Four Tips to Make You Quit Singing the "Dry-Skin Blues"
Is smooth skin a hopeless goal for you?
Not really. These four strategies can help…
1. Hydrate your entire system with lots of water and high anti-oxidant green tea. During winter there’s a tendency not to drink as much due to cool temperatures. You may want to bring your water to room temperature to encourage drinking more. Or enjoy more warm green tea, like the Royal Matcha Green Tea sold elsewhere on this website.
2. Eat a healthy diet of mostly raw foods, foods high in omega-3 fatty acids which produce a hydrating effect from the inside out, and antioxidants which help fight signs of aging. Winter might be a good time to increase your intake of Krill oil also, for its omega-3s -- and antioxidants such as Purple Defense and Turmeric.
3. Take a revitalizing bath – in warm water, not hot! Himalayan salt baths are rejuvenating, and help dry skin to slough off. Hot water is damaging to your skin, so stick with warm water.
4. Moisturize daily with non-clogging organic moisturizers such as coconut oil or body butter. These nourish your skin instead of clogging it, as many toxin-impaired moisturizers do.
It’s especially important to cleanse and moisturize before you go to bed at night, to remove impurities from your skin before your revitalizing sleep time. Just be sure your moisturizer isn’t tainted with toxins.
Why do I stress organic so much?
Because what you don’t know – or even what’s intentionally hidden from you – really can hurt you.
Continue reading to discover just how dangerous many moisturizer ingredients can be – even some very high-end (expensive) ‘spa’ products.
Be sure to check your products against the list of dangerous ingredients that follows.
Always Avoid Applying Potential Toxins To Your Skin…
Many people – even those who carefully select organic or gourmet foods to eat choose skin care products that can do serious damage to their skin.
Now, realize that I’m not suggesting you’d intentionally apply toxins to your skin. You simply may not realize the extent to which many common skin care products contain suspect ingredients with unrecognizable or unpronounceable names.
Do you ever put things onto your skin that you wouldn’t think of eating? I hope not...
You see, I believe that what you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream and integrated into your body’s tissues. A number of these potential toxins have estrogen-mimicking effects that can wreak havoc on all your good health intentions.
Besides avoiding these hazards, there are some other steps you can take to create that young-looking skin you really want…
What Can You Do to Keep Your Skin Looking Healthy?
First of all, if you’re doing many of the things I talk about elsewhere on this website, you may have already noticed a major difference in the way your skin looks — as well as other aspects of your health.
Eating according to your nutritional type with plenty of fresh raw organic foods in your diet, and getting enough omega-3 fats are ways to improve your health on many fronts...
And need I mention exercise? Through exercise, your skin detoxifies impurities from your system – what you know as perspiration.
But beyond that, here’s a critically important issue you need to be aware of...
Just 5 Minutes Per Day Gets You on the Road
to a More Youthful-Looking, Vibrant Face
Every day of your life, pollution, grime, and dust attach themselves to the surface of your skin.
If you don’t take a couple minutes daily to cleanse your face and unclog your pores, your skin may look sluggish -- instead of at its bright and shining best.
Cleaning your skin is important, just like keeping your internal organs clean and healthy is.
But here’s a caveat…
Take Your Own Hippocratic Oath for Skin Care ("First, Do No Harm")
It may seem like a cliché, but there are things you can do to prevent damaging your skin. Many of the visible signs of aging are caused by external factors that you can at least partially control.
These actions may be the easiest and least expensive things you can do to prevent damage to your skin, gain a more youthful appearance, and build a strong foundation for your pro-active natural skin care. Not to mention, creating a buzz about your new looks.
Please be aware that skin damage doesn’t always involve pain or immediate visible change, and can often go unnoticed for some time. But the cumulative actions you begin taking today can also improve your skin slowly over time. So get started today doing these simple things:
* Avoid or minimize damage from hot water and chlorine. Although taking baths and showers may seem like it’s health-promoting and relaxing, your skin may disagree – especially if you have chlorinated water, which is almost certainly the case (unless your water comes from a well).
Chlorine causes oxidative damage. The hotter the water, the more potential for damage – because the rate of chemical reactions increases with temperature. Hot water may cause your skin to age faster.
So what can you do? Adjust your water temperature to be a bit cooler, limit your showers to one per day, and decrease your soak time in the bath.
* Use gentle and safe skin care products – organic whenever possible. Your skin absorbs it all. Don’t compromise your health and the health of your skin by using potential poisons.
* Be very sure to remove your makeup each evening. It's a really bad idea to flop into bed, leaving makeup – not to mention environmental grime – on your face while you sleep. Take a couple minutes to remove it, and you’ll find your face looking and feeling younger.
* Proper Sleeping Position Sleep on your back. Gravity creates a downward drag on your skin all day. Give your skin a break at night. By sleeping on your back, you reduce gravitational pull on your face. If you press your face to your pillow, you will likely experience increased puffiness in the morning.
(Sleeping on your back reduces gravitational pull on your face. Be sure you remove your make-up before sleeping. Leaving it on during sleep creates extra stress on your skin. Use botanicals from nature for a nutritional approach to your beauty.)
* Don’t smoke… for your general health’s sake, and for younger looking skin. Smoking causes free radical production, which is one cause of the signs of aging.
* If you will be in the sun for extended periods of time, use sunscreen with safe and effective ingredients, such as Mercola Natural Sunscreen.
* Limit exfoliation to twice per week and use a gentle exfoliator. Exfoliation refreshes your skin’s surfaces and brightens your appearance as it removes dead cells from the surface of your skin. But if you exfoliate too often or too aggressively, you risk damaging living cells.
* Apply your skin care products to warm skin in order to help your skin appear healthier. This maximizes absorption. If your skin is cold, use a warm towel to warm your skin.
* Never pull or rub your skin. Apply your skin care products gently, and lightly tap for a few moments to help your skin absorb them. Rubbing stretches your skin and can promote sagging and wrinkles. (Note: This principle includes leaning your face on your hand while sitting at a desk, which also stretches your skin.)
* Don’t expect overnight changes. Even if you start doing everything right today, don’t be discouraged with seeming lack of progress tomorrow.
It may take a month or even two to three months to notice changes. Plus, it’s quite possible that others will notice your increasingly youthful-looking face before you do.
Remember: it took years to get where you are today, so show patience when expecting changes and improvements.
Now that you’re taking these practical steps as well as choosing not to use dangerous and damaging products on your skin, let’s explore your skin care alternatives – organic food products from nature’s storehouse.
Healthy Living - 2011 Top Fitness Foods
Mike Geary
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author/Founder of TruthAboutAbs.com
Smart choices start at the grocery store. What you take home will define what you and your family eat that week. What you prepare for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks has an enormous effect on your weight and your health. To embrace healthy living for 2011 grab hold of these foods in your grocery shopping and make sure they a part of the meals you prepare for yourself and your family.
Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and yogurt These items make for a healthy, delicious mid morning or afternoon meal. Think of ways to combine these items with other healthy toppings to suit your fancy.
Yogurt topped with granola, nuts, berries. Or yogurt topped with your preferred fruit pieces.
Cottage cheese topped with tomatoes and pepper. Or use ricotta cheese instead if cottage cheese.
Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamias, Brazil nuts, etc.
These are healthy fats.
