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During the winter season, the flu virus is something we all desire to avoid. Let’s cover a virus blocker product as well as some immune system boosters.

Natural virus blockers are an effective way to prevent the flu from taking hold.

Last winter, when the some severe flu strains were taking over large regions of the US, we had stayed pretty flu free all season. Toward the end of the season, I evidently caught the strain from a coughing cashier and stopped by the health food store to buy extra vitamin C and see what else they had available. They had a huge display of a product called, Blockade. The store reps said that they had been selling a good deal of the product and people were bringing back good reports, so I decided to give it a try. If you recall, last winter’s strain of flu was holding on for 2-3 weeks at a time. I was significantly better in 24 hrs. and completely over it within 48 hrs.

Blockade is an all herbal virus blocker.

According to the write-up, viruses reproduce in the human body after entering human cells, as opposed to infections in the blood stream which can be treated with antibiotics. Since viruses reproduce within the cells, antibiotics do not work on them. The bioactives in Blockade coat the viruses and prevent them from attaching to and entering human cells. Since the viruses cannot reproduce, the illness does not progress. Laboratory studies have shown a 100% success rate in keeping the flu virus from entering cells. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Your body has a group of organs designed to effectively detox cleanse your body, flush out toxins, and heal itself. From this post, you can use these six body detox ideas to work with your body’s system for good health!

This is Part 3 of a 3 post series, “The Easy Path to Body Detox.” If you missed Parts 1 and 2, please click on the above links in the table of contents for this series. The post contains excerpts paraphrased from Dr. Don Colbert’s book, The Seven Pillars of Health. See the footnotes below for details on his book. (A)

I. Begin with These Tips to Detox Your Body by Drinking Healthier.

1. Drink the proper amount of water. Your weight x ½ = ounces water. For example, if you weight 200 lbs, 200 x ½ = 100 ounces of water per day to flush toxins out of your kidneys and liver.
2. Drink quality water. If you missed it, read this post for filtering your drinking water, Water Filter for Drinking Water,  (Also to reduce water toxins absorbed through the skin, read the post, Shower Filter for Pure Water )
3. Drink alkaline water. “Cells thrive in an alkaline environment but get constipated with toxins in an acidic environment.” (B) You can buy alkaline bottled water, but it is rather expensive, with brands such as Evamor, Avita, and Penta Water (The last is hexagonal water which is the best possible.) However, the most cost effective way to have alkaline drinking water is to use a product by pH Ion called pH Booster.  Use your own filtered water with this additive to make about 25 gallons of ionized water for less than $30.
4. Avoid soft drinks. They are low in pesticides, but contain too much sugar, or have aspartame which breaks down into wood alcohol (methynol). Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Reading Level: Gratifying

The air, household products, cosmetics, and even one’s teeth can be unsuspected sources of toxins, creating the need for body detox. The key to health is to be well informed and follow these easy steps.

In this post, we’ll cover how to detox cleanse your household by removing health risks in your household air, cleaning products, cosmetics, and teeth. The post contains excerpts paraphrased from Dr. Don Colbert’s book, The Seven Pillars of Health. See the footnotes below.

This is Part 2 of a 3 post series.   If you missed Part 1, “Beginning Steps to Detox Your Body,” please click here or use the above series link.  The third post will cover six ideas for an easy body cleanse.

Take These Simple Steps to Reduce Unsuspected Indoor Air Toxins

I do not think anyone would question the toxicity of the outdoor air we breathe. However, indoor air also has a negative effect due to chemical compounds used in construction, such as formaldehyde in carpets and pressed wood, cleaning products, second hand smoke, and paints. The chemicals are circulated throughout the house via the heating and air units.

