination of positive belief and nurturing care activates the body’s natural self-repair mechanisms and helps the body heal itself. “The medical establishment has been proving that the mind can heal the body for over 50 years. We call it ‘the placebo effect‘”, she says.
Your thoughts have a long-term impact on your brain. The messages sent through your nervous system cause patterns of neural activity. When the same thoughts are repeated over and over they actually change neural pathways in your brain. The more frequently you have the same thoughts the busier these pathways get. And the busier these pathways, the stronger and more sensitive the neural connections become.
NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
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If you bombard your cells with negative thoughts you programme your cells to receive more negative thoughts. You also reduce the number of receptors for positive thoughts. You increase your pessimism and it then becomes more difficult to even have positive thoughts.
Similarly, if you focus on positive thoughts you increase your cell’s ability to receive positive thoughts and reduce negative thought receptivity.
When you’re focused on negative thoughts your body fills with the harmful stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. But when you replace negative thinking with positive thoughts your nervous system relaxes. Your body can heal.
There are many examples of the power of positive thinking demonstrated by the placebo effect. The body heals itself if it believes it’s taking or doing something that heals, even if it’s only a sugar pill. Similarly, if you’re convinced you have mastered a new skill your body will then be able to perform it.
The opposite state to placebo is termed the “nocebo effect” and it demonstrates the physiological effects on your body of negative belief, fear, and anxiety. Negative thoughts and emotions trigger the amygdala, the part of the brain that triggers the “fight, flight or freeze” stress response.
The stress response is a throw-back to cave-man days, a response designed to switch on whenever you were facing danger. It would then switch off again as soon as the danger had passed and the nervous system would relax. In our modern world this response often engages when we experience chronic stress or negative thinking. However, because the stress is ongoing the response doesn’t disengage. We remain in the fight-flight-freeze stress response.
If your nervous system gets stuck in this response you become more predisposed to illness because the body’s self-repair mechanisms don’t function well.
CHANGE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
Neural pathways formed by continued negative thoughts can be consciously changed and the good news is it only takes about thirty minutes a day to establish new pathways.
Adopting strategies that support new thinking are a great way to establish new habits. Ninety-eight percent of all behaviour is subconscious so changing a habit of negative thinking requires you to take conscious daily action until new thought patterns have become automatic.
POSITIVE THOUGHT FOCUS
Focus on these strategies to develop the habit of positive thoughts.
Affirmations
Visualisation
Vision boards
Giving thanks
Saturating your consciousness with positive audio and reading
Replacing negative self-talk
AFFIRMATIONS
Your subconscious cannot tell the difference between fact and fiction; it simply believes whatever you tell it. When we repeat positive affirmations, our brain takes the message in the affirmation as fact. In effect, we are telling our subconscious we already have something before it arrives. Or we are projecting a quality onto ourselves that we may not accept.
Repeating statements formed in the now such as “I love my work and am paid abundantly” sends a positive message to the subconscious, which believes whatever you tell it.
Affirmations need to repeated frequently through the day and continued until the new mindset has become established
VISUALISATION
Like affirmations, visualisation is again effective because of the inability of the subconscious to tell what is real and what is vividly imagined. Making simple visualization techniques a part of your daily life helps establish new habits and new thoughts.
VISION BOARDS
Vision boards are a collection of images of the ideal life you’d like to have. They are great for visual thinkers bringing their focus and their thoughts to happy positive possibilities. Whenever you look at them they will evoke happy thoughts. It only takes a few seconds for your brain to retain an image and looking at the same positive image frequently helps form positive thinking quickly. They can be kept on a computer, on cardboard, framed on a wall.
GIVING THANKS
Practicing gratitude is not just a case of convincing yourself that things are great, nor is it deluding yourself that negative things don’t exist. Whenever you practice gratitude you brain releases a flood or neurotransmitters like dopamine, the ‘happy hormone’, rewarding you with a sense of alertness and general happiness.