Choose your favorite nuts and use as toppers. Make raw almond butter spread for toast. You can use any nut you wish to make a raw natural nut butter.
Whole flax seeds
Always grind them fresh because the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and prone to oxidation, potentially creating inflammation causing free radicals from pre-ground flax.
Grind up flax seeds to add in cereal, over yogurt, or sprinkled on toast with almond butter.
Whole eggs
One of natures richest sources of nutrients and high quality protein.
Chose your favorite way to eat eggs and make it a meal. ONE of the best things about eggs is that they keep you full for quite sometime. It's the perfect breakfast!
Salsa
Tomatoes and herbs in salsa is a spicy way to spice up your health.
Make your own salsa instead of store bought. Use it as an accompaniment with meats, with oven baked chips or potatoes, or as an egg topper.
Butter
Butter adds great flavor to anything and can be part of a healthy diet provided you use it in small quantities. Avoid margarine at all costs.
• Avocados - love them...plus a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients. Try adding them to wraps, salads, or sandwiches.
• Whole grain wraps and whole grain bread (look for wraps and bread with at least 3-4 grams of fiber per 20 grams of total carbs).
• Rice bran and wheat germ - these may sound way too healthy for some, but they actually add a nice little nutty, crunchy taste to yogurt or smoothies, or can be added when baking muffins or breads to add nutrients and fiber.
• Leaf lettuce and spinach along with shredded carrots - for salads with dinner.
• Home-made salad dressing - using balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and Udo's Choice oil blend. This is much better than store bought salad dressing which mostly use highly refined soybean oil (source of inflammation-causing free radicals).
• Frozen fish - I like to try a couple different kinds of fish each week. There are so many varieties out there, you never have to get bored. Plus, frozen fish is usually frozen immediately after catching, as opposed to fresh fish, which has been in transport and sitting at markets for days, allowing it more opportunity to spoil.
• Frozen berries - during the local growing season, I only get fresh berries, but during the other 10 months of the year, I always keep a supply of frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, etc. to add to high fiber cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt, or smoothies
• Frozen veggies - again, when the growing season is over and I can no longer get local fresh produce, frozen veggies are the best option, since they often have higher nutrient contents compared to the fresh produce that has been shipped thousands of miles, sitting around for weeks before making it to your dinner table.
• Frozen chicken breasts - very convenient to nuke up for a quick addition to wraps or chicken sandwiches for quick meals.
• Frozen buffalo, ostrich, venison, and other "exotic" lean meats – Yeah, I know, I'm weird, but I can tell you that these are some of the healthiest meats around, and if you're serious about a lean healthy body, these types of meats are much better for you than the mass produced, hormone-pumped beef and pork that's sold at most grocery stores.
Alright, now the staples in my cabinets:
• Oat bran and steel cut oats - higher fiber than those little packs of instant oats.
• Cans of coconut milk - to be transferred to a container in the fridge after opening.
• Various antioxidant rich teas - green, oolong, white, rooibos are some of the best. Surprisingly, even chammomile tea has been shown to provide important trace nutrients and antioxidants.
• Stevia - a natural non-caloric sweetener, which is an excellent alternative to the nasty chemical-laden artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose.
• Organic maple syrup - none of that high fructose corn syrup Aunt Jemima crap...only real maple syrup can be considered real food. The only time I really use this (because of the high sugar load) is added to my post-workout smoothies to sweeten things up and also elicit an insulin surge to push nutrients into your muscles.
• Raw honey - better than processed honey...higher quantities of beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Honey has even been proven in studies to improve
glucose metabolism (how you process carbs). I use a teaspoon or so every morning in my teas.
• Whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta - much higher fiber than normal pastas • Brown rice and other higher fiber rice - NEVER white rice
• Cans of black or kidney beans - I like to add a couple scoops to my Mexican wraps for the fiber and high nutrition content. Also, beans are surprisingly one of the best sources of youth promoting antioxidants!
• Tomato sauces - delicious, and as I'm sure you've heard a million times, they are a great source of lycopene. Just watch out for the brands that are loaded with nasty high fructose corn syrup.
• Dark chocolate (as dark as possible) - This is one of my treats that satisfies my sweet tooth, plus provides loads of antioxidants at the same time. It's still calorie dense, so I keep it to just a couple squares; but that is enough to do the trick, so I don't feel like I need to go out and get cake and ice cream to satisfy my dessert urges. Choose dark chocolate that lists it's cocoa content at 70% or greater. Milk chocolate is usually only about 30% cocoa, and even most cheap dark chocolates are only around 50% cocoa. Cocoa content is key for the antioxidant benefit...the rest is just sugar and other additives.
• Organic unsweetened cocoa powder - I like to mix this into my smoothies for an extra jolt of antioxidants or make my own low-sugar hot cocoa by mixing cocoa powder into hot milk with stevia and a couple melted dark chocolate chunks.
Of course, you also can never go wrong with any types of fresh fruits. Even though fruit contains natural sugars, the fiber within most fruits usually slows down the carbohydrate absorption and glycemic response. Also, you get the benefit of high antioxidant content and nutrient density in most fruits. Some of my favorites are
kiwi, pomegranate, mango, papaya, grapes, oranges, fresh pineapple, bananas, apples, pears, peaches, and all types of berries.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean body meals and how I stock my kitchen. Your tastes are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave you some good ideas you can use next time you're at the grocery store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of groceries.
50
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author/Founder of TruthAboutAbs.com
Smart choices start at the grocery store. What you take home will define what you and your family eat that week. What you prepare for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks has an enormous effect on your weight and your health. To embrace healthy living for 2011 grab hold of these foods in your grocery shopping and make sure they a part of the meals you prepare for yourself and your family.
Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and yogurt These items make for a healthy, delicious mid morning or afternoon meal. Think of ways to combine these items with other healthy toppings to suit your fancy.
Yogurt topped with granola, nuts, berries. Or yogurt topped with your preferred fruit pieces.
Cottage cheese topped with tomatoes and pepper. Or use ricotta cheese instead if cottage cheese.
Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamias, Brazil nuts, etc.
These are healthy fats.
Choose your favorite nuts and use as toppers. Make raw almond butter spread for toast. You can use any nut you wish to make a raw natural nut butter.
Whole flax seeds
Always grind them fresh because the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and prone to oxidation, potentially creating inflammation causing free radicals from pre-ground flax.
Grind up flax seeds to add in cereal, over yogurt, or sprinkled on toast with almond butter.
Whole eggs
One of natures richest sources of nutrients and high quality protein.
Chose your favorite way to eat eggs and make it a meal. ONE of the best things about eggs is that they keep you full for quite sometime. It's the perfect breakfast!
Salsa
Tomatoes and herbs in salsa is a spicy way to spice up your health.
Make your own salsa instead of store bought. Use it as an accompaniment with meats, with oven baked chips or potatoes, or as an egg topper.
Butter
Butter adds great flavor to anything and can be part of a healthy diet provided you use it in small quantities. Avoid margarine at all costs.
• Avocados - love them...plus a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients. Try adding them to wraps, salads, or sandwiches.
• Whole grain wraps and whole grain bread (look for wraps and bread with at least 3-4 grams of fiber per 20 grams of total carbs).
• Rice bran and wheat germ - these may sound way too healthy for some, but they actually add a nice little nutty, crunchy taste to yogurt or smoothies, or can be added when baking muffins or breads to add nutrients and fiber.
