Herbal therapies...

As most of us are aware, the use of herbs as medicine has been part of human culture for thousands of years and has truthfully evolved into a science. Modern allopathic medicine is relatively new in comparison, being only 150 or so years old in its current form. For us to say that herbal medicine is a true alternative to modern drugs is in essence a truth and yet some in modern medicine would dispute that statement wholeheartedly. On a personal note my children and myself have never needed or used pharmaceutical drugs, always turning to herbs for everything from bruises to colds, from infections to inflammation, and always successfully and without side effects.

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Caffeine and weight loss; Debunking popular myths...

Caffeine and weight loss; Debunking popular myths

Posted by darren craddock in Alternative Health News on February 19, 2010 | no responses

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing author, researcher and Naturopath Dr Jeffry Weiss abnout his proven theories with regards to metabolism, caffeine and weight loss. Were I to say that the interview was fascinating would be an understatement. Where many people expound upon their theories in this realm, Jeffry has not only researched this subject extensively over several decades, he has also put it into practice clinically with very impressive results.

In his book; THE CAFFEINE DIET: SIPPING YOUR WAY TO SLIM, Jeffry has sought to explain in great detail why it is nigh on impossible to effectively lose weight on a conventional diet. The reasons for this are as follows: Basically when you begin to lose weight, the body thinks you are starving and subsequently slows your metabolism. Jeffry explains that were we to try to lose weight with only dietary means, we would have to reduce caloric intake to somewhere around 800 calories a day or less, rendering it very hard for us to obtain all necessary vitamins and minerals. This would affect many essential processes in our body and swiftly become detrimental to our health. Even the strongest of dieters would start developing cravings that would soon sabotage their most noble dieting efforts.

A profound question thus arises: How can we increase metabolism and thus not have to suffer draconian dietary restriction that ultimately sabotages us. Increased metabolism makes it possible for us to burn calories more effectively and also leaves us with a more consistent energy level. Low metabolism is not confined to a handful of people. Back in the 50’s about 10% of our population were dealing with this challenge. Experts like Dr Weiss and others conservatively estimate that those percentages have dramatically shifted and that we currently can count on at least 50% of the population suffering from low metabolism. When we become more aware of this we find it hardly surprising that obesity rates are skyrocketing. So what is the culprit, one might ask. The answer lies to a large extent in our water supply and it is fluoride. Fluoride competes with iodine in the thyroid gland, the gland responsible for maintaining optimal metabolism. With our diets low in iodine and high exposure to fluoride, it becomes increasingly difficult for us to maintain a healthy metabolism. Even as little as 1 part per million of fluoride inhibits DNA repair activity by as much as 50% and in animal studies such a level has shown demonstrable chromosome damage.  Moreover the forms of fluoride used in municipal water supplies; sodium fluoride and aluminum fluoride are hard to remove from the body and have numerous detrimental effects from poor thyroid function, brain related disorders such as Alzheimers and others. Good water filtration is essential, and although few systems offer effective removal of fluoride from water there are a few that do. One that I have experience with is the Berkey Water filters which have an add on component called a PF-2 filter that will remove fluoride and arsenic up to 99%.   This is essential if you are serious about reestablishing a healthy metabolism, as is the use of a fluoride free toothpaste. Most health food stores offer them but not all of their toothpastes are fluoride free.  Other chemicals such as chlorine and PCB’s affect thyroid function and happily these can all be removed from your water with the use of Berkey Water filters .

Knowing now how important the thyroid gland is in metabolism and maintaining a healthy weight, one might ask how else we can improve thyroid function. Mainstream allopathic medicine prescribes synthetic thyroid to basically do the thyroid’s work for it. The drugs commonly prescribed are a one size fits all approach that is not effective in  restoring a healthy metabolism.

Dr Weiss’s research and from the patients he has seen in the last 20 years, it is clear that the thyroid gland is sensitive to a variety of influences; dietary, lifestyle, and environment. Basically if we eat more toxic foods and are increasingly more exposed to pollution, petrochemical and industrial wastes, and heavy metals thyroid problems will continue to be a major problem in our society. The facts show that around 80% of women and men in the United States have thyroid issues. So what of other factors play a role in weight loss?