Here are some quick tips from Dr. Colbert to help detox your indoor air:

1. Replace your air filter every month.
2. Clean your air ducts every 5 years.
3. Keep pets out of the bedroom.
4. Avoid air fresheners that are petroleum based or contain pesticides. Replace them with fragrance jars of dried botanicals or use an air freshener substitute of lemon spray or lavender essential oil. (A)
5. Unless you live near a busy road or seasonal pollen counts are high, daily open a door or window to let in fresher air. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Reading Level: Leisurely

As toxicity levels are daily increasing in our environments, now is the best time to start a detox cleanse of your body and surroundings.

Most people have given thought to a body cleanse and it is with good reason! More than 80,000 chemicals are registered for use within the US with about 2000 more being added each year. A report by the Environmental Working Group showed that the umbilical cords of 10 babies tested for an average of 287 toxins, 180 of which were carcinogenic. In North American alone, 80,000 metric tons of carcinogens are released into the air annually. Municipal water is polluted with more than 2,100 chemicals (1).

This post is the first of a 3 part series on detoxing your body.  Part 2 will cover removing unsuspected toxins from your household and Part 3 will focus on six easy ideas for a safe body cleanse.

Though we cannot completely avoid toxins, there are simple steps to reduce the toxins in both your body and environment.

Dr. Don Colbert, MD and author of The Seven Pillars of Health, compares not doing a detox cleanse to allowing the trash in your house to build up for weeks at a time. Avoiding it will not allow you to avoid the effects of it; but by taking out the house trash, your body becomes healthier and your environment a safer place. Similarly, when you do not take any steps to detoxing your body or environment, your body’s waste management system becomes overwhelmed by the toxins and is not able to function properly. Body detox allows your body’s natural systems for eliminating toxins to again begin functioning efficiently.

Here are excerpts of Dr. Colbert’s recommended steps for decreasing your exposure to toxins and beginning to cleanse your body. Please see the footnote for more information about his book.

1. Choose more organic food, including free range lean meats, and low-fat dairy.

2. Use pure spring water or filtered water. (Click  here for more information on Shower Filter for Pure Water and Water Filter for Drinking Water)

3. Breathe cleaner air by avoiding heavily polluted areas such as: walking/jogging along busy roads, waiting in airport terminal parking lots, breathing second hand smoke.

4. Wear rubber gloves when cleaning with harmful chemicals. Begin using natural cleaning alternatives.

5. Work with your doctor to reduce your medications, especially those hard on your liver.

6. Call your city’s waste management to find their safe disposal sites for toxic chemicals and clean your garage or shed of old paint, pesticides, and auto oil.

1. Statistics are from “Believe it or Not, You Are Probably Toxic,” p. 148, The Seven Pillars of Health, Dr. Don Colbert.  For more detailed reading, see his book, ISBN#1-59185-815-1

This is Part 2 of a two-part post; we’ll discuss Health Risks from Underwire Bras, Simple Wardrobe Changes for Better Health, and Relief for Fibrocystic Cysts.  In Part 1, we covered which wardrobe choices increase cancer risks and important study results. If you missed Part 1, use the series link above.

The Health Risks of Underwire Bras

According to Dr. Mercola, even though the underwire is plastic coated, there are long-term health risks involved by having that metal on your body. Underwire bras put continual pressure on vital lymphatic reflex points which are located below each breast. He says,

Below your breasts are two important neuro-lymphatic reflex points. The one below your right breast corresponds to your liver and gallbladder. The one below your left breast goes to your stomach. In addition, the metal wire can also act as an antenna attracting electromagnetic fields, which can also increase your risk of breast cancer.

Dr. Mercola quotes a study by John D. Andre, D.C., N.D., to describe the harm underwires do to these reflex points. Here is an excerpt:

These reflexes, like all acupuncture points, follow the Law of Stimulation. In the beginning of stimulating a point, it is stimulated – often causing an increase in associated function. Later on, this continued stimulation causes sedation of that point and a subsequent decrease in its associated function. It’s a mechanical thing. If a woman keeps the metal underwires on top of those reflex points, over time that WILL mess up the functioning of the associated circuits: Liver, gallbladder, and stomach. Bottom Line: It will likely make her sick; slowly and quietly. John D. Andre, D.C., N.D

Simple Wardrobe Changes for Better Health

The Best Option:

Dr Mercola recommends a Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

What’s in your wardrobe? Studies are showing that the most popular style of bras hinder lymph node function, increasing breast cancer risk.