• Leaf lettuce and spinach along with shredded carrots - for salads with dinner.
• Home-made salad dressing - using balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and Udo's Choice oil blend. This is much better than store bought salad dressing which mostly use highly refined soybean oil (source of inflammation-causing free radicals).
• Frozen fish - I like to try a couple different kinds of fish each week. There are so many varieties out there, you never have to get bored. Plus, frozen fish is usually frozen immediately after catching, as opposed to fresh fish, which has been in transport and sitting at markets for days, allowing it more opportunity to spoil.
• Frozen berries - during the local growing season, I only get fresh berries, but during the other 10 months of the year, I always keep a supply of frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, etc. to add to high fiber cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt, or smoothies
• Frozen veggies - again, when the growing season is over and I can no longer get local fresh produce, frozen veggies are the best option, since they often have higher nutrient contents compared to the fresh produce that has been shipped thousands of miles, sitting around for weeks before making it to your dinner table.
• Frozen chicken breasts - very convenient to nuke up for a quick addition to wraps or chicken sandwiches for quick meals.
• Frozen buffalo, ostrich, venison, and other "exotic" lean meats – Yeah, I know, I'm weird, but I can tell you that these are some of the healthiest meats around, and if you're serious about a lean healthy body, these types of meats are much better for you than the mass produced, hormone-pumped beef and pork that's sold at most grocery stores.
Alright, now the staples in my cabinets:
• Oat bran and steel cut oats - higher fiber than those little packs of instant oats.
• Cans of coconut milk - to be transferred to a container in the fridge after opening.
• Various antioxidant rich teas - green, oolong, white, rooibos are some of the best. Surprisingly, even chammomile tea has been shown to provide important trace nutrients and antioxidants.
• Stevia - a natural non-caloric sweetener, which is an excellent alternative to the nasty chemical-laden artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose.
• Organic maple syrup - none of that high fructose corn syrup Aunt Jemima crap...only real maple syrup can be considered real food. The only time I really use this (because of the high sugar load) is added to my post-workout smoothies to sweeten things up and also elicit an insulin surge to push nutrients into your muscles.
• Raw honey - better than processed honey...higher quantities of beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Honey has even been proven in studies to improve
glucose metabolism (how you process carbs). I use a teaspoon or so every morning in my teas.
• Whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta - much higher fiber than normal pastas • Brown rice and other higher fiber rice - NEVER white rice
• Cans of black or kidney beans - I like to add a couple scoops to my Mexican wraps for the fiber and high nutrition content. Also, beans are surprisingly one of the best sources of youth promoting antioxidants!
• Tomato sauces - delicious, and as I'm sure you've heard a million times, they are a great source of lycopene. Just watch out for the brands that are loaded with nasty high fructose corn syrup.
• Dark chocolate (as dark as possible) - This is one of my treats that satisfies my sweet tooth, plus provides loads of antioxidants at the same time. It's still calorie dense, so I keep it to just a couple squares; but that is enough to do the trick, so I don't feel like I need to go out and get cake and ice cream to satisfy my dessert urges. Choose dark chocolate that lists it's cocoa content at 70% or greater. Milk chocolate is usually only about 30% cocoa, and even most cheap dark chocolates are only around 50% cocoa. Cocoa content is key for the antioxidant benefit...the rest is just sugar and other additives.
• Organic unsweetened cocoa powder - I like to mix this into my smoothies for an extra jolt of antioxidants or make my own low-sugar hot cocoa by mixing cocoa powder into hot milk with stevia and a couple melted dark chocolate chunks.
Of course, you also can never go wrong with any types of fresh fruits. Even though fruit contains natural sugars, the fiber within most fruits usually slows down the carbohydrate absorption and glycemic response. Also, you get the benefit of high antioxidant content and nutrient density in most fruits. Some of my favorites are
kiwi, pomegranate, mango, papaya, grapes, oranges, fresh pineapple, bananas, apples, pears, peaches, and all types of berries.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean body meals and how I stock my kitchen. Your tastes are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave you some good ideas you can use next time you're at the grocery store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of groceries.
50
MSM
Dr Andrew Jones on MSM
What is MSM?
---------------------------------
MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane is found naturally in some raw fruits
and vegetables. It a sulfur containing compound, and it is
essential for normal cell function. MSM decreases inflammation and
pain, and acts as an antioxidant.
-----------------------------
HOW it works for arthritis
-----------------------------
It replenishes sulfur stores within arthritic joints, allowing
cartilage to rebuild.
There is also evidence suggesting that it increases the
effectiveness of glucosamine.
---------------------------------
Should you use it?
---------------------------------
In supplementing for arthritis, different animals respond to the
variety of supplements.
Some ONLY need Glucosamine, while others respond much BETTER to
combinations of supplements.
In treating dogs and cats for arthitis, I have had the best success
in supplementing with Glucosamine, Chondroitin AND MSM.
-------------------------------
Where to start?
-------------------------------
I have formulated my Ultimate Canine and Feline Health formulas
with therapeutic levels of MSM.
It is very safe, and I have found it to be surprisingly effective.
Grab your trial bottle here:
http://www.thedogsupplement.com
http://www.thecatsupplement.com
What is MSM?
---------------------------------
MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane is found naturally in some raw fruits
and vegetables. It a sulfur containing compound, and it is
essential for normal cell function. MSM decreases inflammation and
pain, and acts as an antioxidant.
-----------------------------
HOW it works for arthritis
-----------------------------
It replenishes sulfur stores within arthritic joints, allowing
cartilage to rebuild.
There is also evidence suggesting that it increases the
effectiveness of glucosamine.
---------------------------------
Should you use it?
---------------------------------
In supplementing for arthritis, different animals respond to the
variety of supplements.
Some ONLY need Glucosamine, while others respond much BETTER to
combinations of supplements.
In treating dogs and cats for arthitis, I have had the best success
in supplementing with Glucosamine, Chondroitin AND MSM.
-------------------------------
Where to start?
-------------------------------
I have formulated my Ultimate Canine and Feline Health formulas
with therapeutic levels of MSM.
It is very safe, and I have found it to be surprisingly effective.
Grab your trial bottle here:
http://www.thedogsupplement.com
http://www.thecatsupplement.com
Dog Wellness - Prevention of Canine Hip Dysplsia
CHD is when the ball and socket hip joint is malformed, causing separation of the two bones of the joint. The socket is not formed properly to fit the ball completely in place. This less-than-perfect fit causes the bones to separate, resulting in abnormal joint structure along with weak muscles, ligaments and connective tissue that support the joints. The result is chafing and grinding joints.
The dog's body will try to compensate for the poor joint fit by producing a hard bony material around the in and around - attempting to stabilize the problem. Unfortunately this alteration has the opposite effect by creating an even worse fit of the joint.
Eventually the wear on the joint from the chafing and grinding results in degenerative joint disease (DJD), which is a painful, debilitating disease that will take your dog down fast.
CHD develops between five and twelve months of age for the severe form of the disease; later for the chronic form.
CHD Testing
Without the gene a dog will not acquire CHD, however if he does have the gene he is likely to develop it but he is also likely not to develop it - so dog wellness preventative measures is highly necessary in order to give your dog a fighting chance of not developing the disease.