Your brain quickly learns to seek out more of these feel-good experiences, switching your thoughts from negative to positive.
REPLACING NEGATIVE SELF TALK
When we’re in the habit of negative thinking we tend to use dis-empowering words such as “I can’t”, “it’s no use”, “I should/must/won’t” and many others. Recognising when we use these words and consciously replacing them with empowering words can begin to change those neural pathways. Phrases such as “how can I”, “I trust”, “I am popular” are just a few that lift your feelings about yourself and pave the way for more positive thoughts.
CONTROL NEGATIVE SELF-TALK
Of course, positive thoughts and attitudes are not the only answer, and they can’t entirely control what happens to your health. Genetics still play a part and accidents still happen. But although you may not be able to prevent these, the way in which you think and respond particularly when it comes to fear, affects how well you recover and move on.
The power to influence and even direct your physical health, your emotions and your mental experience lies firmly with you. Every cell right down to your DNA notes your thoughts. Choosing to keep your thoughts positive, focusing on gratitude and other positive practices, and locking positive recognition into your physical body will keep you healthier and happier.
It’s up to you. You’re the only one who can govern the nature of your thoughts, and it’s your responsibility to consciously direct your thoughts.
The Information contained on this site is for your general health information. It is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional healthcare. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
With so much hype surrounding new and exotic superfoods it’s very easy to forget the simple traditional superfoods that have stood the test of time. These are the superfoods we’ve been using every day for generations without even thinking of the incredible health benefits they bestow.
Traditional superfoods are readily available and much less costly. One of the most valuable of the traditional superfoods is the humble lemon, peel and all, which certainly packs a powerful punch when it comes to turbo-charging your health.
Lemons really are a wonder food loaded with nutrients and health benefits. Well-known as an excellent source of vitamin C, they also contain a wide range of other nutrients. These include flavonoids, vitamin B-complex, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper and phosphorous, citric acid and fibre.
LEMONS – ACIDIC OR ALKALINE?
Many people get confused about whether lemons are acidic or alkaline. They wonder how lemons can be an “alkaline food” when they’re so acidic to taste. In fact they’re both.
Outside the body lemon juice is acidic. But once the lemon juice has been fully metabolised within the body and its minerals have been dissociated into the bloodstream its effect is alkalizing..
This means it raises the pH of body tissues making them alkaline. In acidic environments the structure and function of the cell are damaged. Lemons help to return the body to a healthier alkaline state to fight off the wide range of dangerous and unpleasant illnesses including cancer associated with acidic body fluids.
Lemons are one of the most alkalizing foods around.
WARM LEMON WATER, YOUR #1 HEALTH PRACTICE
My Number 1 Wellness Recommendation
If you can only do ONE thing to improve your health, then it should be to drink the juice of half a lemon in a glass of warm water every morning. The trick is to do it when you first rise in the morning, half an hour before you eat or drink anything else.
The combination of lemon and warm water encourages the production of bile by the liver. This supports the liver, prevents liver disease and helps eliminate toxins. It stimulates gastric juices and acts well to cleanse the bowel.
Even just adding a few drops of lemon juice to water or food can aid in digestion and cleanse the system.
How Lemon Water can Boost Health
✧ Help weight loss
✧ Improve digestion
✧Assist your liver to eliminate toxins
✧ Help elimination of toxic wastes
✧ Balance pH within your body
✧ Protect your cardiovascular and nervous systems
✧ Boost your immune system
That’s 7 brilliant reasons for you to drink warm lemon water in the morning
Here’s instructions about how to make and take Warm Lemon Water so you can start right away.
But warm lemon water is only the beginning of discovering the beauty and power of the lemon. Read on for other reasons to eat more lemons.
