The U.S. government is encouraging farmers to spread a chalky waste from coal-fired power plants on their fields to loosen and fertilize soil.
The material is produced by power plant “scrubbers” that remove acid-rain-causing sulfur dioxide from plant emissions. The substance is a synthetic form of the mineral gypsum, and it also contains mercury, arsenic, lead and other heavy metals.
The Environmental Protection Agency says those toxic metals occur in only tiny amounts. But some environmentalists say too little is known about how the material affects crops, and ultimately human health.
As you may know, coal-fired plants produce about 50 percent of the power in the US, and are a major source of environmental pollution. One of its byproducts is FGD gypsum (flue gas desulfurization gypsum). Not surprisingly, the standard solution is to develop a scheme to sweep the problem under the rug and make money doing it.
In this case, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun promoting what they call “wastes beneficial uses,” in order to deal with industrial byproducts.
This is history repeating itself ad nauseum.
The plot to use of FGD gypsum on agricultural soils is virtually identical to the story of how the toxic byproduct fluoride was deemed beneficial to human health, once it became too costly for the aluminum industry to clean it up.
If you’re not yet aware of how the “beneficial waste uses” of fluoride came about, you may want to take a look at it now, because these two stories are hauntingly familiar.
Ironically, while the EPA and USDA are recommending the use of this toxic byproduct on fields, the Obama administration is also in the process of drafting the first federal standards for storage and disposal of coal wastes. The White House and the EPA are currently at odds over how to handle the more than 125 million tons of coal ash and sludge waste generated each year, reports the Wall Street Journal.
According to the Associated Press, this action was prompted by a spill from a coal ash pond near Knoxville, TN, just over a year ago. Ash and water flooded 300 acres, damaging homes and killing fish. The cleanup will cost an estimated $1 billion.
It’s logically challenging to accept that while an accidental coal waste spill is environmentally devastating, the willful spreading coal waste on farm lands, year after year, would be environmentally sound.
Granted, the combined contents of the spill was likely far more toxic than FGD gypsum alone, but we’re still talking about adding toxins to our farm lands, and no matter how minute these toxins are, they will eventually accumulate.
Why would we want to do this to ourselves, and to our future generations?
Where Else Can You Find This Toxic Byproduct?
By the way, the use of FGD gypsum on farm fields is not brand new. According to the American Coal Ash Association, farmers’ use of the material has more than tripled in the past 6 years, from about 78,000 tons spread on fields in 2002, to nearly 279,000 tons in 2008.
However, the overall annual production of this byproduct is expected to double in the next several years, as more coal-fired plants come online and as more scrubbers are added to existing power plants to comply with the EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule and other requirements. This means, the problem of what to do with all that waste will grow significantly.
About half of the nearly 18 million tons of FGD gypsum produced in the US in 2008 was put to “beneficial use” in the manufacturing of drywall. However, did you know that this potentially heavy metal-laced byproduct is also used as a filler ingredient in some foods and in toothpaste?!
Yet another reason to avoid processed foods. Much of it is not even food-based!
There’s no question that the push for FGD gypsum in farming is orchestrated by the industry producing the waste – as a solution that is convenient and profit-producing for them. I doubt it has ANY real benefits to human health.
Consider this 2007 National Network for Use of FGD Gypsum in Agriculture workshop, led by the Electric Power Research Institute, whose sole objective is to “increase the use of FGD gypsum in agricultural applications.”
The electric power industry hard at work to improve the quality of your food?
I think not.
Because as reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Electric Power Research Institute has also stated that utilities could lose $5 billion to $10 billion of revenue each year if they were no longer allowed to sell coal combustion byproducts to industry. Furthermore, the organization says added storage costs could be a burden on power plants, especially those operating in deregulated markets, where they must compete against other forms of non-coal power generation.
What Can You Do?
There does not appear to be any kind of grassroots movement to stop this practice. Or if there is, I’ve not been able to find it. However, there is one thing I’d encourage you to do, and that is to bring your concerns about the agricultural use of FGD gypsum to the attention of organic growers everywhere.
Why?
