Detox Supplements: The Vitamin D Cure by James Dowd and Diane Stafford

June 20th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Nutritional Supplements Book Reviews

The Vitamin D Cure51Pp%2Bth3-TL._SL160_ Detox Supplements: The Vitamin D Cure by James Dowd and Diane Stafford

Vitamin D deficiency is responsible for a broad array of health problems.  In this book, rheumatologist Dr. James Dowd explains how vitamin deficiency happens and presents a simple five-step program that can help you achieve optimum health.  The regimen can cure or alleviate diseases such as arthritis in less than two months.

Learn how to:

  • Determine how much vitamin D you need
  • Use the sun and nutritional supplements to raise your vitamin D levels
  • Determine your blood acidity and change your diet accordingly
  • Achieve the best state of health possible by with all-around supplementation
  • Use exercise to its best effect

Take control of your health by following this program.  You will free yourself from a host of health problems you may have thought to be incurable and ensure a longer and healthier life.

About the Author

James Dowd, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University.  He specializes in arthritis and is a widely published and highly respected authority on the subject.

Diane Stafford has authored and assisted with the writing of over a dozen books, such as Migraines for Dummies and No More Panic Attacks.

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Soda - More Harm than Good

February 3rd, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

Every morning thousands of people go to their local gas station and fill a giant cup with soda to start their day. They think that drinking more than a cupful of caffeine will help get them through the day and give them some extra energy. If you’re in the habit of drinking soda every day, know that soda can actually cause you to feel more tired!

The caffeine and sugar in sodas makes you feel a little more alert and awake with the first few drinks. What happens then, though, is the insulin in your body decreases and when the sugar from the soda wears off you actually feel worse than before. Drinking a soda without any food to go with it just gives your body a big sugar rush but you don’t absorb the sugar.

Eating some food with the soda helps this a little bit. When you do accompany drinking soda with eating other foods, your body becomes slow in absorbing the sugar. The insulin your pancreas produces can’t keep up with all the sugar coming in so much of the sugar remain in your blood stream, which explains why you will feel a little energized. This is short lived, though, and sooner you’ll soon feel tired because the sugar rush is over.

Some people think that drinking diet soda is better since it doesn’t have real sugar. However, diet sodas have a sugar substitute that acts like sugar in our body and can make you want to eat and drink more sugary things.

Avoiding diet sodas and regular sodas will decrease your sugar intake, which will make you feel better naturally. You’ll have more energy to work out and it will be easier to lose weight.

One side effect of drinking soda may be increased stress hormones in your body. What happens is the caffeine reacts with your hormones, especially your stress hormones. The more soda you drink, the more stress you will be putting on your body. Skipping that soda will decrease the level of stress hormones in your body and you will feel better and have more energy.

Another side effect of soda can be sleep problems. Caffeine is a stimulant so it can interact with your brain and keep you awake at night. You may have trouble falling asleep and also not get as good quality of sleep as you should. You will not wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Skip that soda and you’ll be sleeping like a baby and waking up with enough true energy than you can possible handle.

It may be hard to believe that soda actually decreases your energy levels but it’s true. The first few weeks after you stop drinking soda might be tough and you might have less energy and feel tired all the time. That is just your body’s way of weaning itself off the caffeine and sugar. Once your body gets used to functioning with that extra sugar and caffeine, you’ll feel better, sleep better and have more energy.

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Home Remedies to Treat Your Sore Throat

February 1st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

Sore throats can be a symptom of many different illnesses including the common cold, the flu or a more serious infection requiring antibiotic treatment. Usually, though, sore throats get better on their own when you start feeling better.

Even if your sore throat is nothing serious, it can still be unpleasant. It is hard to do anything, even eat or talk, when you have a sore throat. All you want to do is get under the covers and stay there until you are better.

The next time you have a sore throat, try any of the following home remedies below. It might just help you with sore throat pain.

Gargling with warm saltwater is great for relieving pain and minimizing the phlegm in your throat. It also can reduce your chances of getting an infection. Gargling with a warm saltwater mixture of 1/4 c. salt to 1/2 c. warm water will help ease your sore throat.

Gargling with an antiseptic mouthwash (e.g., Listerine) will also help reduce your chances of getting an infection because it will help kill germs.

Have a hot cup of tea. The best teas for a sore throat are honey and lemon tea and herbal teas made from chamomile and sage.

Garlic is known for its ability to strengthen the immune system and fight infection so eating some fresh garlic when you have a sore throat (or if you feel one is coming) may help end your suffering sooner.

Cold foods like ice cream or popsicles will temporarily relieve the pain in your throat.

Running a humidifier especially at night will reduce swelling in your throat and make your voice less hoarse. If you have a sore throat, avoid smoking and being in smoky places because smoking and cigarette smoke will only do nothing but irritate your throat.

Sucking on a lemon can help ease that sore throat. The vitamin C in lemon can fight the germs that are causing your sore throat. Make a mixture to gargle with out of 10 drops of mango bark extract and a full glass of water. Do this several times a day.

Make scallion tea by simmering scallions in hot water and drink the tea a few times a day to ease sore throat pain. We all get sore throats either from being sick or from yelling at a concert or other event. You don’t need store bought remedies for your sore throat when you can treat it with homemade remedies right from your kitchen.

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Live Healthier Naturally

January 26th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

We often think that doctors are the only ones who can treat us when we are sick. Modern medicine is great but there can also be problems with some of the prescription prescribed by our doctors including dangerous side effects. Even treatments that seem safe now can turn out to have dangerous side effects later on.