Ill-fitting bras, as well as the most popular style of bra, the metal underwire, increase your potential health risks. Lymph nodes, which purpose are to daily excrete toxins from your body, are unable to drain properly when tight-fitting bras or underwire bras consistently press on their reflex points.

Dr. Joseph Mercola recently sent out a newsletter with data from various doctors and researchers studying the effects of impaired lymph node drainage due to constrictive clothing. We are exposed to many dangerous toxins everyday that the body needs to eliminate. Dr. Mercola says that even the aluminum in antiperspirants is a dangerous toxin which the body needs to eliminate.

I’m categorizing below a few excerpts from this essential information related to breast cancer. Please use the newsletter link here or the one at the end of this post to read Dr. Mercola’s full article.

How do ill-fitting bras, underwire bras, and other constrictive clothing increase cancer risk as well as fibrocystic breasts?

Read the important medical findings from these 3 excerpts:

Over 85 percent of the lymph fluid flowing from the breast drains to the armpit lymph nodes. Most of the rest drains to the nodes along the breast bone. Bras and other external tight clothing can impede flow…as a result of cutting off lymphatic drainage, so that toxic chemicals are trapped in the breast. Dr. Michael Schacter, M.D, The Prevention and Complementary Treatment of Breast Cancer

Constricting bras have also been implicated in Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Laughter  -  It is something we all enjoying hearing, something we all enjoy doing.  It has natural healing powers.  It’s time to do more of it! 

For over a thousand years, long before the realm of modern science, age old proverbs reminded people of the healing power of laughter, 

A rejoicing heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Prov. 17:22

Dr. Don Colbert shares that laughter is one of his prescriptions to patients who come to be placed on nutritional programs. He has discovered that when he asks patients how often they laugh, most cancer patients respond, “I never laugh.” He prescribes 10 belly laughs a day for his patients. (1)

Research has shown a wide variety of healing aspects from laughter:

Pain Relief - A study of patients recovering from surgery showed that the group which was allowed to choose the humorous movies they saw benefited the most from the laughter therapy and required fewer pain-killers compared with a control group that saw none at all. (2) Other research has also shown laughter to increase one’s pain threshold. (4)

Lower Blood Pressure - Laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and dopamine (4); stress hormones, on the other hand, increase Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Arthritis is a common concern in our society. A simple program of prevention is just as important as arthritis treatment after the symptoms have appeared.

There is a truthful old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Simple, beneficial lifestyle changes, most of which we all realize we should be living anyway, are an easy, pleasant way to prevent years of unnecessary pain and suffering. This Prevention List contains excerpts of practical tips from Symptoms of Arthritis.com. Please use the link below to read their article in its entirety.

Lose Weight

Being overweight puts a strain on your knees, hips and the balls of your feet…You can continue to loss weight gradually in order to reduce your risk even further, but ten pounds is a good, attainable goal to start with. You can lose pounds by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.

Exercise

Exercise will help you maintain healthy muscle tone and keep weight at a proper level. Light exercise, like leisurely swimming, combats joint swelling and stiffness Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Build your immunity with these easy-to-implement helps.

Any time is a great time to build your immune system, but such focus is especially helpful when there are extra viruses circulating at the job, grocery store, school, etc.

Here are a couple of tips we use:

1. Add lemon to your drinking water. If you are drinking the proper amount of water for your weight each day (weight x 50% = ounces per day), then you have plenty of opportunity to use lemon to build your immune system. Of course, do not just drop it into your water as they do at restaurants; squeeze the juice of a slice into each glass of water you drink.