Because it appears use of FGD gypsum may have trickled into organic farming as well, since it’s not considered a petroleum-based soil additive, which is forbidden in organic farming.
One of the significant benefits of buying locally-grown, organic food is that you can oftentimes meet the growers face to face. You can ask questions about their growing practices and discuss your personal concerns with them directly. And that is a dialogue I believe must be revived.
We’ve become so far removed from our food sources, most people have no idea what they’re putting in their mouths anymore. Approaching your local farmers and opening up a dialogue might be the most important thing any one of us could do.
You wouldn’t eat spoiled food from your fridge – why use products that have outstayed their welcome in your medicine cabinet? Be safe: give your medicine cabinet a semi-annual checkup.
How Important is the Expiry Date?
Check expiry dates on products before taking or applying them, particularly if they haven’t been used in a while. Since the dates are often in small print on the packaging, highlight the information or write the date in a large text on the product when you put it away.
But don’t products remain good for weeks, months or years after the expiry date? Not necessarily. The expiry date estimates when the potency of the unopened product will fall to 90 or 95 percent of its original strength, under average storage conditions. Some medications, such as antibiotics, can become toxic when expired.
Check Non-medical Products
Like medicines, a wide range of other products, such as vitamins, sunblock or toothpaste, have a built-in shelf life. Only stock up on items you can use before they expire. Even if they haven’t expired, dispose of natural health products showing signs of spoilage, such as change in color, odor, or texture. When in doubt, discard.
Remember to toss old makeup products too, especially eye makeup. Because eye makeup applicators touch your eyelashes, you risk transferring bacteria from your eyes to the makeup. Health Canada recommends changing your mascara every three months. Liquid foundations, powders, and lip products are generally formulated to last longer: from one to three years. No expiry date on the package? Use the purchase date as your guide.
Safe Disposal
Discard old medication or any bottle that has lost its label, even if you think you know what’s in it. Instead of tossing in the garbage or flushing it down the toilet, which can create environmental problems from chemicals leaching into the soil or water, contact your pharmacy or health store. Some have drug recycling programs and will take expired medications back at any time; others hold periodic collection drives.
Location Counts
If you’re like most people, your medicine cabinet is in your bathroom. Convenient? Yes. Suitable? Not always. Humidity from baths and showers can destabilize medication, causing it to lose potency faster. The kitchen, because of heat from cooking, can have the same effect.
Unless the medication requires refrigeration, consider storing it in your bedroom or on the toop shelf of your linen closet, away from children.
Basic Supplies
In addition to first-aid supplies, a well-stocked medicine cabinet should include a variety of natural products that keep you healthy and fight disease.
Check your health food store for vitamins and minerals that fit your needs. While you’re there, look for healthier versions of toothpaste, soap, deodorant, makeup and grooming products that feature botanicals and other natural ingredients that are safer for you and for the environment.
Conventional products, with their reliance on artificial perfumes and toxic chemicals, are more likely to cause allergic reactions and potential health problems.
An up-to-date, well-stocked medicine cabinet and first-aid kit mean healthy products are only an arm’s reach away – that’s nothing to sneeze at.
FIRST-AID KIT
A properly stocked first-aid kit allows you to deal quickly and effectively with everyday health problems and minor accidents, or to provide first aid for more serious ones. Keep a family-sized kit in the house and car. If you go hiking, camping or boating, carry a travel-sized kit with you.
Standard Items for a Basic Kit:
an assortment of bandages, sterile gauze, absorbent cotten
adhesive tape
blunt-nosed scissors
thermometer
safety pins
tweezers
eyedropper
eye-bath cup
a first-aid manual
Add in Basic Natural Remedies:
tea tree essential oil (insect bites)
arnica cream (bruises, muscle strain, and pain)
ginger capsules (indigestion and nausea)
lavender essential oil (burns and headaches)
witch hazel (antiseptic)
natural sunscreen
natural insect repellent
Remember to restock your first-aid kit after use and check it regularly for expiry dates.
You can’t believe what happens in the video. Is McDonald’s selling food or some science experiment? Check out this video that was made by Morgan Spurlock who also produced the film “Super Size Me”.