Exercise, calorie reduction, boosting metabolic rate and promoting fat burning. We have seen that calorie reduction does not work effectively. Exercise does help a great deal but to boost metabolism and reduce weight we need to increase our metabolism more consistently than just during a workout. This is where caffeine comes in. If you drink the equivalent of 100mg of caffeine, about 1/3 of a cup of coffee just before you eat will help reduce cravings, help you eat less and burn more calories.  Try a healthier coffee called Nutricafe and you will eliminate jitters plus get additional benefits too.

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Controversial Non Surgical Scar Removal...

Scar removal is a very controversial topic on the internet.

There are greatly varying opinions coming from every direction.

Some claim that scar removal is impossible.  Others claim you can treat scars using natural remedies.  There is no definite answer when it comes to scar removal.  There are dozens of natural scar removal products and remedies that get tossed around the net.  Some of them are onion extract, Vitamin E, olive oil, cucumber, etc.  But do these really work?  This is the real question that has truly never been answered officially.

First of all, scar removal is very possible.

Most scars can be faded or completely removed using natural over the counter products.  Read it again.  You don’t need surgery or other expensive procedures to remove a scar.  However, most of the so-called scar removal products that get thrown around the net are totally bogus.  Some of them can actually worsen scarring in some people!  That’s why it’s very important to do your research and choose the right products and remedies when choosing a scar treatment product.

Here are a few common scar removal products that are used very frequently but have no medical trials or scientific evidence backing their results:

Onion Extract –

Onion extract is a common substance found in many scar removal products like Mederma.  Unfortunately, there are no human trials showing that it can help reduce scarring.  The only trial that actually worked was in a rabbit ear.  Still, many people swear by it’s effects.

Vitamin E –

Vitamin E has been used for years as a scar treatment product.  Millions of people use the product and recommend it to others despite having little to no scientific evidence that it does anything to reduce scarring.  In one trial, 90% of the people who used it had their scars remain the same or WORSEN.  Still, it seems to be common knowledge that Vitamin E is a miracle scar cure.

There are dozens of other examples of this all over the Internet.  In most cases, products are completely worthless and do nothing to improve scarring.  However, there ARE some natural products that have shown real results and can help reduce scarring.  Scar removal is possible using natural remedies and over the counter products.

Anti Microbial Soothing Salve is a valuable addition to any first aid kit. Treats cuts, scrapes and skin abrasions and helps prevent cracking, increases healing and reduces the chances of scarring.

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The Truth about Steroids and how they effect your ...

The fact is that many steroids are also known to create disharmony within the body, through the bringing of some very adverse effects such as vomiting, nausea, headaches, tummy aches, diarrhea and insomnia. The user should expect such a feeling that speaks of general indisposition mostly while they are within such intake of an element such as Anadrol, an element that is largely comparable to the substance Dianabol which gives a very acute sense of well being.

Steroids are not what you might think they are

Cytomel is on the category of fat burners in the body building field. It is meant to increase the metabolism rate of an individual after intake when exercising, therefore working out every body part and burning huge masses of fat in a very short time. It acts as a stimulator of the normal body metabolism. Many of the bodybuilders who are experiencing severe acne caused by the steroid Anadrol then continue on thier drug binge using oxymetholone as a control measure through the use of Accutane, which comes as a prescription drug. This vicious cycle has severe long term health consequences.

There are beneficial uses – sometimes

Induction of male puberty is a part of medical function of steroids. Androgens are normally given to boys with distressed body conditions and those who have delays of puberty. Testosterone is the only androgen that is used to help in increasing weight, height, and fat-free mass. In specific, doctors only prescribe it when needed especially the cases of stunned growth. The down side is that Aggression and hypomania are two conditions that are very prominent to steroid users. (… so giving this to a teenager seems like a good idea?)

Roid rage – yes it’s real

From the late 1980s, the press has reported “roid rage” as one of the major side effects of anabolic steroids. A 2005 evaluation determined that, some controlled studies found out that anabolic steroid use associates with hypomania and the aggressiveness persistent in different individuals, but it went ahead to point out that several attempts to resolve whether the steroids use causes violent behavior, has failed to a great extent, all because of the increased rate of non-participation.

The way towards the usage or abuse of steroids is mired by the case of failure, success or both. It is common knowledge that steroids are not what you might think they are, since many people lack in the right information which makes the necessary difference about anabolic androgenic steroids. Steroids are used for myriad reasons and by many people from the two genders. They are a means through which humans attain a muscle increment goal. The best way to get the results that you have been looking for is to work with a good trainer and choose healthy nutritional supplements.