2. Stimulate your immune system reflex points. You can follow this link to see a chart of reflex point that you can press on to stimulate your immune system. This site recommends using this technique 3 times a week. Our chiropractor has us do a different immune system stimulator, rubbing on the outside of the left knee, rubbing about 6 inches up the thigh towards the hip, for about 30 seconds.

3. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Experts used to recommend 5+ ½ cup servings a day; though most of us do not eat that much of fresh or lightly steamed vegetables and fruit daily, I found a link that will give you the amounts to eat based on your age, gender, and daily Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

There are many simple steps that you can easily take in your daily life to greatly reduce your cancer risk.

Below is only an abbreviated list from Dr. Mercola’s “11 Simple Steps to Do Now” to virtually eliminate your cancer risk.  Please use this link to read Dr. Mercola’s full article.   The is the 2nd post on cancer prevention.  If you missed the first post, please click to go there now.

1. Normalize your vitamin D levels with safe amounts of sun exposure…It would be best to monitor your vitamin D levels.

2. Control your insulin levels … limit your intake of processed foods and sugars as much as possible.

3. Get appropriate amounts of animal-based omega-3 fats.

4. Get appropriate exercise… it drives your insulin levels down.

5. Eat according to your nutritional type. [For an explanation, follow the link off of number 5 on Dr. Mercola's full newsletter.]

6. Have a tool to resolve emotional Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

With about 12.4 million people being diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2008 and 7.6 million actually dying from the disease last year, cancer prevention is an important topic for all of us.

There are 4 Preventative Measures for Cancer that have come more into the spotlight in the medical field.

Dr. Mercola recently sent out a couple of newsletters with good articles on cancer prevention. The first is on the 4 new focuses for prevention. The second contains his list of 11 simple steps to cancer prevention. I want to share the excerpts with you from those articles in these 2 posts with links to the full articles so that you can read in more detail.

Here are 4 Cancer Preventions that Dr. Mercola believes to be of major focus in the medical realm. Please use this link to read his full article.

Vitamin D

If people around the world optimized their vitamin D levels, about 30 percent of cancer deaths — which amounts to 2 million worldwide and 200,000 in the United States — could be prevented each year.

On a personal level, you can decrease your risk of cancer by more than half simply by optimizing your vitamin D levels with sun exposure.

The risk of skin cancer from the sun comes only from excessive exposure. Meanwhile, countless people around the world have an increased risk of cancer because their vitamin D levels are low or deficient. In the U.S., the late winter average vitamin D is only about 15-18 ng/ml, which is considered a very serious deficiency state. Meanwhile, it’s thought that over 95 percent of U.S. senior citizens may be deficient, along with 85 percent of the American public. If you are treating cancer it is likely that higher blood levels would be even more beneficial, probably on the order of 80-90 ng/ml.

Vitamin D has a protective effect against cancer in several ways, including:
• Increasing the self-destruction of mutated cells (which, if allowed to replicate, could lead to cancer)
• Reducing the spread and reproduction of cancer cells
• Causing cells to become differentiated (cancer cells often lack differentiation)
• Reducing the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, which is a step in the transition of dormant tumors turning cancerous

For those interested, Dr. Mercola has a 1 hr. lecture on the importance of vitamin D through safe sun exposure.

Optimizing Your Insulin Levels

Otto Warburg actually received a Nobel Prize for his observation of cancer cell physiology in 1934 that clearly demonstrated cancer cells require more sugar to thrive.

Unfortunately, many of us have insulin levels that are too high, a condition that can cause major damage to your body. The good news is that controlling your insulin levels is relatively straightforward. First Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Simple eye care supplements can improve your eye health and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss in people over 50.  it is a hardening of the arteries which nourish the retina,  depriving the retinal tissue of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. Cataracts and decreasing night vision are also affected by the result of a loss of nourishment to aging eyes.

The 2 nutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin, are carotenoids which play a vital role in the health of our eyes.

