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Studies show most people use too little or the wrong kind of sunscreen or suntan lotion.

An spf 30 sunscreen rating sounds good but it may not be as good for your health as it sounds.  I compiled some lists of safe options for sun protection, whether you wear sunscreen or prefer other alternatives.

First is the easiest option for you. Use the Environmental Working Group’s sunscreen database.

 According to several sites I searched through, the FDA is not updating its sunscreen standards until sometime in 2012.  The EWG tested over 700 sunscreens and gave them a score of 0 to 10, 0 to 2 being the safest ones recommended by the EWG.  The EWG’s study found that 60% contain oxybenzone a potentially harmful hormone-disrupting compound that penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream and 41 % contained retinyl palmitate which accelerates skin damage and increases skin cancer risk when applied to skin exposed to sunlight. (1) .

Check out the safety of your favorite sunscreens using this database link Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Intestinal damage caused by food allergies can be a trigger for 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 how food allergies can cause 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 would 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 »

Studies show that lowering your intake of sugars and grains plays a major role in slowing aging and extending lifespan.

In one of his newsletter articles, Dr. Joseph Mercola explained the results of these different studies. Use this link here or the footnote at the end of the post to read his full article.

The key factor resulting from the studies that Dr. Mercola brings out is that it is the lowering of insulin levels as a result of calorie restriction which helps to extend one’s life.

Calorie restriction equals lower insulin levels. On the reverse side, high insulin levels speed up the aging process. Though eating fewer calories overall does affect most people’s longevity, even more important is Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Probiotics are a popular health supplement. How do you know which ones and how much to take?

 Most of us have probably used acidophilus supplements, or more specifically, lactobacillus acidophilus.  However, now there are more choices of probiotics on the market than ever, in a wide variety of price ranges, and in an even greater variation of bacteria amounts.  Does it really matter which you take?

 You will want to make an informed decision based on your personal need, such as are you wanting to just supplement a basically healthy digestive tract, or are you wanting a supplement to relieve and heal digestive issues.  I have used plain L acidophilus as well as some inexpensive probiotic combinations from Walmart.  If you have tried them, you, too, probably noticed an overall good experience of just feeling that your stomach is more settled, digesting easier, and less bloated after eating.  These simple inexpensive types are fine for those who feel that their digestion is healthy.

 Why would someone with good digestion want to take any probiotics at all? 

 As the digestive enzymes that occur naturally in foods are mostly destroyed by cooking, and many cultures eat too high a percentage of cooked food to maintain a good level of natural probiotic intake solely from food, a simple supplement is helpful.  However, if you or a family member have consistent bloating, constipation, inconsistently formed bowel movements, yeast buildup, ulcers, or consistent gut pain after eating, you will want to implement the information I recently came across.

 Though 1 million bacteria per pill sounds like a huge amount, these typical doses are not sufficient if you are having digestive issues.

Experts in probiotics say that you need a 10 billion bacteria per day probiotic intake to achieve Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Reading Level: Leisurely

When you look at your life, is your lifestyle one of true enjoyment, solely maintenance, or survivable chaos?

I recently mentioned about the need to “plan for life,” especially when life’s responsibilities appear to be squeezing your dreams out of the picture and life becomes solely a process of maintenance.  However, I have been reminded how easy it is for people to believe their lifestyles are intended to be chaotic to be fulfilling.

My spouse has done business in the past with a couple whose lives are in a constant state of chaos — by choice. The one person’s personality lends to feeling that this state of chaos is necessary for a fulfilling life. Both of them, being in a religious environment, either consciously or subconsciously believe that this state of “chaos” is a matter of religious sacrifice or higher calling. Working in religious fields, I’ve seen this concept too often in religious people, and unknowingly lived by that philosophy myself in my 20’s and 30’s. The effects of this barely tolerable lifestyle are already becoming visible in their kids and in poor business decisions, as time for restful meditation is lacking.

If your lifestyle is not one of true enjoyment, the mental perspective needs to be engrained that a healthy, restful way of life is intended by design and necessary for fulfillment. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Results from a 14 yr long study shows only 2 or more soft drinks a week increased the risk of pancreatic cancer by 87%.

The study by the University of Minnesota was done on 60,000 people in Singapore and published this month in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. As Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent health care, doctors believe that the results readily apply to other industrialized nations. It appears that as insulin is made in the pancreas, soda interferes with insulin levels, then contributing to cancerous cell growth in the pancreas. Similarly, diabetes, a disease in which the body’s insulin production is compromised, is also known to increase pancreatic cancer risk.

Natural sugar in fruit juice did not create the same cancer risk.

Dr. Mark Pereira, the study’s lead researcher, believes a possible explanation is that soda drinkers usually have other poor health habits which also increase their risk level, such as smoking and eating red meat, two lifestyle factors already linked to cancer.

230,000 people are diagnosed each year with pancreatic cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that only 5% survive for 5 years. Identifying risk factors Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Natural supplements and lifestyle changes can bring significant improvement to lupus by strengthening the immune system and lessoning the risk of other disease with overall better health.