With certain breeds of dogs, like the German Shepard, puppies are often tested at a young age in order to rule out any hip problems. The family history of the puppy is also taken into consideration. However, even if prior generations show no signs of CHD, their puppies are still at risk. Even if a dog shows high OFA and PennHIP scores, they can still carry the genes of the disease. Currently, there is no test that can identify if the dog is a gene carrier.
The hip is the biggest joint in your dog’s body and bares the majority of his weight during any kind of movement. That’s why hip dysplasia can be such a painful, debilitating disease, especially as it is predominantly seen in large breed dogs with heavy body mass.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Canine Hip Dysplasia
A dog with CHD may have one or a combination of the following symptoms:
- Abnormal gait
- Bunny-hopping when running
- Thigh muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass)
- Pain
- Low exercise tolerance
- Reluctance to climb stairs
- Audible "click" when walking
- Increased width between points of the hips
Diagnosis is typically made either because a dog is showing symptoms, or as the result of a standard hip exam prior to breeding a purebred dog.
The vet will perform a complete physical exam and take x-rays. Joint problems are easily seen on x-rays of dogs exhibiting symptoms. The vet may also be able to feel looseness in your dog’s hip joint, and note pain when a rear leg is extended or flexed.
Traditional Treatment of Hip Dysplasia
If hip laxity (looseness) is caught very early prior to any joint damage occurring, there are surgical procedures that can correct the joint malformation.
If your dog has already suffered degenerative joint disease from chronic hip dysplasia, surgical options are either a total hip replacement or a procedure in which the head of the femur is removed and a ‘fake’ hip joint replaces it. This option is less costly than a full hip replacement, but is most successful in dogs weighing less than 40 pounds.
The cost of a surgery such as this is extremely costly and usually not affordable to most dog owners, so the best bet is to ensure dog owners put dog wellness strategies into place and look at preventative measures for CHD. Particularly if you have a large breed dog.
Pain Management for CHD
Pain management involves the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), buffered aspirin and corticosteroids to alleviate inflammation and pain. The side effects of these drugs can include organ problems and gastric ulcers.
Complementary Therapies
In the event a dog is on pain medication for CHD it is highly recommended that the dog owner works with a holistic vet in order to find alternative treatements and pain mangement. This helps protect the dog's owner from Big Pharma pro vets that will use your dogs unfortunate situation to make more money by recommending medications the dog doesn't really need, and basically from ripping off pet owners. Utilizing alternative measures will also help protect your dog from the side effects caused by NSAIDs\ and other pain medications, that we know are toxic.
Doctor Karen Becker says in her opinion, the most important aspect of managing this debilitating disease is building and maintaining excellent muscle, tendon and ligament health through physical therapy, an anti-inflammatory diet and oral chondroprotective/supportive supplements.
Complementary therapies include:
-Chiropractic treatments. Chiropractic therapy can help your pet avoid the compensating injuries that often result from CHD.
-Massage. Regular massages can alleviate inflammation and prevent further damage through compensation.
-Stretching and other forms of physical therapy will increase the condition and mobility of her joints, tendons and ligaments, helping to preserve her range of motion.
-Low-level laser therapy can facilitate long lasting pain relief by stimulating the release of your dog’s own pain killing endorphins.
-Acupuncture can be tremendously beneficial in relieving the pain and inflammation of degenerative joint disease.
-Aquatic therapy, also known as hydrotherapy, uses an underwater treadmill or heated pool to take pressure off your dog’s injured or painful joints. Water therapy can also improve your dog’s cardiovascular health, muscle strength and range of motion critical for supporting dysplastic dogs.
-Adding certain supplements to your pet’s naturally anti-inflammatory diet can provide the raw materials for cartilage repair and maintenance, among them:
1. Glucosamine sulfate with MSM, Eggshell Membrane, Perna Mussel
2. Homeopathic remedies, including Rhus Tox
3. Ubiquinol and other antioxidants
4. Super green foods (Spirulina and Asthaxanin)
5. Natural anti-inflammatory formulas (herbs, proteolytic enzymes and nutraceuticals)
6. Adequan injections, which can stimulate joint fluid very rapidly in pets with arthritis
Dog Wellness Strategies for Prevention of Canine Hip Dysplasia
1. Selective breeding. More hip testing and more careful breeding can go a long way toward limiting the inheritance of CHD.
2. If you’re planning to get a purebred large-breed puppy, find breeders who PennHIP certify their dogs. OFA certification is still the established standard, but PennHIP is a much better indication of hip health. If greater numbers of potential dog owners demand PennHIP certification, more breeders will understand the importance of this test for their animals.
Unfortunately, PennHIP testing is more expensive and not as widely done as OFA, but it is highly preferable to the OFA method. The procedure can be done on dogs as young as 16 weeks. PennHIP uses a network of trained veterinarians and anesthesia is required rather than an option.
3. Slow weight gain in large-breed puppies. When a puppy gains size and weight too quickly, the cartilage in his body often can’t keep up with the growth of his frame, and cartilage deficits result. When imbalances of this type develop in a growing dog, they can contribute to hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
4.High calorie diets, which are typically also high in carbohydrates, can cause too-rapid growth, especially in larger breed dogs. In fact, research indicates the amount of calories a dog consumes, especially from the age of three to ten months, can have a significant impact on whether a pup genetically prone to hip dysplasia will develop the condition.
Despite what you might hear from other owners of large breed dogs or even from your vet, it is not protein in the diet that is linked to hip dysplasia, but calcium-phosphorus ratios and high caloric content. A portion-controlled, balanced, species-appropriate diet will provide your dog, no matter his age, with the right nutrition in the right amounts.
5. Obesity can increase the severity of dysplasia. Extra weight can accelerate the degeneration of joints. Dogs born with genes that make them prone to hip dysplasia, if allowed to grow overweight, will be at much higher risk of developing the disease, and subsequently, arthritis as well.
6. Appropriate exercise. There is evidence over-exercising large breed dogs at a young age may be a risk factor for dysplasia. Activities that require your dog to jump and land can apply a great deal of force to his joints.
However, moderate exercise such as running and especially swimming, will help your dog maintain good muscle mass, which has been shown to decrease the incidence and severity of the CHD. Your dog should get at least 20 minutes of sustained, heart-thumping exercise three times a week. However, the more moderate exercise he gets the better. Large breed dogs should be exercised daily for a full impact.
A reminder of how important strong dog wellness practices can be for dog owners and their dog is to remember that prevention can save money, pain, and a dog's life. The introduction of a raw natural diet and utilizing natural pet health care whenever possible is a recommendation that should not go ignored. Pay close attention to the breed, size and needs of the dog you have and put dog wellness practices into place as a part of being a smart and caring dog owner.
Healthy Eating- 5 Ways to Eat For Your Teeth
Brushing at least twice a day and flossing is an important part of dental health but so is our diet, including beverages. It is safe to say that healthy eating also contributes to good dental health and oral hygiene.
Here are ways you can utilize healthy eating habits to gain good dental hygiene, healthy gums and white teeth.
1. Limit snacking to avoid cavities. Be conscious of what you are snacking on. Many foods expose the teeth and gums to foods that erode tooth enamel.
2. Introduce foods, particularly snack items that are high in calcium. Calcium is a huge factor in having healthy teeth, gums, and a bright white smile. It really isn't any secret that having calcium in your diet is worth a lot more to the body than just the bones. It is a huge part of dental health as well. We also know that sugar aids in tooth decay and creates cavities in the teeth. So do foods like potato chips. When they sit in the mouth for a length of time the carbohydrates break down into sugar and cause tooth decay.
3. Instead of juices, you and your children should be eating hard fruits. This is because they assist in cleansing and stimulating teeth and gums.
4. Good oral hygiene that promotes dental health is the task of rinsing your mouth after you eat. This is especially important when you have eaten foods that aid in tooth decay. A good rinsing of your mouth after you eat will help control plaque buildup.
5. Supplements is another way of promoting good dental health. Along with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene, supplements such as vitamin C and flavanoids help protect the gums from cell damage and aid in healing. These supplements also aid in decreasing cavities, bad breath and gum disease.
Certain foods are particularly high in calcium. Here is a list you can use to introduce high calcium foods into your healthy eating regime.
High Calcium Foods for Dental Health
Dairy
Milk, yogurt, and cheeses. Particularly feta cheese and buffalo milk cottage cheese.
Beans and grains
White, navy and black turtle beans. Chickpeas, tofu, soy bean curd, and instant oats.
Nuts
Almonds, Brazil, hazel and walnuts. Almond or walnut butter, sesame seeds, and plain white rice.
Fruits and Vegetables
Broccoli, cabbage, okra, bok choy, turnip greens, and spinach. Orange, bananas (help the body absorb calcium), and dried currants.
Fish
Sardines and salmon have the most calcium
Breads
White and wholemeal and Swiss style muesli.
Spices
Cumin, coriander, cloves, hing, oregano, and mustard seeds
You probably already know that the foods listed above are foods that should be consumed for healthy eating and dieting, aiding in healthy bones, heart and even skin. There's an added benefit for you because these same foods and others also aid in dental health. Consider utilizing these 5 ways to eat for your teeth.
Dieting - Festive Dieting Tip
This is my favorite time of year! Everyone is especially cheerful, smiling, and although probably under stress, everyone seems better able to handle it at Christmas time. Over the past two years there is one area however, that I notice people are not particularly supportive of others and that area is healthy eating and dieting during the holidays. Whether or not you have started a new diet or trying to maintain your diet during this yummy time of year, it is common to hear negative comments when someone notices how determined your are to maintain your healthy eating skills.
My first encounter with this has come early this year when some friends of ours had an early festive gathering because they will be traveling throughout the holidays. The party was lovely with a table full of food fit for a king. First there was a wonderful festive dinner and then or course dessert. Let me not forget all the munchies they had before and after dinner.
I had already decided that night that I would enjoy the dinner but maintain having a normal plate of food as opposed to over doing it and having a stomach ache the rest of the night. I also decided I would not have any sweets at all. Twice during dinner I had to hear how I eat like a bird. Totally not true! Well, maybe it is true if I am being compared to the others who had enough on their plate to feed 3 people! Then I had to listen to why I am so strict with my food when I have never even been over weight. Then my favorite one of all was when another guest said to me, "You people and your healthy eating - as if you need to even worry about it Michel!"
Annoying, annoying annoying!! Of these people every single on of them was over weight. Every single one of these people have tried to lose weight over the past 5 years that I have known them, and each of these people left the party overly intoxicated, whining of a full stomach, and then have nerve to think they are just going to drive home - drunk! Seems to me they need to be more concerned with themselves then with me and the way I eat.
What these people don't know is that I do eat sweets and goodies, particularly around this time of year. But, I pace myself. The other thing is that since I embarked on my healthy eating road, I have found that heavy sweets, like chocolate cakes, mousse, etc doesn't do that much for my taste buds. I will have a few bites and then be finished with it - somehow it just isn't all that great and it has to be great for me to finish it.
If you find yourself surrounded by people who only have something negative to say about your strength in dieting, it is usually because they are disappointed in themselves. Most of these people are themselves over weight. People who are happy with themselves are less likely to impose negative comments on people. Instead they add a positive spin on things.
So when you are faced with adversity while maintaining your diet this festive season keep these things in mind:
1. Keep a positive attitude and give a little giggle because the person who commented negatively is more than likely jealous and insecure about their own weight loss failures.
2. Keep firmly in your mind your reasons for starting your healthy dieting journey and don't let anyone take it away from you. You will not be sorry but they will! You might even try to encourage some of these people to get on the boat with you.
3. Be sure, if you can, to spend time with people who will encourage you, admire you, and maybe even follow you.
Yes it is the festive season and if there is any time of year to give yourself a few treats this is that time! However, what these other people don't know is that all of us healthy eaters will pace ourselves differently. Each of us has a different schedule and different wants. If I am going to eat a yummy treat it is going to be one I really love as opposed to one that is semi good or not really what I prefer. If there had been plain old fashioned cheesecake at the party I would definitely have had a piece (one of my all time favorites) but everything was chocolate, not really one of my favorites. I do however love candied yams which I had with my dinner that night. I was perfectly satisfied and did not desire anymore sweet things.
The final and most important thing is for you to remember how incredible you are! Why? It is not easy to make these changes and maintain them. Your strength, courage and devotion will be admired by many and you will set an example that others will use as an incentive to do the right thing for themselves by eating healthy, even if they don't need to lose weight.
Dog Wellness - 8 Dog Ageing Signs
Dog wellness due diligence is to be aware of the five main signs your dog is ageing. What is important to know first is that dogs do not all age in the same way and at the same pace. Much of the pace depends on their up keep. A properly fed, exercised, loved and well socialized dog will likely age better with a stronger body and mind. However, they do age and seeing the signs ahead of time can make the difference between a well, gracefully ageing dog or a sick ageing one.
8 Signs Of An Ageing Dog
Stiffening joints and arthritis. These the two most common dog ageing conditions. It is likely your dog will be less interested in joining in the fun of playing ball or going out for a run. He may seem reluctant to partake in much activity. Cold wet weather will contribute to his discomfort.
Doesn't recuperate at a normal pace. When your dog doesn't recuperate from injuries or illnesses as fast it's can be a sign his ageing years are setting in and his physical health is changing. At seven years of age the bones begin to lose density making it harder to heal. If they are already exercising less muscle is losing mass and cartilage is wearing thin. It is often at this stage that signs of arthritis begin to show. An ageing dog's immune system also weakens which is why it is so important what he is fed in young life.
Ensuring your dog has a strong immune system from the beginning and throughout his young life is a dog wellness practice that should not be ignored. Natural pet health care
is the best way to ensure your dog is living on the wellness side of life to make him strong for his ageing years. A raw diet is a part of this with ingredients that keep his immune system strong on a consistent basis. Using natural holistic medicine for illnesses as often as possible is another way to keep your dog from toxic damage and adds value to your dog's health.
is the best way to ensure your dog is living on the wellness side of life to make him strong for his ageing years. A raw diet is a part of this with ingredients that keep his immune system strong on a consistent basis. Using natural holistic medicine for illnesses as often as possible is another way to keep your dog from toxic damage and adds value to your dog's health.
Loss of hearing. Although usually at a slow pace, loss of hearing takes place as the nerve cells begin to deteriorate. Take note if you have to call your dog more times than normal or if you find you are calling him and he is not coming at all.
Loss of Vision. At some point the eye lens becomes cloudy and although this does not cause major vision loss, sometimes cataracts can develop causing vision loss.
Cognitive Dysfunction is a common ailment of ageing dogs, which has a huge impact on their daily life and you’re as a pet owner as well. Dog wellness due diligence is recognizing and properly handling this situation for your ageing dog. People he knows well will suddenly feel like strangers to him. He may also become nervous for no reason which can be a sign he has suddenly forgotten where he is.
Irritability and Less Tolerance sets in and shows itself in your dog when he has less patience for screaming kids jumping around him. Good dog wellness practice means making sure your ageing dog has a quiet place he can retreat to when faced with this type of situation. Make sure the kids know not to disturb the dog when he is in his quiet spot. Another common time he may show less tolerance is at feeding time. He may become more pushy. Just make sure he still knows your the boss but help him out by feeding him a quicker pace, with no training involved. In other words, consider leaving out making him work for his meal.
Decreased Activity means your ageing dog's metabolic rate is slowing down. This is of course after you have checked for any injuries or physical discomfort that may also be causing less activity. There can be other reasons for this so if you notice this in your dog your need to have it checked out immediately.
Weight Gain is a common factor of an ageing dog. Senior dogs require anywhere from 30 to 40 percent fewer calories. Dog wellness practices means ensuring you switch your elderly dog to a senior appropriate diet, with the appropriate amount of calories for his age. Neglecting this practice will result in obesity. Remember that ageing dogs also exercise less so they are not able to burn the calories they used to. Amend his diet to suit is ageing lifestyle.
A good dog wellness practice is dental hygiene but many pet owners are still not aware of how utterly important it is to brush their dog's teeth. The value of this simple, no cost, procedure is not only good for his teeth and gums, but also valuable toward the health of his major organs. This is because bleeding gums and tooth decay cause bacteria that travel through the blood stream and damage major organs, including the heart. If a dog's major organs and heart have taken on strain throughout his young years there won't be much left by the time he starts ageing, causing him to age with greater risk of serious illnesses. Dog dental care three times a week is a dog wellness practice that adds great value to the way your dog's body will handle ageing.
Help your dog age gracefully and happily by implementing strong dog wellness practices from a young age, utilizing natural pet health care and a raw diet to sustain his health, making him strong for his senior years. Be aware of changes in your dog's behavior that can signify ageing, keeping an eye out starting from seven years old. Make the necessary changes in his life to assist him through his senior years to give him the ease and support he needs and deserves.
Pet Wellness - Veterinary Medicine Loses to Big Pharma
Because of the massive profits that can be generated through pets, these drug companies for decades have spent much time and effort in an aggressive campaign to rewrite vet school curricula, influencing veterinarians and brainwashing pet owners into thinking their pets need drugs in order to thrive and be healthy. Thanks to advertising funded by greedy uncaring drug companies, most consumers already show a cult like belief in pharmaceutical medicine. So, for Big Pharma it was easy to convince pet owners that their animals need the same.
It is common practice nowadays for vets in the US to practice chemical based medicine on pets. Immediately upon diagnosis, the pet owner is given a prescription of an expensive patented pharmaceutical - a so called instant fix to be given to their pet. If this is not enough, the FDA has given approval for Prozac, a super mind altering drug prescribed to dogs, as well as many common drugs for people are now being used on pets. This includes chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment. Alongside this, common pet ailments such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and depression are also being treated with harmful medications without even the mention of natural pet health care as a healing property.
Needless to say, pet wellness is now in rapid decline and pet owners really need to be vigilant in their pet wellness practices, and look for a better option to heal their pet's illness. Any vet practicing for more than ten years will tell you that the result of the Big Pharma take over is that dogs and cats and other animals are sicker than ever. These vets have seen an increase in the rate of liver disease, nervous system disorders, cancers and diabetes. This is because pets are being regularly poisoned by bad pet food and medicines. Even popular flea and tick medication on their own are highly toxic to your pet's liver.
So what do pet owners do when faced with a situation where their precious pet needs medical help? Thankfully there is another route for pet wellness with holistic practitioners in veterinary medicine. These practitioners are more plentiful in veterinary medicine than in human medicine.
Why the pet wellness route of pet natural health care is the direction to go.
1. Holistic veterinarians understand nutrition, herbs, homeopathy and other natural modalities.
2. Holistic veterinarians prescribe solutions and treat animals in ways that are outlawed in human medicine - because these solutions have a silver lining - they work!
3. Holistic vets are more often in their line of business for the love of animals and the belief in a natural system of medications for ailments. This makes them human as opposed to donkeys that are always trying to pave their financial future by exploiting sick animals and the love pet owners have for their pets.
My dog's holistic vet, Dr. Andrew Jones once made a statement that I have never forgotten. "Any vet who thinks a dog is depressed and needs antidepressants should frankly have their license revoked and banished to a distant island over populated with sexually aggressive baboons!" I wish I could somehow show you the expression on his face when he said this and how although I laughed from his choice of words I also thought - this guy is seriously angry about the situation. Not surprising as he is one those vets who do what he does for the love of animals and his belief in natural medicine.
When we look at the horrifying toxicity in pet foods in combination with pharmaceutical medicine, the future of mainstream pet wellness is quite dim. Many brands of pet food claiming to be "scientific" brands are really just crap. Only specialty pet food companies offer genuinely healthy, toxic free pet food.
Although I regularly give my dog pet wellness raw diet homemade meals, when I travel or am short on time I will only use these two companies for store bought pet food. www.Azmira.com www.TheHonestKitchen.com
Although I regularly give my dog pet wellness raw diet homemade meals, when I travel or am short on time I will only use these two companies for store bought pet food. www.Azmira.com www.TheHonestKitchen.com
The proper use of pharmaceuticals
Pet wellness practices tell us it is important to understand the other side of the coin for just a minute. Some chemical medications do have a role in quality veterinary care. For example:
1. Pain killers - have a useful but limited role.
2. Antibiotics - can be helpful in certain situations.
Be careful because antibiotics, even in human medicine are massively abused around the world.
Be wary that treating dogs and cats with antidepressants, chemotherapy, diabetes drugs, statin drugs, osteoporosis drugs and other such chemical agents is absurd.
Make no mistake that most pet health conditions can be prevented and cured with good nutrition. More problematic health ailments can be economically and safely solved with herbal therapies and naturopathic modalities best known as natural pet health care.
1. Switch to a healthy, natural, holistic pet diet. Make fresh meals from scratch whenever possible. Dr. Jones told me that pets should not be raised to live regularly on processed foods. Read the report: Pet Food Ingredients Revealed
2. Take an appointment with a holistic vet to investigate how he is a more suitable practitioner for your pet. Because state authorities are trying to de-license naturopathic vets, holistic or naturopathic animal care experts often do not have the same licensing credentials as regular vets. This is happening because Big Pharma owns state licensing boards and naturopathic animal care experts pose a threat to their newly found gold mine. You will most likely have to seek out naturopathic animal care experts on your own and ignore the state licensing boards. Dr. Jones explained to me that in his experience he has found that licensing credentials are essentially useless. Often times the more credentials a vet has the more deeply he is brainwashed into a pharmaceutical approach to veterinary medicine. Please consider replacing your regular vet with a holistic or naturopathic animal care expert once you have completed your investigations.