Steroids can land you in JAIL

In Canada, the AAS and any of their derivatives are controlled as part of banned drugs and compounds act, they are Schedule IV substances, and this means that the legality is compromised. The steroid sale without a definite prescription is punishable, however, possession is not restricted, a result reserved for schedule I, II or III compounds. Those culpable of selling and buying the AAS in Canada can be locked in prison for 18 months.

Well that right there talked me out of it!

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Solar Energy Panels: Are They Worth the Effort?...

A simple answer to this question, would be of course… YES.

However if you are considering a solar energy panel for your house then it would be wise to consider the options, before you make a rushed decision to spend thousands of dollars on a solar energy panel installation.

The fact is, if you pay for a professional installation, you will not see a return on your investment for another 10 or more years! This presents a real problem in the solar energy panel industry because many people are trying to buy a solar panel, simply to save money in the first place. Needless to say, spending thousands of dollars on solar energy panel installation, is not going to save you any money.. in fact it will take a big chunk of your money. If something happens to the solar panel before you see a return on your investment, then you are basically out of luck unless the panel is insured.

So then, how do you go about getting solar panels for your home, if you can’t afford brand-new ones? Surely there is a way for average people to afford solar panels.. the answer is, you will need to put in some work and install the solar energy panel yourself. Now, at this point you are probably thinking I am a lunatic for insinuating that you could possibly be capable of such a task.

The truth is,

The installation and the building process can be learned by just about anyone with the right set of instructions.

There are many guides and DIY kits available that can assist the average consumer in building and installing their own solar energy panel. Many of these guides are risk free, because they are backed by a guarantee and support. I would not recommend buying a guide that is not backed by a guarantee and support.

Saving money on electric bills and helping the planet is just another way to live healthy!

If you’re tired of high electricity bills, discover how thousands of families worldwide benefit from homemade solar panels and wind turbines to power their homes.

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Quit Making Excuses and Get Moving!...

by Carolyn Hansen
A Healthy lifestyle means a good diet, nutrition and exercise

healthy weight loss program" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/2212219500_f93f6fbd7a_m.jpg" border="0" alt="[Life´s a beach]" hspace="5" width="240" height="180" />If you want to get into better physical shape and improve your strength and fitness, sometimes the best thing to do is ‘quit.’ Quit? Yes, that’s right – quit. Health and Healthy weight loss starts with quitting more than just fast food. Sometimes the easiest way to make things happen in a positive fashion, for example…

* Get stronger so all of your daily activities and tasks are easier

* Lose some weight

* Slow the aging process

* Reduce your disease risk

* Feel better about yourself

* Create more energy

* Improve quality of life

…is to quit doing some of the things that are getting in the way of your progress.

Here are some healthy exercise ideas to get you quitting:

* What low return projects could you quit spending time on?

* What people who are not supportive of you could you spend less time with?

* What television shows can you quit watching?

* What websites can you quit spending time on?

* What telephone chit chat could be eliminated?

* What expenses that are not providing a good return on investment can you eliminate?

And here is one that may ruffle your feathers somewhat…

* What excuses can you quit making?

Sometimes the best motivation for becoming physically active comes from people who were once unmotivated to workout.

Any of these sound familiar?

* If I exercise, I won’t have enough energy left to do more important things.

* I get enough exercise at my job/around the house/with the kids.

* There is no time to exercise

* Exercise is hard, boring, tiring etc.

* Exercise does not work for me.

* I am too old to start now.

* I plan to start exercising when… (You fill in the blank)

Quit making excuses for not feeling good and being healthy!

There are many excuses used by individuals less inclined to look after themselves with the self care of a proper exercise program. It is a shame that many people have developed misguided notions that incorporating regular exercise into their daily lives is more burdensome than productive. As a result, they neglect the most important aspect of their life – their health.

But it is time to toss aside the excuses and make a commitment to getting more active.

You simply need to make physical activity a priority in your life and quit making excuses about why you can’t get the proper exercise that includes mostly strength training exercise that you need to stay healthy and lose weight throughout your life.

We all must take responsibility for our own health and that includes helping protect ourselves from preventable disease and premature death. Once you are active on a regular basis, you will enjoy many benefits, physically, mentally and emotionally.

So, instead of quitting the way most people do – they quit thinking big and they quit well before they even reach their lofty goals, go a different route and quit doing some of the things that are standing in your way and you might see a different outcome than you expect.