Due to the lack of progress in a cure for lupus and the frequent side effects from the long-term usage of prescribed corticosteroid, implementing a healthy diet, body cleansing, exercise, and natural supplements offer promising options toward a better life for those diagnosed with lupus.

Long-term use of corticosteroids, such as used in the treatment of SLE, can result in adrenal atrophy and suppression of the body’s natural defenses in the immune system. In addition, the treatment often results in side effects such as:

• mood swings
• depression
• generalized edema of body and face
• redistribution of body fat to the abdomen
• weight gain
• lethargy (1)

We are going to briefly cover lupus research results from 4 various health sites, and then take a detailed look at the research and lifestyle changes suggested by Dr. Ray Sahelian, which will be extremely helpful for lupus sufferer determined to improve his or her health.

**It should be noted that there are some slight variations in suggested supplements between the sites. I want to emphasize 2 main points in this regard:

1. I would suggest avoiding any supplement that is questioned as safe by even 1 of the following doctors unless you first discuss it with your physician and have a plan for discerning possible side effects.

2. Before taking any new supplement, research it for any possible side effects relevant to your health, such as allergies, interaction with prescriptions, affect on blood pressure, etc.  The first site is one I have used personally; the second is one I just came across.

Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia              Personal Health Zone

Prevention.com focuses on Omega 3 Fish Oils and Antioxidants for lupus improvement.

The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil — EPA and DHA — has prevented autoimmune lupus in animals. Studies on humans have been shown to decrease inflammation. 20 grams of fish oil per day combined with a low-fat diet led to significant improvement in 14 out of 17 SLE patients in only 12 weeks. Lower amounts of fish oil did not help.(2) Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a condition that affects about 5 million people worldwide, 1.5 million of those being in the USA alone. 70% of those cases are systemic lupus; in half of the SLE cases, major organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain are affected.(1) As Lupus is an autoimmune disease of unknown origin with no effective treatment, we are going to first take a look at the basics: its effect on the body, lupus symptoms, possible causes, and “why” natural remedies. This is Part 1 of a 2 part post. In Part 2, we will cover suggested lifestyle changes to improve and possibly overcome the symptoms of Lupus.

What Does Lupus do in the Body?

Lupus an autoimmune disease; it compromises the immune system, causing the body to attack healthy cells and tissues from within. There are many different types of Lupus, with no two people experiencing the same combination of symptoms.(2)

Symptoms of Lupus

The symptoms of Lupus vary greatly, depending on the type. Discoid lupus erythematosus is usually limited to effects on the skin while systemic lupus erythematosus attacks internal tissues. Hence the abbreviations DLE or SLE. SLE is then also divided into subgroups based on the severity of the disease. (5)

The symptoms of DLE are:

Chronic inflammation, sores, and scarring on the skin, including the face, scalp, ears, and body.

The non-organ-threatening type of SLE often has symptoms of:

severe fatigue, dyspnea, fever, swollen glands and joints, muscle and joint pain, and rashes or other skin conditions

The organ-threatening type has the same symptoms listed above, as well as negative affects on: Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

There is no need to succumb to the typical ailments of aging and, especially, feel its affects early on as you can make easy lifestyle changes to creat an extended, healthier life!

(This is Part 2 of a two-part post.  In Part 1, we covered an example of how simple lifestyle changes affect your quality of life, as well as 8 tips on anti-aging.  To read Part 1, use the series link on Aging Gracefully above. Today we will continue with more simple lifstyle tips to increase longevity and quality of life.)

The online organization, Anti Aging Guide 2009, has a graph showing which lifestyle changes add the most years to your life! Here’s a sampling. Use the link in the footnotes to see the full chart.

Note: If you make all the types of changes shown in their chart (not all listed here) and begin in your 20’s, you can add 60-80 years to your life. If you start at 45-50, you can still gain 30-40 years. (A)

1. Periodic fasting and calorie restriction can add 40-50 years.

2. Good nutrition can add 15-25 years.

3. Quality of life – prosperity, relaxation, regular vocations – can add 15-25 years.

4. Regular exercise can add 10-20 years. (A)

The organization, My Health Span, has a list of over 80 Lifestyle Anti Aging Factors, some of which are often unheard of. It is well worth using the link to read the whole list. Here are 13:

1. Calm, but alert temperament

2. Short commute to work Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Anti aging is a hot topic as more people realize that you do have the option not to succumb to all the typical ailments of aging and, especially, not to feel the affects of aging as early.

My grandfather decided to make major changes to his health when he turned the age of 39. I am not sure what all food related changes he made, but I know he stopped drinking alcohol, cut back to one cup of coffee a day, and began taking supplements and power walking a mile a day. He enjoyed incredibly good health throughout his senior years. He had a brief bout of severe arthritis in his early 70’s but through research on supplements and faithful prayer it soon disappeared completely. He still had none of the typical old age illnesses, rarely even a cold, when he passed away at the age of 89. On the other hand, I have known people who eat the typical American diet of almost no fruits, vegetables, or water and never exercise. They have already had diseases common to old age in their late 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s.