Alternative medicine involves more natural treatments for ailments and has been around for centuries. Alternative medicine has been treating illnesses naturally and successfully for many hundreds of years before we had all this modern medicine. Natural medicine is becoming more and more popular as more people begin to understand the benefits of treating various ailments without chemicals and without visits to the doctor.

The following are some ways you can start living more naturally and using alternative medicine in your life.

Start changing your diet to include more organic food. The benefit of organic food is that it is chemical and hormone free.

You get the most nutritional benefit out of raw fruits and vegetables so include more of these in your diet. This doesn’t mean you have to change your whole diet; just eat more raw fruits and vegetables as snacks and with meals.

Get moving! The more exercise you get and the more you get your heart rate up, the healthier you will be.

Your body needs vitamin D and the best way to get it into your system is to get out in the sun. Spending about 15 minutes in the sun each day will allow your body to produce the vitamin D that your body needs.

Do what you can to reduce stress in your life. Stress is hard on our body and can lead to illnesses. Try relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga if you have a lot of stress in your life.

Probiotics contain bacteria that are actually good for you and that helps fight off bad bacteria that make you sick. You can get probiotics from foods like yogurt or you can find probiotics at your local health store. You should take probiotics regularly especially if you have been taking antibiotics.

Avoid taking over the counter drugs for colds and other minor illnesses. Instead, treat your symptoms with herbal remedies, which have no chemicals in them and fewer side effects.

Taking care of your body is important and the more you do to prevent getting sick and contracting diseases, the less you will need modern medical interventions. Being healthy is more than taking a pill for every ailment. Watching what you eat, exercising and learning about natural living will improve your health.

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Colon Cleansing, Weight Loss & You!

January 7th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Many people swear by colon cleansing to feel better, lose weight and stay healthy. It is becoming more and more accepted as a health treatment. Here is some information about colon cleansing and how it can help you lose weight.

The colon’s purpose is to remove waste from the food that we eat. Most people’s diets these days include a lot of processed foods. These foods make it much more difficult for the colon to do its job. Much of the toxins and waste products accumulate in the colon; they petrify and eventually cause health problems. What colon cleansing does is get rid of the leftover waste and toxins from the colon so it can work more efficiently, encouraging the body to process food in a more efficient manner.

Most people notice an immediate weight loss when they start with colon cleansing. This is because colon cleansing is able to flush out most of the waste matter that as accumulated in the colon.  After you have been on a colon cleansing routine for a while, you will continue to lose weight because you will be absorbing more nutrients and less waste will be left in the colon. A colon that is working well helps with weight loss.

Most people don’t think about their digestive system as it relates to weight control; we often associate weight control with exercise and diet.  A typical diet where you eat less and exercise more doesn’t take into consideration that your metabolism will usually decrease to make up the difference. Treating your digestive system so it is at its healthiest is a good way to lose weight.

One of the benefits of colon cleansing is increased stamina and energy. If you want to work on shedding off those unwanted pounds, you can take that extra energy and turn it into exercise. You will wake up feeling better every day and have a better outlook on life when you are not feeling tired and sluggish. Also, some of the added energy comes from your body being able to get more nutrients out of the food you eat.

Colon cleansing is a great tool for improving your health and even losing weight. It is just one tool in the toolbox, though! You need to have a well balanced diet and exercise in order to feel your best. You also need to make sure you cut back on processed foods and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.

Like any medical treatment, you need to do some research about colon cleansing and make sure you know what you are doing and that you use a safe product or program. Also, talk to your doctor about your plans and get his or her advice.

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How to Avoid Gaining Weight in the Winter

January 7th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

It is hard to avoid the winter weight gain that many of us experience. We may try and watch our weight but still end up with more weight to lose in the spring. You don’t have to do this, however, if you follow a few simple guidelines.

The holidays make it especially hard to watch our weight because there is tempting food everywhere we go. If you don’t want to end up heavier by the end of the year, there are some suggestions.

When you cook, use healthier ingredients like evaporated milk and broth to replace cream and butter, which are extremely fattening.

If you know you are going to be tempted with fattening food when you go out, bring your own healthy snack to eat instead. Make yourself a healthy snack or small meal before going to a dinner party or a restaurant where you are going to be tempted to eat way more than you should. This way you won’t be as hungry and you can control what you eat.

Instead of trying to lose weight this winter, just try to not gain any more. It you try to lose weight instead of maintain your weight, you’ll end up frustrated, and more likely to overeat and gain wait. Don’t try one of everything at those parties and holiday events. Instead decide what you really want to eat and just have a little of that so you don’t end up overeating.

It isn’t only what you eat this winter and through the holidays, it is that you are less likely to be exercising. It is a lot harder to get into and stick with an exercise program in the winter so fewer people do. Even though it is cold and dreary, you can still get exercise and have fun. Look for a mall walking group near you or join a fitness club and you’ll get some exercise and meet new people at the same time.

Often, we eat more in the winter because of depression. Seasonal depression is a very common problem during the winter months. People who are depressed are more likely to make bad food choices and overeat. This will lead to more depression, tiredness and weight gain.

It is important to stay positive and in a good mood throughout the entire winter and not let yourself get depressed. Often, the cause for winter depression is a lack of exposure to sunlight. You can remedy this by always keeping any room you are in bright and cheery. Also, you can spend just 20 minutes a day sitting under a light bulb with high wattage to simulate sunlight. You will feel better and be happier.

Poor food choices and depression often become a cycle that is heard to break in the winter. Make sure you eat a balanced diet and avoid too many sweets. Also, exercise and stay active. You can beat the winter weight and avoid the depression that can increase winter weight gain.

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