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Lasting weight loss or Fast Weight Loss?...

There are many reasons why you may wish to lose body fat. Among the top are to simply look better and improve your overall health. Losing weight should always be regarded as a long term proposition. Quick weight loss plans can help you lose weight but will not give you the longer term results you crave and deserve.

I want “instant” not “fast”!- yeah right!

Fat will be lost in any diet where the calorific intake is lower than expenditure. However these “crash” diets and low-energy diets will result in a muscle loss in addition to the fat burned. It is estimated that the maximum fat a typical human body can burn in any one week is 2 pounds. This means that any weight loss over and above 2 lbs in a week will be mainly muscle or water.

Crash dieting slows down your metabolism .

If you don’t eat enough food your ancient survival instincts take over and the body enters “starvation mode”. In this mode the metabolic rate slows to conserve energy and thus the speed at which weight is lost is reduced. Thus ultimately less fat is burned using “crash” methods.

In addition the body has lost muscle during this crash phase. Muscle burns calories and the more muscle, the more calories and burned. Crash dieting therefore delivers the double whammy of a drop in metabolic weight and a drop in calorie burning muscle tissue.

This is the reason why so many dieters who rely upon fad diets regain weight quickly after losing it. The only safe reliable and long term way to reduce weight is to do it over a period of time. Change your thinking, eating and habits for best results. Don’t skimp on nutrition either! Lose pounds not nutrients. Many people have experienced lasting success with meal replacement drinks.

Make sure your choose a healthy all natural meal replacement plan with organic ingredients  (like Amino acid meal replacement by EnerHealthBOtanicals)

A gradual reduction in calories maintains muscle tissue, burns only fat and allows you to maintain healthy weight loss in the future.

So , If you really want to make a difference in your life, lose weight and feel great then change your actions: start eating healthy today, take a walk and breath deep. You can do it !!

Review: EnerHealth Natural Meal Replacement Product Combines Superfood Nutrition with Outstanding Taste
By Mike Adams the HEALTH RANGER, January 12, 2009

“It’s rare to find a meal replacement powder product that breaks new ground in taste while delivering outstanding nutrition, but a product from EnerHealth Botanicals does exactly that. It’s called the EnerHealth Natural Meal Relacement product, and it delivers full meal nutrition with a whole new twist on superfood taste.” Click here to read the whole review.

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GREENS smoothie recipe. Healthy diet shake. Green ...

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Greens smoothie recipe, vegetarian shake with Spirulina and GLUTEN FREE organic green superfood. Healthy diet shake.

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Coffee trends lean towards ganoderma infused java...

Coffee Drinking Trends Report

by Scott OBrien

Major Increase in Consumption among Young (News release: July 19th, 2007)
( this might be a few years old but the trend is still growing as of 2009!)

Coffee is now bigger than soft drinks!

Market penetration of coffee among American adults has surpassed that of soft drinks, reversing a 2-decade pattern. Specifically, the National Coffee Association’s just-published 2007 National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) report reveals that 57% of American adults drink coffee daily, while 51% consume soft drinks daily. And 81% of American adults drink coffee, with 67% doing so at least once a week.

Make sure you are drinking the best coffee available – Only shade grown Organic fair trade coffee beans infused with Ganoderma and Cordyceps for daily immune support and enhanced physical performance. Nutricafe makes it easy and delicious to stay healthy!

Daily grind expanding

Daily coffee consumption among 18-24-year olds climbed to 37% — a jump of 6 percentage points over 2006, in a fourth consecutive annual increase, for an overall gain of 21 percentage points since 2003 when market penetration for this age group was only 16%. This segment also now drink 3.1 cups per day, up from 2.5 cups in 2005.

“Coffee is the new ‘black’ among beverages,” said Robert F. Nelson, president and CEO of the National Coffee Association, in a prepared statement. “Coffee is a trend-setting menu option for a new generation of consumers amid an exploding U.S. café culture.” This age group also exhibits the largest increase in daily and weekly gourmet coffee beverage consumption.

Reishi infused Coffee trend growing – and for good reason!

Research has demonstrated that Ganoderma Lucidum has several different active constituents. One group of active constituents is the polysaccharides. The various types of polysaccharides found in Ganoderma Lucidum have demonstrated immune-enhancing properties. This includes enhancement of several important interleukins. Another major class of compounds is the triterpenes. These compounds have been reported to have adaptogenic, anti-hypertensive, and anti-allergy effects.

Cardiovascular Benefits
Ganoderma Lucidum has been shown in some studies to inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce blood pressure. In studies of people with hypertension, researchers found blood pressure was significantly reduced over two-weeks’ time with reishi supplementation.

Immune Benefits
Ganoderma Lucidum is commonly prescribed by practitioners for long-term immune system support. In studies involving patients with advanced tumors, the patients were given Ganoderma Lucidum for thirty days. Researchers found a marked immune-modulating effect as demonstrated by an increase in T lymphocytes and decreased CD8 counts. Patients also reported reduced side effects due to chemotherapy or radiation as well as postoperation recovery.

Blood Sugar Balance
Studies have shown Ganoderma Lucidum to have a blood sugar lowering effect. Much of this activity appears to be due to polysaccharides known as Ganoderans A, B, and C.

It appears there are three main mechanisms behind this hypoglycemic effect. This includes Ganoderma Lucidum’s ability to elevate plasma insulin levels, to enhance peripheral tissue utilization of glucose, and to enhance liver metabolism of glucose.

Anti-inflammatory Effects

Studies have shown that hot-water extracts of Ganoderma Lucidum have anti-inflammatory effects. One study found that 50 milligrams of reishi powder had comparable effects to 5 milligrams of hydrocortisone.

Liver Protector
Ganoderma Lucidum is commonly used for its hepatoprotective (liver protective) action. One study of patients with hepatitis B and elevated liver enzymes (SGOT/SGPT) and bilirubin were given reishi for three months. Significant reduction in SGOT and SGPT were noticed within one month. After three months all values were within normal range.

Oxygenation
One of the unique uses of Ganoderma Lucidum is for altitude sickness. Reishi appears to reduce altitude sickness by oxygenating the blood. This benefit was studied in Asian mountain climbers that ascended mountains as high as 17,000 feet with minimal reaction.

read more on this subject on his blog
To Your Health,
Scott OBrien
phone: 716-537-2526
email: AskScottOBrien@gmail.com

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What kind of water filter removes bacteria and dis...

……..

Water is the  most important substance on earth – second only to air

When you are thinking about getting a water filtration system for your home, you will of course want to make sure that you get one that will efficiently protect your home and the people in it. While of course you can simply go to the store and pick up a few water filters mounted on pitchers, you’ll find that you can actually make sure that your needs are more adequately met by looking around and doing a little bit of research before you invest in the water filter that you are interested in for your home and family.

Does your water filter take out bacteria and heavy metals?

The first thing that you need to realize is that not all home water filters are created equal. Keep in mind that one of the best ways to judge how well a water filter will function is to take a look at what size particle that it will filter from your drinking water. You’ll find that water filters will vary in this regard. While some will not let anything that is larger than a singe micron pass, others are only made to filter out things that are four times that size. While both are efficient when it comes to taking care of the larger particles, one with a finer filter will keep you safer.

Water should be clean – but also safe to drink

When you are thinking of what a water filter can do for you, you’ll find that it all involves what you expect to find in your water. The first thing to keep in mind is the fact that the harmful metals that will contaminate your water might not be handled by  the most basic water filter. Some of the metals that you will find that a water filter can handle include mercury, arsenic and lead; all of these can find their way into your tap water, and you’ll find that they can be effectively blocked with the use of a multi stage drinking water filter.

The very young and old are especially susceptible to water contaminants

You’ll also find that there are plenty of bacteria that can be blocked with a counter top water filter as well. Salmonella and E. coli can be taken care of by a basic water filter, and they are just two of the more recognizable bacteria that you will encounter. If you want to go for more safety,  pick a water filter that has a proven multi stage filtration system. You’ll find that in doing so, you might be using a filter that functions a bit more slowly, but you’ll also realize that you are also making sure that the water you get out it is of a purer quality.

When you are considering the use of a water filter to rid your home of bacteria and diseases, keep in mind that there are many different kinds of water filters available for your use!

We recommend the Berkey water purification system for several reasons

It works without power or electricity – it is a total gravity fed system

It  has been proven to filter out 99.9% of all bacteria and contaminants and can even purify standing water

It is lightweight and portable – allowing you to take it with while traveling as well as making it invaluable for emergency situations

It  is affordable: Many systems cost 3-5 times as much as  Berkey countertop water system, and are not rated to protect your family form harmful pollutants.

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