3. Go back to basics. Nutrition, exercise, disease preventing and natural pet health care.
3. Go back to basics. Nutrition, exercise, disease preventing and natural pet health care.
Just like in the dieting world, don't be suckered in by the "miracle pill." What animals need, just like people, is strong nutrition and natural medicine from nature. Pet wellness means utilizing natural pet health care solutions, raw food diets, and naturopathic animal health care.
Mike Adams makes some interesting points.
The main thrust of his article is to get YOU to think about what is happening CONVENTIONALLY.
And question WHY.
1. Take matters into your OWN hands. Whether or not you use a holistic Vet- QUESTION their advice..then be AWARE of ALL of the treatment options.
2. Get yourself educated on Natural Pet Health Care.You can go to school or take a home study course.
3. Vary your pet's diet- some Raw, some Home-Made and Kibble. Add a QUALITY supplement.
4. SPEND time being WITH your Dog and Cat. We all to often forget the more important mental aspect of health..
5. The Vaccine thing again..as LITTLE as INFREQUENTLY as possible!!
The Pros and Cons of Oral Contraception
The Health and Fitness Fairy brings you a guest writer today. Kristin Davis educates us today on usage of "The Pill." I had taken the pill for years. I went off it at age 35, which was the suggested age back then for a woman to stop taking the pill if she had already been taking it from a young adult. After reading this article, I realized there is alot I did not know or alot that was not presented to me by the medical profession. How much do you really know about taking the pill?
The Pros and Cons of Oral Contraception
------ By Kristen Davis
------ By Kristen Davis
The debate over the safety of oral contraceptives continues today, with groups voicing their strong opinions on both sides. While proponents of this contraceptive option are quick to point out the surge in college-bound women after its introduction, opponents counter with disturbing physical side effects of the drug, like increased risk of cardiovascular disease. One Yaz lawsuit even involved a victim who developed blood clots in her lungs after taking these pills. Nevertheless, oral contraceptives have become a profitable branch of the pharmaceutical industry, with over 12 million users in the United States alone. It remains clear there is strong motivation for these companies to continue selling this product.
Some leading manufacturers, like Bayer HealthCare, annually create multimillion dollar advertising campaigns to keep their products among the top sellers. However, with such strong profit potential, manufacturers might be increasingly less willing to provide factual information regarding their products. The FDA recently requested Bayer remove misleading advertisements in which the drug giant advertised their products as treatments for several other health conditions, like acne and depression, which the agency found were unproven.
However, misconceptions about these products might lead to dangerous consequences. Poorly-informed young women might become confused by all the promises of these manufacturers, mistakenly believing the drugs treat or prevent other conditions as well, like sexually transmitted disease. Falsely believed to be protected, users of this product might engage in unprotected sex when they might otherwise have used a condom.
Nevertheless, the most disturbing consequence of these drugs remains the substantial side effects. The hormonal ingredients in these pills can lead to the disruption of several physiological aspects in women, including libido and emotional state. Although evidence linking newer pills, which contain lower hormone doses, with long-term effects like infertility and breast cancer remains contentious, the recent number of lawsuits against manufacturers does highlight some of the serious physical results of this product. Users of these pills have seen relatively mild side effects, like migraines and vomiting, as well as serious consequences including heart attack and stroke, which have proven fatal.
Still, generally promising trends in teen pregnancy throughout much of the last decade show some positive results are possibly linked with this product’s use. This contraceptive provides women with a level of control over their reproductive cycle they would otherwise never have. After the pill’s introduction, women did not have to sacrifice physical intimacy in order to succeed financially. Today, proponents of oral contraception point to the economic and social gains women made when they were not inhibited by unplanned pregnancy. These pills allowed women to delay motherhood and make economic gains that were previously unattainable.
In addition, the pill remains a very convenient and cost effective manner of preventing pregnancy. Most prescriptions cost only $15 to $50 a month. Planned Parenthood clinics even offer the pills at a discounted rate for women unable to pay the full cost. Besides their easy availability, they remain one of the most effective forms of contraception available. When taken as directed, these drugs are up to 99.9% effective. In addition, when combined with the use of a condom, these pills are an effective preventative measure against both pregnancy and disease.
While medical practitioners are quick to point out that the majority of users do not experience any serious side effects of these contraceptives, the recent rash of lawsuits against manufacturers act as a reminder that dangerous side effects can occur. Obviously, natural methods of pregnancy prevention that do not include the intake of foreign chemicals, including fertility awareness, remain the healthiest way to prevent pregnancy. However, because not all women are willing to invest the time and effort into this method, oral contraception will undoubtedly remain a popular option in the prevention of pregnancy. Nevertheless, it’s up to individuals to decide whether this potential health hazard is justified by its effectiveness.
Health and Wellness - Let A Fever Run It's Course
Would you believe the most over treated health symptom of all is...... A fever? According to Dr. Mercola and many other health officials having a fever is not the big deal people think it is and in fact, allowing a fever to run it's course has health and wellness benefits that are still going unnoticed.
There is a common misunderstanding that a fever can be hazardous particularly for children. However, what you need to know about a fever is when the body's primary defense mechanism - the immune system- fail, a fever becomes the backup defense. Many infectious agents are not able to survive at elevated temperatures so the body naturally increases it's temperature in order to fight the infection. This is a healthy response to an infection. The body actually has health and wellness automated responses - it's important that we allow those responses to work before we jump into over the counter medicines.
Parents who are treating their kids for fever will give toxic doses of fever reducing medications in order to get their child's fever under control. This is so unnecessary because the reality of the situation is that the child's temperature is required in order to heal the infection. Some parents will give aspirin at the first sign of a fever. This poses a far greater health risk than any fever and aspirin can cause the lethal Reve's Disease. A mixture of aspirin and fever reducing medications can also be lethal.
The Benefits
There are two functions of a fever. The first is to stimulate the immune system. The second is create an unwelcoming environment for the invading organisms - in other words escalate the heat to where the organisms cannot survive.
When your first line of defense is not able to manage the attack of the invading organisms, your macrophages will recruit other immune systems cells (Interleukin One) - these signal the body to raise the temperature. Pretty amazing how the body as a team, utilizing each others strengths to protect itself when it is weak.
The body has an internal thermostat known as the hypothalamus. When the Interleukin One, endogenous pyrogens and proteins reach the hypothalamus, the heat (your temperature) will begin to readjust itself, in turn, readjusting your temperature.
So the idea that a fever is actually a health and wellness response as opposed to a negative health factor that needs to be gotten rid of the instant it appears, is much better thinking. When the body's heat is raised to 102-103 F, this is the ideal range that gives the most power to kill unwanted microbes.
And, fever has several other health and wellness benefits as well.
1. Creates more anti-bodies
2. Produces more white blood cells to ward off invading microbes
3. Produces interferon - these stop the spread of viruses to healthy cells.
4. Wards off iron which bacteria feeds on.
So when is medical attention required? According to Dr. Mercola:
1. Infants less than a month old must have care immediately if the fever is greater than 100.4 F. Because breast milk creates anti-bodies, it is recommended that the infant be breast fed as often as he desires - this is a good thing if you are waiting for an appointment.
2. Infants from 1-month to 3-months-old, with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F, if they appear ill. Again, breastfeed on demand while waiting for care.
3. Children between 3 months and 36 months, with a temperature above 102.2 degrees F, if they appear ill.
4. All age groups -- temperature over 104.5 degrees F.
5. A fever that is not breaking after 3-4 days in adult and child.
And of course, Dr. Mercola shared with me the best way to treat a fever.
Fever Treatment
Dr. Mercola expresses that instead of working against the body's natural way of protecting itself by trying to cool a fever, one should consider allowing the fever to take it's course and do it's duty. The only time you need to worry or seek medical attention is if it rises very high, very fast. This could be a sign of an infection too serious for your body to handle.
Naturopathic physicians suggest fasting or limiting meals to broths and water. This is because fever slows down peristalsis. Peristalsis is found in the contraction of smooth muscles to send contents through the digestive tract. Once your fever has broken, you can start eating solid foods again. Plenty of rest will also be extremely beneficial in supporting Fever.
So the next time a fever arises, lesson the panic, lesson the meds and allow your body to work it's magic by allowing the fever to take it's course and heal. Remember to get plenty of rest and eat soups and broths, plenty of water. To help keep your immune system strong consider a health and wellness way of life by eating a wholesome diet on a regular basis. This is particularly easy to accomplish if you embrace an eating plan that fuels the body with all the good stuff real foods have to offer.
So the next time a fever arises, lesson the panic, lesson the meds and allow your body to work it's magic by allowing the fever to take it's course and heal. Remember to get plenty of rest and eat soups and broths, plenty of water. To help keep your immune system strong consider a health and wellness way of life by eating a wholesome diet on a regular basis. This is particularly easy to accomplish if you embrace an eating plan that fuels the body with all the good stuff real foods have to offer.
Aging Skin - A Natural Oil For A Youthful Appearance
Coconut oil has many healthy wonders from cooking to shedding pounds to skin care. It is the preferred cooking oil by health professionals and health addicts alike. With all the new research turning out new information to help us stay healthy and get rid of many illnesses that are rearing their ugly heads over the last 60 years, we are finding our way back to natural wholesome products and all their glory. When it comes to aging skin and skin care, natural is also making a come back saving us time and money. Coconut and aging skin are like salt and pepper - they go extremely well together. Health Wonders of Coconut Oil
For decades massage therapists and sport professionals have used coconut oil to manipulate stressed muscles. Nowadays, when people have a sport or exercise related injury they go for medicine in the tube purchased over the counter. Give coconut oil a try. It works just as well if not better. Ask my left shoulder that I recently injured through exercise (I guess I over did it!). I took coconut oil with me to the massage therapist who laughed and said she has her own and she will use it on my sore shoulder. She was obviously aware of it's potential.
Here is where I love coconut the most. It has a powerful effect on aging skin! Here's what it does and how it works.
1. It protects the skin from free radicals. One of the major reasons behind aging skin.
2. It assists in improving the appearance of the skin. Giving the skin a lovely glow without looking oily or sweaty.
3. It can help restore a more youthful appearance to the skin because, according to Dr. Peat, coconut oil is able to resist the formation of free radicals and oxidation.
4. It assists in reducing fine lines and wrinkles because it keeps connecting tissues strong and flexible.
5. It assists in the exfoliating process naturally working on the outer layer of dead skin cells. This makes the skin smoother and adds a glow.
For aging skin and skin care, why not save a bit of money this month and give coconut oil a try as opposed to the expensive skin care products for aging skin? Wash your face and body as you normally would and apply coconut oil instead of your normal moisturizer. Give it a month and enjoy the difference.
One of my favorite skin care regimes is using turmeric paste and then moisturizing afterward with coconut oil.
Go Green - Clean Up Helper and Stain Remover
The world's population is much more conscious these days when it comes to saving money, and saving the environment. Most people I know are either 90 percent "Go Green" livers or at least try and implement a "Go Green" strategy somewhere in their life. Going green can save money, the environment, and our health.
Here are two ways to go green by saving on paper towel usage and using a powerful yet natural stain remover that will leave you wondering why on earth you are spending money on toxic stain removers and using costly paper towels.
Using recycled paper products is certainly a smart choice, however you can go even further in your go green efforts by doing away with paper towel usage all together. Regardless of the situation there is an option for easy spill clean up.
Going Green in the Kitchen
1. For wiping down counter tops use a sponge or kitchen towel. For an extra go green step consider using 100 percent organic cotton cloths.
Here are few good reasons to make your own absorbent cloths.
Messy Spills and Leakages
Now this is an easy one. Use old or mismatch socks, terry cloth or old clothes. Cut them to a suitable size and store them in a drawer for easy access when needed. These are also good to use when cleaning bathrooms or large areas requiring heavy cleaning.
Pet Clean up
Many people are still using paper towels or napkins to clean up pet stains, accidents and kitty litters. The reason people don't use old towels or clothing as suggested above to for pet clean up is that they don't trust the washing cycle to fully clean when it comes to pet waste. However, there is a way to encompass go green cleaning and use old cloths or clothing for pet clean up.
I always store my pet clean up cloths separate from the other cloths. I only use pet cloths for pet clean up. I wash them separately and add alcohol to the wash. This is still better by far then using paper towels or napkins.
Natures Powerful Stain Remover
The acidic nature of lemons offers a bleaching effect, especially when exposed to sunlight. It is also highly effective in the kitchen as a germ killer.
Ways to Use Lemon as A Stain Remover
For go green stain removal lemon is a powerful cleaning agent and should be used as much as possible in place of store bought toxic cleaners and stain removers.
1. Remove oxidation stains from copper pots.
Dip half a lemon in salt and scrub on copper pot.
2. Removing mildew stains from garments or fabric.
Make a past of salt and lemon juice. Put paste on stain area and wash immediately.
Make a past of salt and lemon juice. Put paste on stain area and wash immediately.
3. Berry and other hand stains.
Use the lemon and salt paste and rub hands together.
Use the lemon and salt paste and rub hands together.
4. Olive or other oil stains on fabric
Gently rub a few drops of lemon on the stain. Wash immediately.
Gently rub a few drops of lemon on the stain. Wash immediately.
5. Coffee or wine stains from white fabric.
Spray lemon juice on stain and hang item in sunlight.
Spray lemon juice on stain and hang item in sunlight.
6. Cutting board stains
Dip half lemon in salt and scrub board. For an extra hit of germ removal leave the scrub on the board for a while then wash off.
Dip half lemon in salt and scrub board. For an extra hit of germ removal leave the scrub on the board for a while then wash off.
7. Ink Stains
Blot out as much of the ink as you can. Drench the stain with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Rub the salt in the stain with your fingers or old toothbrush and immediately wash the garment.
Blot out as much of the ink as you can. Drench the stain with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Rub the salt in the stain with your fingers or old toothbrush and immediately wash the garment.
8. Counter top stains
Drench stain in lemon juice and scrub with salt. Only use lemon on marble if absolutely necessary because acid can damage marble.
Drench stain in lemon juice and scrub with salt. Only use lemon on marble if absolutely necessary because acid can damage marble.
9. Stainless steel appliances
Apply paste of lemon and salt or lemon and baking soda. Let paste sit for 5 minutes then wash and rinse.
10. Arm pit stains
Prepare equal part lemon and water. Use this to scrub the stain
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