13 REASONS TO EAT LEMONS EVERY DAY
1. Blood Sugar Regulation
The incidence of Insulin Resistance is increasing. It occurs when the body fails to respond to its own blood sugar regulator, insulin. When blood sugar levels increase, it can lead to diabetes. Eating a low GI (glycemic index) diet combined with weight management are essential in managing this condition.
But selecting foods with low to medium GI ranking is just the start. You can do more to lower the glycemic index of your meal by up to 20 -40% just by adding a few teaspoons of lemon juice. Lemon juice lowers the insulin response to carbohydrates. It also slows down the time it takes a meal to leave your stomach – a key to dropping your weight
2. Fight Cancer
Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds including limonene. Limonene is a natural oil that helps to slow or halt the growth of cancer. Lemons also contain flavanol glycosides which can halt cell division in cancers. This study showed the limonoids present in lemons and other citrus fruit, impede both ER+ and ER- breast cancer cell growth. It supports past studies which showed lemon consumption may lower breast cancer risk. This study shows limonene protects against digestive and upper respiratory tract cancers.
3. Eye Protection
The rutin in lemons can help maintain eye health and protect against disorders like retinopathy.
4. Cardiovascular Benefits
The bioflavonoids in lemons help strengthen blood vessels and keep them soft and pliable. They prevent internal haemorrhage and are useful for reducing high blood pressure.
5. Calm Digestion
Adding just a few drops of lemon juice to your meal helps with both indigestion and constipation, as it acts as a blood purifier and cleansing agent.
6. As an Antiseptic
Lemons are useful for treating acne because they have powerful antiseptic properties. As an antibacterial they destroy intestinal worms which thrive in an acidic digestive system. Changing the gut environment to alkaline destroys them.
7. Reverse Low Oxygen
Lemon juice is very useful in places with insufficient oxygen. Perhaps you should carry some if you are heading to high mountainous places. Sir Edmund Hilary attributed his success on Mt Everest to lemons. It’s useful in any situation where oxygen levels are low, relieving breathing and respiratory symptoms.
8. Brain and Nerve Health
Lemon peel has been proven to be effective for brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Rich in potassium, lemon juice stimulates brain and nerve function to improve concentration, memory and calm.
9. Dissolving Kidney Stones and Gallstones
Lemons are well known for their benefit in treating kidney stones. Citric acid in the juice of the lemon helps to dissolve gallstones, kidney stones and calcium deposits. It also helps prevent the formation of crystals.
10. Neutralise Free Radicals
Lemons are rich in flavonoids with antioxidant properties which neutralize free radicals and prevent ageing.
11. Skin Care
When lemons are mixed with honey and applied to the skin they bring a healthy glow and act as an anti-aging remedy. They can help remove wrinkles and blackheads.
12. Immune Support
Lemons are rich in immune boosting vitamin C and flavonoids. These strengthen the immune system to fight off colds and flu. Combined with honey and warm water, lemon is one of the most effective treatments for colds and coughs.
14. Anti-Inflammatory
The antioxidants in lemons are an excellent anti-inflammatory. They help reduce joint inflammation and pain by dissolving uric acid. Lemons can relieve painful joints, sciatica and lumbago.
Finally, lemons cleansing abilities can provide a wonderful way to detox.
Lemons are a brilliant blood purifier to help remove toxins from the body. This includes radiation and lemon juice drinks offer support to those undergoing chemotherapy.
The juice, roughage and skin of lemons all have benefits to your health. Make sure to include this traditional superfood in your diet for the many amazing health benefits of lemons.
Disclaimer
The Information contained on this site is for your general health information. It is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional healthcare. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
The practice of gratitude as a tool for creating happiness has been mainstream for years. Long-term studies support the effectiveness and benefits of gratitude practice. They suggest a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery. The power of a gratitude practice is substantial.
But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, its practice can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential it needs to become more than just an empty word that is tossed around occasionally. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit, a whole new outlook on our life. And that can take some time.
That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.
Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.