Many of the lifestyle changes to create a extended, healthier life are easy to make!

I wanted to include abbreviated lists from a couple of different organizations on anti aging. Each website has vast amounts of information to surf through, so please make use of their links to click through and read more ways to have a long, satisfying life.

These 8 tips are from Simply Anti Aging’s pages on health and nutrition. Many more tips on their site.

1. Laugh More. Recent research has shown that laughter really does help us in managing stress. Adopting a humorous view of life’s difficulties can take the edge off everyday stressful situations. Laughter stops the release of damaging stress hormones into the body. (A)

2. Improve Cardio Fitness with Dance. Combining cardio exercise fitness with dancing is a great way to keep fit over 40. (A)

3. Swim Your Way to Core Strength. You need to improve core strength through exercise as you get older to firm up abdominal flab, build flexibility, and prevent back problems. Swimming offers you both aerobic exercise — flooding your brain with oxygen and raising your pulse rate – and greatly improves core strength. (A)

4. Get Antioxidants by Eating Raw. Raw foods are one of the keys to a great Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Below are a variety of favorite suggestions by well-known physicians for natural ways to optimize your body’s natural health defenses through supplements and some common health practices. 

Dr. Holtorf  of the Holtorf Medical Group posted a question and answer session online from his interview with an international news network.  Here is a quote from his suggestions to prevent viruses and infections. Use the link in the footnote to read the full article.

Natural ways to prevent an infection include vitamin D 5000-15,000 per day (best to check levels), zinc 50 mg/day, vitamin C 3000 mg/day, licorice root extract and miataki mushroom D-fraction. There are good combination products available (Virunex, Immunostim). Nasal colloidal silver can be very effective. It is very safe, and no virus has ever been shown to develop resistance to silver. (1)

Dr. Joseph Mercola is also a strong advocate of optimizing your vitamin D levels, not just for flu prevention but daily health. It is also one of the least expensive ways to be proactive.

He makes 2 strong statements advocating vitamin D:

-Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the absolute best strategy for avoiding infections of all kinds.
-Vitamin D deficiency is the most likely true culprit behind seasonal flu, not the flu virus itself. (2)

Here are his 2 suggested standards for vitamin D supplements: Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

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 »

Feeling like Ebenezer Scrooge? It’s time to take in a few tips and reclaim your Christmas Spirit!

I came across some good, brief tips to de-stress your holiday from an article by blog author Sara Ananya Shah. These are only summaries. Please use the link below to read her full article.  (This is one of the classic holiday “help” articles– a good reminder for each of us each Christmas/New Year’s season.)

1. Shop at home - Shop online as much as possible. The selection is better and many retailers offer free shipping for the holidays.

2. Shop with friends - If you must go out shopping, take a friend along and then relax together afterward with a cup of coffee or cocoa.

3. Have friends and relatives – If you have a dinner with relatives that you dread, invite a friend along, or a specific friendlier relative.

4. Break down chores – For example, don’t do Christmas dinner all at once. [Freeze ahead or] Do as much as possible the day before. If you write out Christmas cards, do a few each night at bedtime.

5. Make due dates – Plan to get your goals done by December 22nd so you can have some time to relax.

6. Exercise – A 20 minute walk will immediately lift your mood and reduce stress hormones.

7. Don’t overeat – You’ll feel happier and healthier.

8. Get “ME” time – Take at least 15 minutes a day to listen to relaxing music, walk, or something else that will make you happy.

Click here to read the full article by Sara Ananya Shah, Holiday Stress Relief: Tips to Reclaim Your Christmas Spirit. Ms. Shah is author of the parenting blog, Loving Your Child.

Reading Level: Leisurely

Lessen stress during the holidays with a few practical decisions.

Many people are overwhelmed by all the extra time and work that are invested into family traditions and added special events this time of year. An article by Elaine Ambrose provided a collection of good advice to show that a few wise decisions will lessen your stress. (This is one of the classic holiday “help” articles– a good reminder for each of us each Christmas/New Year’s season.)

Delegate - Choose which chores or errands you need to do and which ones family members can handle. If necessary, make a simple calendar and mark which days tasks need to be done, such as vacuuming, pet care, or folding laundry, and which family member chose it.

Make Meals Easier - Occasionally during this month get something from the freezer section for the main dish and add healthy items to it. Also, when you do cook, double the recipe and freeze the other meal to use over the next couple weeks.

Budget Your Money - Overspending is a main holiday stressor. Decide on your budget for family traditions and activities and stick to it. Some families draw names and decide a set a dollar amount for the gifts. This also makes it easier time-wise as each person only has to shop for 1 gift and already knows the exact price they should spend.

Budget Your Time - This is just as difficult of a decision to make for most people as budgeting. However, you can help your time by doing something different with gifts. Give a donation to a charity in the person’s name or give a certificate for lunch or a movie or car wash, etc. This eliminates shopping time. You will also save 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 »