In rebounding you start by practising a set of controlled movements while bouncing up and down on a mini trampoline. The fitness benefits of rebounding are numerous. As a full-body cardio workout, exercising on a small trampoline rivals the effectiveness of running on a treadmill and is easier on the joints.
GOOD FOR MUSCLE TONE
Rebounding improves muscle tone by engaging every major muscle group in the body. Rebounders need to maintain balance and coordination while bouncing on a small trampoline. This engages more muscle groups, especially those int he calves, thighs, abdomen and arms, than regular treadmill running.
GOOD FOR THE JOINTS
Unlike treadmill runners, rebounders avoid stress injuries such a shin splints. Decreased stress on ligaments and joints means that rebounders enjoy longer workouts, exercise at higher intensities, and reap the benefits of physical activity.
As a zero-impact activity, rebounding is ideal for people of all levels of ability. People in rehabilitation programs and those of advanced age may also benefit from rebounding. Regaining physical strength and stamina through the gentle movements of rebounding is a great way to start exercising again.
GOOD FOR TRIMMING
Rebounding will help to tone your hips, waist, arms and legs. Intense rebounders will feel weightless as they get more air time and trim their waistlines.
GOOD FOR TRAVELING
A tiny tip about space: you don’t need much of it to be able to rebound at home; most small trampolines are only 40 inches in diameter and some can even be folded, packed up and taken wherever you go.
No time for a full-on cleanse? Ward off seasonal slumps and sickness by working these cleansing rituals into your routine.
Take Artichoke Leaf Extract
This supplement increases the formation and flow of bile and protects the liver cells from damage. Aim for between 320 and 640 milligrams.
Twist Each Day Sit near the edge of a chair, feet flat on the floor directly under your knees. Cup each shoulder with the corresponding hand, resting thumbs in the back and fingers in the front. Raise elbows to shoulder height, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth as you turn your torso, head and arms to the left, inhale to come back to center, and exhale as you turn to the right. Continue at an even pace for one to three minutes. Repeat three times daily.
Breathe for Two Minutes Every Morning
Just a couple of quiet minutes is all the time you need to cleanse your mind. Start this habit as soon as you wake up since you’re already relaxed. Sit comfortably, close your eyes or focus on an object (whatever quiets your mental noise best), and breathe deeply and evenly. If you start “thinking”, notice your thoughts, tell yourself you’ll get back to them and bring your attention to your inhales and exhales.
Fill Up on Detoxifying Foods
Sulfur-rich vegetables (like broccoli and onion) support the liver’s detox enzymes, fiber-rich foods (such as lentils and fruit) help eliminate toxins and lean protein (like wild salmon, organic chicken and tofu) is rich in amino acids, which prepare toxins for elimination. A dash of spices at every meal (such as curry and cinnamon) boosts metabolism – a surefire way to help your body rid itself of toxins rapidly.
Dry Brush Your Skin
Before you get into a warm shower every morning “brush” your body using a natural bristle brush in light circles and upward strokes on your feet, legs, belly and arms. This stimulates your skin and lymphatic system – two of the most important detoxifying organs in the body. For a video check out:
The Best Detox Teas
For a basic detox drink, drink one to three cups daily of organic decaffeinated green tea (the liver’s detox enzymes are stimulated by the EGCG). Try Celestial Seasonings Detox A.M. Wellness Tea, Yogi Tea Peach DeTox or Traditional Medicinals EveryDay Detox.
Many of us suffer from stress. It’s the root cause of numerous health challenges we experience. Finding ways to reduce stress is essential to improve our health and quality of life.
Symptoms of stress that we commonly experience include poor sleep, sugar and starch cravings, caffeine dependence, poor concentration, low energy and difficulty increasing our fitness level even when we exercise.
Fortunately, simple dietary and lifestyle changes that reduce the symptoms of stress can easily be incorporated into a long-term health plan. We can begin by modifying our diet.
Follow a Whole Food Diet
It’s important to eat five to ten fruits and vegetables a day. We derive a vast array of antioxidants and phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables that we can’t get from any other food source. These antioxidants help fight free radicals that can contribute to the formation of cancer and disease. Consume fruits and vegetables raw or juiced.
Choose Anti-inflammatory Foods
Studies show that diet plays a role in maintaining normal cellular activities that can reduce chronic inflammation associated with arthritis and cancer. Eating the right types of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates can reduce inflammation.
Fats
Plant sourced omega-3 essential fatty acids are found in walnuts, whole flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, hemp and chlorella. Other healthy choices include olive oil, grapeseed oil and walnut oil.
Proteins
Choose nuts, hemp, chlorella and legumes such as yellow peas and seeds. Eliminate red meat intake as it may trigger inflammation.
CarbohydratesM/em>
These should come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, cereals, hemp, flax, brown rice and maca. Choose 100 percent whole grain products. They’re a good source of fibre and will help reduce inflammation.
Create a More Alkaline Environment
When we consume acidic forming foods, toxins are produced in the body. Toxins lead to premature aging through cell degeneration. Highly refined and processed foods produce toxins that have a negative impact on the body’s pH balance.
Choose raw, unprocessed, whole foods that are rich in chlorophyll to create a more alkaline environment. Chlorella contains almost 70 percent protein yet is highly alkalizing so it is a great protein-rich pH booster. Leafy green vegetables, lentils, beans and seeds are excellent sources of alkalizing protein.
Get Active
Exercise promotes vitality and youthful energy. Incorporate some exercise into your busy day. Cycle to work, walk on your lunch break, take the stairs, contract your stomach muscles while sitting at your desk. A great way to relieve stress is to incorporate some form of physical activity in your day.
Simple diet and lifestyle changes can reduce stress and improve your overall health picture.
We are all feeling the health fallout of the economic downturn in many ways, from being unable to sleep at night to losing health coverage. Worry is the word of the day. To stop recession tension from turning into chronic anxiety or depression, keep up a self-care routine that includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, plenty of sleep and these simple stress busters.
Live in the Now While you can’t control the economy, you do have power over your response to recession-related turmoil. Rather than imagining future catastrophes and dwelling on scary “what if” scenarios, practice being in the present. Whenever you get worked up, take two minutes to focus on breathing deeply and visualizing a place or person that brings you calm. Any relaxation technique you practice regularly, whether it’s meditation or guided imagery, can help you through frenzied moments. When you’re dealing with major stressors every day it’s more important than ever to have an active plan for coping.
Troubleshoot
Too overwhelmed to tackle your financial troubles? Start small. If you feel incredibly anxious, it can be easy to zone out in front of the TV and get stuck in a pattern of not moving forward. Instead, make a list of the key problems at hand, then brainstorm a handful of solutions you can pursue immediately. Be pragmatic and focus on the things you can do right now. It’s a stress reliever.
Build a Support System
Spending time with your most supportive friends and family members is essential in tough times. Stick close to those who nurture you emotionally and avoid the negative people who reinforce your fear. Since constantly tuning in to the latest economic news can aggravate anxiety, limit your time listening to the news and engage in an occasional media fast.
Explore Stress’s Sunny Side
although chronic stress wreaks havoc on your health, stress can also act as a great motivator, helping you find creative solutions for problems. What’s more, economic chaos can catalyze long-overdue change. Try to uncover unexpected rewards, particularly if you’ve lost your job. You might feel like your constant search for work leaves no time for fun, but enjoying yourself is valuable for lifting your spirits and generating ideas.
For more information check out http://www.wholeliving.com/article/recession-relief
Be Proactive: To keep allergies under control, supplement with 600 mg of quercetin twice daily between meals, suggests Randy Horwitz, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. An antioxidant, quercetin helps stop cells from releasing histamine, a chemical that sets off symptoms in response to allergic triggers. It can take four to six weeks for quercetin to work, so ideally you should start supplementing about six weeks before allergy season. That said, it can still help if taken later. Also try nettle leaf; take 500 mg two to three times daily.