There are many things to be grateful for: early spring flowers, colourful autumn leaves, legs that walk, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm cosy jackets, ripe tomatoes, clean air, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list?
Ways to Practice Gratitude
1. Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way. It helps you to look past the problem in a situation to find the blessing in everything, even if that blessing is a difficult lesson.
2. Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures of things for which you are grateful
3. Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your night time routine
4. Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation
5. When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel
6. Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude
7. Give at least one compliment daily. It can be directed to a person or you could invite someone to share your appreciation of something else – such as “I love how beautiful the autumn leaves are, don’t you?”
8. When you find yourself in a difficult situation instead of getting angry or fearful ask yourself “What can I learn here? How can I grow from this experience? What is there here that I might later look back on and be grateful for?”
9. When you’re in a situation that creates negative feelings within you, search for something positive you can focus on instead. For example, instead of “it’s cold and dreary this morning” think of “the fresh crisp morning air clears my head so I can focus better.”
What are you most grateful for in your life today?
Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.Save
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only. They are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation with your health care provider. Do not use this article to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think your condition may be serious or before discontinuing any prescribed medication. Please consult your health care provider before following any treatment suggested on this site, particularly with an ongoing health issue.
Winter’s here and with that comes coughs, colds, and flu. As the air crisps and the autumn leaves finish you need to consider whether you’re well enough to get right through winter without falling victim to winter illnesses. And if you’ve already had a few sniffles, you can be certain the answer is “no”.
If you haven’t already prepared yourself to weather winter natural remedies can support you in best health and wellness. But you need to act now before winter takes hold. These natural remedies for coughs colds and flu will help you through without getting too sick.
PREVENT WINTER ILLNESS
Along with morning mists and cold air come winter illnesses, and many have already fallen victim to them. When you feel terrible it’s natural to think you’ve caught the flu. Although only about 20% of viruses that look and feel like flu actually are, it doesn’t stop the others from being downright unpleasant and highly contagious.
Preparing for winter should begin with a careful plan to strengthen your immune system. Ideally, you’d start it at the end of summer when the weather first cools. But if you’re unprepared and have already had a taste of the winter illnesses that lie ahead you can use these tactics to help you get through with minimum impact.
Over-the-counter cold and flu medications make you feel better because they suppress symptoms for a while. But they don’t actually make you well any faster. For that you need to look at other options.
NATURAL COLD AND FLU PREVENTION
There are many awesome natural remedies for coughs colds and flu that effectively treat winter illness. But they’re even more effective if you first fix bad lifestyle habits first.
Sleep
Good sleep is the most important lifestyle factor for glowing health. Adults need seven to eight hours uninterrupted sleep every night. It’s vital to develop regular sleep habits because a healthy immune system is the direct result of sufficient quality sleep.
Your sleep environment is crucial. Most people know they shouldn’t use their electronic devices before bed, but few actually stop. Using devices an hour or less before sleep is like having someone stand beside your bed shouting “stay awake”. They prevent good sleep.
Creating bedtime rituals contributes to better slumber. Declutter your bedroom. Introduce relaxation practices before bed. Don’t go to bed with a full stomach or hungry.
Hygeine
You know to wash your hands often during flu season. When someone with a cold or flu touches their keyboard, phone, or a glass the virus spreads onto the surface. Hours later the virus can still linger and be transferred to you when you touch the same surface.
Exercise
Keep up exercise through winter changing it to suit the season. Slow gentle exercise and stretching helps move lymph fluid through your body to remove waste from the cells. Aerobic exercise increases your body’s natural virus-killing cells. But don’t exercise when you get sick.
Foods
Sugar and grain weaken the immune system. Your immune system is compromised by 50% for up to four hours after eating sugar.
Supplements
Some supplements benefit the immune system and can help prevent colds and flu.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D produces antimicrobial peptides in your body to kill viruses and bacteria. Many people are deficient in this crucial vitamin particularly in winter. Vitamin D is sourced from sunlight so it’s common for your levels to drop dramatically when sunlight is scarce or weak over winter.