Carotenoids are found in plants such as spinach, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, broccoli, green beans, cabbage, honeydew, and kiwi. A 1995 study showed that eating spinach and collard greens five or more times a week was found to noticeably reduce the risk of MD. (1)

In a 2004 study, lutein has been shown to not only help prevent, but to actually reverse symptoms of ARMD. Patients were supplemented daily with Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Various studies have been done linking both average and low Vitamin B-12 levels to brain shrinkage and dementia.

Last week I posted an article on Alzheimer’s prevention, so I thought it would be good to follow it up with these results of 3 different studies regarding B-12 deficiency and memory problems. I’ll paste abbreviated results below with their references in case you want to read the full articles. Top sources of Vitamin B are listed at the end of the post.

Take note of these main points:

-Though western cultures normally eat enough food with B-12, the absorption of it decreases with age.

-The push for using antacids has also decreased people’s absorption of B-12.

-If you divide a normal range of B-12 absorption into thirds, the elderly people in the lower level of what is still considered normal B-12 blood level range had 6 times more brain shrinkage than those in the upper third. Thus, a normal level could still be risky unless you are at the higher end of the range. Two studies below showed risk in normal ranges.

-Dairy products, fish, and meat are the typical sources of B-12.

-Daily oral doses of B-12 in 1000 mcg were effective in raising B-12 levels in elderly and reducing memory problems. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

As over 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s and over 500,000 of them are under the age of 65, it is well worth looking into preventative measures.

I’m highlighting 10 points from an AOL article by Vicki Salemi with a link below to the full article. The sentences in parentheses are my comments on some of the points. The doctor in Ms. Salemi’s article does recommend certain drugs as preventative measures; we, personally, prefer non-drug methods as much as possible, as all drugs have some negative side effects which can outweigh any benefits.

Vitamin B Work with your doctor to put together a plan to incorporate whatever vitamins you are deficient in, particularly Vitamin B. [Our doctor said that Vitamin B is the most difficult vitamin for the body to absorb, so he suggests a quality B complex even if it is the only vitamin you take.]

Heart Healthy Foods Implement a heart healthy diet that’s low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Mental Gymnastics Taking your brain out of the comfort zone is one way to make connections and remain stimulated, such as doing crossword puzzles, creates a multi-dimensional connection.

Exercise Thirty minutes of exercise several times a week is beneficial for brain health. Exercise brings more oxygen to your brain, it helps burn excess sugar, it enhances hormones and is good for blood flow.

Avoid Heavy Metal Contamination Avoid shrimp and shellfish due to the mercury. Avoid exposure to aluminum in general, aluminum foil, pots and pans or deodorant with aluminum as an ingredient. [When buying fish, we look for "wild caught" on the label, and albacore in tuna, as they are supposed to be lower in heavy metals, though some doctors avoid fish completely, such as Dr. Mercola.] Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Intestinal damage caused by food allergies can be triggering your intestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Celiac Disease.

I came across a study by Dr. Harry K. Wong that has beneficial insights on food allergies causing intestinal diseases due to the intestinal track damage they create over time.  The article made a great deal of sense considering the people I know with these ailments have not found relief from conventional medical treatments.  If one’s intestinal disease is food allergy triggered, then the problem will continue without relief until the food allergies are dealt with.

Be aware that many people are unaware of any allergic reaction to food allergies.

In my own experience, I discovered that a person can have food allergy reactions and not notice a reaction.  Over time, especially when there has been has been an overload of stimulus from an allergen, the body stops reacting to it in a noticeable way.  My doctor explained it to me this way.  The first time you put a ring on, your mind is consciously aware of the feeling.  Eventually, because of the constant stimulation of those nerves, the body tunes it out.  Those nerves are still working, still being affected by the pressure of the ring, but you are mentally unaware of it.  Dr. Wong also discusses that your immune system can be so overwhelmed by the allergen that it’s literally giving up Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »