Sunday, November 29, 2009

12 Steps to Save America with Nutrition

- Adapted from a report by Mike Adams, The Health Ranger

The first step toward any journey is taken with your own foot. Follow these 12 steps to unleash a new era of health and wellness in your life...and let it ripple out to your friends and family:

1. Stop rewarding manufacturers of processed foods, junk foods, sodas and unnecessary/unreliable/unproven/pharmaceuticals. Simply stop buying their products.

2. Greatly increase your purchases of fresh, organic produce. Get yourself a juicer and drink fresh juice every day. Set the pace and example -- Teach your children to eat more fresh produce. Get them involved in building their own good health habits. Kids love juice and smoothies!

3. Supplement your diet with health-enhancing superfoods and nutritional supplements. LNH sells only certified organic, food sourced supplements from New Chapter and NewMark. New Chapter products are available through better health food stores and NewMark products are available through a qualified practitioner.

4. Greatly increase your intake of Omega-3 oils. (Fish oil supplements and wild salmon are excellent sources.)

5. Get more sunshine. Your body and mind needs sunlight. It generates the vitamin D that helps prevent cancer, depression, diabetes and heart disease. 20 minutes of unblocked sun is suggested by experts.

6. Boost your physical exercise. Studies repeatedly show that even moderate exercise (walking 3 times a week, for example), has a drastic reduction on rates of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

7. Exercise your brain. Learn a new language, play strategy games, read books or do something active with your brain to keep all the neurons firing.

8. Work with a nutritionist, naturopathic doctor and your medical doctor to heal your body through natural therapies and food sources which will sustain and nourish your body to reach a healthy state. Get tested regularly to safely get off synthetic prescription drugs.

9. Avoid hospitals. A hospital is one of the most dangerous places you can go, as they're filled with antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Your risk of being harmed at a hospital is much higher than what you might expect. Unless you're suffering from an acute, dangerous condition requiring emergency medical care, make an effort to stay away from hospitals.

10.
Embrace your own natural healing potential. Recognize that your immune system is a technological miracle. Your body is a self-repairing biological marvel. When given the right resources (nutrition, superfoods, etc.), your body can work healing miracles.

11. Thank yourself for taking the time to invest in your own good health by reading this report. Give yourself a healing reward such as a glass of fresh juice or a delicious superfood smoothie.

12.
Forward this special report to 3 friends, family members or coworkers you know who might benefit from this information. Spread the word about nutrition and you'll be taking part in a wave of healing that can sweep across our planet as people reawaken to the healing powers of plant-based nutrients.

LNH

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Holiday Feasting on the "No-Starve" Smart and Skinny

Two words:
HOLIDAY PARTIES

No matter who you are, those two little words conjure images in our heads and makes our hearts race. For those who love the parties but are concerned about the food --- relax. We have some suggestions to make it easy to attend those functions without worrying about extra, unnecessary, undisciplined foot intake.

1. Don't go to the party hungry.
Enjoy a small meal or well balanced snack to take the edge off before you leave your house. Making sure your snack includes lean protein, fiber and 'good' fat to sustain energy and make you feel satisfied will prevent overeating at the event. And let's face it, sometimes those buffets are beautifully dressed tables loaded with platters of empty calories with little nutritional value.

2. When you arrive, fill up on the good stuff.
Eat healthy 'risk-free' foods first, so you will eat less of the unhealthy foods. In order:
First, consume fibrous vegetables: leafy greens, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, celery, onions. Second, lean protein: turkey, fish, chicken, ham, lean red meat.
Third, starchy vegetables: potatoes, yams, corn, peas and fruit.

3. Share any and all indulges with a friend.
Split that slice of cake or pie with another guest.

4. Use good judgement when drinking.
Alcoholic beverages are a big part of many parties, but carry a lot of calories that quickly add up. Limit yourself to a maximum of two per event. Wine and champagne have the lowest caloric impact. Drink pure water in between.

Most important, have fun and enjoy! Don't obsess about weight gain -- just be smart about your habits.

OC

6 Quick Ways to Relieve Stress

The holiday season is officially ON!

The stores are decorated and playing holiday music. The malls have already had their tree lighting ceremonies and Santa is set up for his yearly visits.

Just the thought of this makes many people's shoulders raise, upper lips stiffen, and defensive driving techniques are cast to the wind. Many people reach for another latte, another cigarette, another cocktail, or another bag of cookies --- only to feel worse on the flip side.

When we fail to properly deal with our stress, we can become irritable, we can experience mood and appetite changes, fatigue, sleeping issues, skin disruptions and depletion of the immune function. The longer we ignore stress, the more our chances increase to create more serious health issues.

It's important, easy and natural to learn to self-treat to prevent disease.

These 6 methods of relieving stress will help you stay happy and healthy through the holidays and other challenging times:

1. Restorative Yoga - Taking time to experience the rest and calm that come from this healing practice including a series of simple stretches and proper cleansing breath is one way to reduce your stress levels, improving your overall health and well-being. Just about anyone can practice Restorative Yoga.

2. Focused/Connective Breath Technique - This can be used to assist with any anxiety-related issue. Designed to take you through the 'letting go' process, each time the steps are repeated with the right attitude, old perceptions, thought and feelings are released from the cells.

3. Soak in the Bath - Few things are more relaxing than soaking in a tub of warm water. Use dead sea salts and essential oils to turn your soak into a skin-softening, stress-relieving, home spa experience.

4. Use a Stillpoint - You can interrupt your body's stress cycle instantly with a stillpoint, which originates from osteopathy and craniosacral therapy. To find your stillpoint:
• Lay on a flat, comfortable surface on your back. Place both hands palms up under your head with your middle fingerstips touching each other. Your hands must be at the place where your head is most protruding (sticks out the furthest).
• Slowly slide your hands apart toward the outer edges of your head and stop where your head begins to 'turn the corner'.
• You will notice that the gentle pressure of your head resting on your middle fingertips at these specific points creates instant relaxation. The longer you remain here, the more your relaxation will deepen into absolute calm. You have found your stillpoint.

5. Step away from the computer - Job stress is almost inevitable, so it's more important than ever to learn to optimize your ability to think clearly and shift your panic to calm in an instant.
• Focus on an image of something that gives you the feeling of being in awe; a sunset, picture someone you love, recall a memory. Hold this image for as long as you wish.
• Close your eyes and gaze at your hands on your lap as you silently count to four. Take a little pause and then exhale, counting down from four. Repeat at least 10 times.
• Imagine the sun is shining golden light upon you, creating a golden shield that holds and comforts you. Imagine the faces of those who love you as your shield. Hold this image as long as you wish.
• Think of something funny or watch something funny on the internet. Allow yourself to laugh out loud for several minutes. It always helps to take life less seriously, even for a few minutes.

6. Enjoy a day at the Spa - Pamper yourself with some effective stress-relief by scheduling a day-- or a week --- at a spa.

Happy, stress-free Holidays!
OC

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Holy Basil: Natural Stress Relief

Holy Basil, or Ocimum Sanctum, or Tulsi, is in the basil family but has very different medicinal properties. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 5,000 years and has been used in many recent scientific studies.

Holy Basil:
- reduces inflammation
- lowers the amount of Cortisol released
- increases physical endurance
- improves performance under stress
- decreases recovery time
- balances blood sugar
- reduces food cravings (carbohydrates)
- improves weight loss

Holy Basil also aids the immune system by increasing the number and activity of "neutrophil" cells, which are normally decreased by stress. Holy Basil balances complex bio-chemical changes in the brain that stress causes. Holy Basil relieves anxiety, and with a better mood and balanced biochemistry, stressful stimuli don't bother us as much.

Many people feel better immediately after taking Holy Basil. They report a lighter mood and uplifted spirits. Patients with mild depression or anxiety find effective relief by using Holy Basil. According to traditional Ayurveda, Holy Basil expands consciousness which means generally feeling better. The benefits can be sustained safely over a lifetime by taking Holy Basil daily.

Holy Basil is a potent anti-inflammatory. It inhibits an enzyme central to inflammation: the COX-2 enzyme. Certain anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs are synthesized chemical COX-2 blockers, but these drugs can have side effects, including bleeding ulcers. Holy Basil in a natural COX-2 inhibitor without the side effects, and one of its many benefits is that it actually helps protect the stomach from ulcers.

Holy Basil is available in capsules (we like New Chapter or NewMark products), or just enjoy a cup of Tulsi tea.

OC

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Think You Know Stress?

Everyone knows about stress, but do you know the real damage caused by stress?

According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 90% of all illness, mental and physical, is caused or aggravated by stress.

We've all heard the list of big stresses: death of a loved one, divorce, money problems, moving, etc. Yet just about anything can create stress in our bodies, such as:
- eating late at night
- staying up late
- watching too much TV
- a strained or no relationship
- eating the wrong food
- excessive exercise
- frustration
- pollution
- noise
- most diets
- even vacations!
Almost anything can induce the body's stress reaction if we don't receive that event in the right way at the right time and in the proper amount.

Dr Hans Selye won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work on stress. He defines stress as "a psycho-physiological (mind-body) event that takes place when our system is overwhelmed by an experience: physical, mental or emotional."

Stress is our mind/body reaction to the event, not the event itself.

The diseases and health conditions most associated with chronic stress are:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- heart disease
- auto-immune diseases (colitis, IBS, etc.)
- ulcers
- cancer
- pain inflammation
- weight gain
- insomnia
- anxiety
- depression
- tension
- sexual dysfunction
Stress also accelerates the aging process and causes the skin to wrinkle.

Stress causes a cascade of neuro-chemical reactions known as the "fight or flight response".
First, the stress hormones Cortisol, Epinephrine and Norepinephrine are released by the adrenals. The pituitary gland releases more hormones, and the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system (the part you have no direct control over) revs up.

Cortisol, when elevated, raises blood sugar for increased energy. If we don't use all this released energy "fighting or fleeing", the excess blood sugar stores as fat -- especially around the mid-section. Studies have found that women with high levels of body fat accumulating at their waist also have high levels of cortisol in their systems due to elevated stress levels. Up and down swings of blood sugar due to cortisol also promote food cravings and bad diet, which can turn simple weight problems into diabetes.

Elevated blood sugar can also cause and inflammatory repose, often without visible manifestation until later when arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer's or heart disease appear.

In short, the chemistry of stress needs some balance....naturally.

Tomorrow we'll discuss the benefits of Holy Basil, our favorite herbal stress reducer.

OC



Monday, November 9, 2009

Natural Stress Relief

The best way to reduce stress is to prevent stress.

• Get enough sleep at the proper times.
• Eat fresh, organic fruit, vegetables, antibiotic-free meats, wild caught fish, etc.
• Prayer or meditate every day.
• Drink pure water - 1/2 your body's weight in ounces per day (100 lbs = 50 oz water)
• Bodywork, massage.
• Exercise.
• Get 20 minutes of unblocked sun per day.
• Have fun.
• Listen to music that lifts your heart.
• Take herbal/food sourced antioxidant supplements.
• Rhythmic, deep breathing.

Oxygen free radicals are highly reactive, but are necessary to drive thousands of different chemical reactions in the body. In excess, they cause a lot of damage to our health and well being. Free radicals have been linked to most degenerative chronic diseases and disorders, including Alzheimer's, cancer and accelerated aging. Smoking, pollution, grilled meats and stress are of few of the things that can create excess oxygen free radicals.

Antioxidants neutralize oxygen free radicals. Our bodies naturally create some, but our world generate so many, we can't get rid of them all without a little help from antioxidant supplements.

Some good antioxidant food sources are turmeric, green tea and ginger, as well as Vitamins A, C, E and D.

LNH