Zinc
Strong immunity depends on good levels of the trace element zinc, but many people are deficient. Zinc increases production of white blood cells to fight infection. Low zinc levels leave you much more susceptible to infection.Save
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that provides your immune system with extra power to fight off viral illness. Lemons, limes, oranges, red pepper and broccoli are all good sources or take a daily supplement.
Garlic
Garlic contains allicin, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial often referred to as natures antibiotic. It needs to have a strong garlic odour for it to work properly.
Probiotics
Studies show that taking lactic acid bacteria long-term can protect against flu infection. Begin well before winter.
Homeopathy
There are many homeopathic remedies for fast relief of coughs, colds and flu symptoms. While you can buy combination remedies from health food stores, the most effective homeopathic remedies are individually matched to your specific unique symptoms. See below for more.
Herbs
The herb Echinacea helps fight infection, and is most effective during the first twenty-four hours of your illness. Goldenseal inhibits the formation of mucous. Olive Leaf extract strengthens the immune system. It contains the antioxidant oleuropein which is anti-bacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory.
If You Still Get Sick…
If you are unfortunate and still get sick in spite of taking precautions your body is telling you to slow down. Falling ill is a sign your immune system is compromised and needs support. Your body needs time and rest to recover. Before continuing to soldier on at work decide whether going to work means spreading germs through your whole workplace.
Prevent Winter Ailments & Recover Fast
Don’t keep going. Allow your body to rest.
Drink water, and then drink some more.
Powdered Vitamin C in juice or water is easier to swallow than tablets. It soothes sore throats as it passes over the inflamed mucous membranes.
Add freshly cut ginger, lemon and honey to hot water for a healing drink. Ginger helps break down and expel mucous, lemon is high in vitamin C and honey is an antibacterial and antiviral which soothes sore throats.
Only take warming foods and drinks. Cold food and drink weakens your immune system and can lead to a worse cough.
Hot baths followed by wrapping well can help sweat the virus out of your system. Don’t wet your hair. If you’re suffering from aching muscles add 1 – 2 cups of Epsom salts to ease muscular pain.
Avoid dairy, wheat, eggs and bananas which are all mucous forming.
Avoid sugar which compromises your immune system
Homeopathy For Coughs, Colds & Flu
Many excellent homeopathic remedies relieve coughs, colds and flu. They are virtually free of side effects, are non-addictive and safe when used within homeopathic prescribing guidelines, Homeopathic remedies work at the level of the immune system and can affect your overall health. Here are just a few.
Homeopathic Remedies for Colds
Aconite
Aconite is for early stages of colds and flu. Take in the first 24 hours after the onset of the illness as after this it’s unlikely to be useful. Symptoms appear suddenly after exposure to cold, dry winds or after getting chilled. A high fever alternates with chills. The face is warm and flushed, with constricted pupils. A person needing Aconite is fearful, anxious and very restless.
Allium cepa
Allium cepa is a great remedy for a common cold with eyes and nose that stream. The eyes are red and smart with lots of bland tears. The nasal discharge is watery and profuse and burns the skin below the nose. There can be much sneezing especially when coming into a warm room. This person always feels better in the fresh air.
Pulsatilla
When Pulsatilla is needed the nose blocks in the evening or in a warm room. Nasal catarrh can be thick or watery, and yellow or yellow-green colour. There may be inflamed eyelids with a thick discharge from the eyes. Taste and smell may be lost. This person is markedly better in the fresh air and for cold applications. They are much worse getting hot, when they lie down, or in a warm room which can cause sneezing. Their mood may be tearful, affectionate – even clingy, and they have a strong desire for company.
Natrum muriaticum
There will be profuse watery nasal discharge like raw egg white and violent sneezing when Nat mur is needed. The eyes are sore and sensitive to light. Patients feel worse in the sun and in warm stuffy rooms and better in the open air.
Homeopathic Remedies for Coughs
Spongia
A great remedy for dry, irritating, spasmodic coughs with great dryness of air passages. The throat is dry and constricted and breathing rasping and wheezy. There’s very little expectoration which tastes salty. This person is worse in a warm room and from talking. They’re better for swallowing, warm drinks, and for sitting up and bending forward.
Rumex crispus
Rumex has an incessant hoarse, barking cough that comes in paroxysms. They feel like there’s a crumb stuck in their throat which tickles. The cough can prevent sleep and is so affected by cold air they must put their head under the bedclothes to stop.
Antimonium tart
The Antimonium cough is one of cold, damp weather. It’s wet and rattling in the chest or larynx, but unproductive. Respiration is difficult and is relieved by expectoration. There’s marked respiratory distress requiring use of the accessory respiration muscles. They are worse in the evening and when they lie down but are better if they sit erect.
Arsenicum album
This dry, wheezy cough comes on after midnight. Patients find it difficult to lie down and are fearful they will suffocate. There’s burning pain in the chest or even a darting pain in the upper lung. Respiration is wheezing. They may feel burning heat all over and at the same time be very chilly. They need to be wrapped warmly, but prefer their head open to fresh air. Someone needing this remedy feels exhausted and very restless, often fiddling with the bedclothes. They’re worse from cold in any form and better from heat and warm drinks.
Hepar sulph
A dry, hoarse cough comes on after exposure to cold, dry winds. The voice is hoarse or even lost. They will cough whenever any part of their body gets cold or is uncovered, especially from a draft of cold air under the duvet. A useful remedy for croupy barking coughs. They’re much worse in cold, dry air and better in warm, moist air.
Homeopathic Remedies for Flu
Oscillococcinum
This is the number one homeopathic remedy for flu. If taken at the onset of flu it reduces the duration and intensity significantly. It’s indicated for symptoms of flu including fever, chills, aches and pains. Take it as soon as you show any sign of getting the flu. Once flu has become established you may need a different remedy.
Gelsemium
This type of flu develops slowly and creates a feeling of fatigue and great heaviness. Everything feels heavy, even the eyelids. Limbs tremble and there’s a feeling of great unsteadiness. Shivering and chills are felt up and down the spine, without perspiration. There may be a headache like a tight band right around the head. The person feels dull and very sleepy with concentration difficult. They are dry but not thirsty. They generally feel worse mid-morning and when the weather changes from dry to cold and wet. Strangely they feel better after urinating, from stimulants like alcohol, or in the open air.
Eupatorium perfoliatum
This remedy is needed when severe aches and pains spread to the bones as well as the muscles. Even the eyes ache. There’s a chill followed by sweating. The head may throb and feel like tight pressure on the whole skull. The face is red and congested and the person is very thirsty. They feel worse if they move, outside in the open air, or from 7-9am. They’re better from rest or warmth, and everything except the headache is better after perspiring.
Baptisia
Baptisia is a good remedy for gastric flu with vomiting and diarrhoea. It comes on suddenly with high fever and profuse perspiration. They have an intense thirst. The muscles are very sore. This person is quite delirious with confused ideas. They feel as if their limbs are in pieces and scattered all over. They look dazed and sluggish, even falling asleep while talking. Their face is dull and red. They are worse in humid heat and indoors.
These are just a few of the more common homeopathic remedies for these ailments. If these don’t fit your symptoms consult a Homeopath for a fast relief remedy expertly matched to your symptoms.
Nurture Yourself
Remember once you start to feel better you are more vulnerable than normal and so you need to take things easier for a while. Cut back your schedule and keep your stress levels down to prevent any relapse. Be kind and allow yourself some self-care.
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for educational information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation with your health care provider. Do not use this article to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think your condition may be serious or before discontinuing any prescribed medication. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
Happy Holistic Health 