Use a Rinse: Cleansing your nasal passages regularly helps keep them clear and washes away potentially irritating allergens, which can thwart allergic reactions. If also can help relieve allergy symptoms. Use a neti pot, a traditional Indian vessel with a spout that pours directly into your nose; rinse morning and night with 1/4 teaspoon of salt mixed with 1 cup of warm water.
Rethink Your Diet: Nasal symptoms from seasonal allergies are mainly due to an inflammation of your nasal membranes. Following an anti-inflammatory diet of foods rich in antioxidants (brightly colored fruits and vegetables) and omega-3s (fish such as salmon and herring, ground flaxseeds, walnuts) can go a long way to stamping out symptoms. Indeed, several studies show that kids with diets high in certain fruits, vegetables, and fish are less likely to experience allergy symptoms such as wheezing. Cut back on milk and milk products, whcih contain proteins that may increase mucus production – the last thing a runny nose needs.
Try Hypnosis: Several studies suggest that using hypnosis – a trancelike technique that leaves you more open to suggestion – can deliver allergy relief. A report from Switzerland’s University Hospital Basel, for instance, found that allergy sufferers who were taught self-hypnosis saw significant improvements in symptoms and well-being over the course of a year. You can encourage your immune system to “unlearn” its usual response to allergens and keep symptoms at bay.
Super Size Me is a MUST SEE! It’s a very entertaining color documentary on the dangers of a 30-day “McDonald’s only” diet. In the movie Morgan Spurlock discusses the reduction in his sex drive as well as his rapid deterioration of his health as he enjoys his 100% junk food diet. We also learn the results of his routine physicals as we follow him on this diet: liver damage, cholesterol skyrocketing, fatigue, depression and mental confusion — the usual results of the Standard American Diet.
You’ll see a medical doctor’s amazement that a person’s liver functions could be reduced that quickly. The doctor tries to get our dieter to quit before the 30 days are up, but our dieter is committed to investigate the effects for the full 30 days. When the doctor can’t convince him to get off the diet, the doctor gives our dieter the number for an emergency room in case of heart attack or stroke!
You’ll also see the natural decomposition of real french fries as compared to the unnatural preservation of McDonald’s fries and visit two schools’ lunchrooms. In the traditional one, there are soda machines and no system of ensuring the kids eat real food (as opposed to junk food). In the other lunchroom, all the kids with behavior problems are served real food made fresh daily in their cafeteria. Guess what? All the kids’ behavior problems disappear!
This is definitely a MUST SEE, especially for parents and those whose diet is normally fast food.
Fatigue results in a lack of energy and strength when an individual is unable to function at their normal physical or mental abilities. Fatigue is quite normal if you overexert yourself, have a lot of stress, or do not get sufficient sleep. It can also occur when we battle infections, cardiovascular issues, or nerve problems.
Despite what some may say, there is no quick and easy answer to boosting energy levels. Consuming caffeinated drinks, special diets, or stimulants will only provide short-term energy boosts.
If you have a no serious medical complications that may be causing your decreased energy, begin by eating proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Eat eight to twelve servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Don’t skip your meals. Eat four to six smaller meals instead of the traditional three big meals each day. This can help maintain constant blood sugar levels and help regulate energy levels.
Exercise is also important to boost energy levels. Get moving for at least 30 minutes every day. One of the best ways to improve energy is exercise which includes breathing exercises, tai chi and yoga.
Natural supplements to consider include:
Iron
This helps to prevent iron deficiency and is a factor in the maintenance of good health as it helps to form red blood cells and ensures their proper function.
Green Tea
May improve endurance capacity and has the ability to act as a mental energizer.
Guarana
Increases alertness and mood.
Siberian Ginseng
Reduces severity of fatigue and may help relieve general weakness.
Vitamin B12
Helps in the production of new red blood cells.
Folic Acid
Helps produce red blood cells.
Naturally increasing your energy levels requires commitment to eating right, exercising and taking the correct supplements. Be sure to check with your health care practitioner and make certain your fatigue is not caused by an underlying medical concern.
When thinking about ginseng, the first health benefit that comes to mind is its ability to increase energy or fight fatigue. Ginseng does not effectively enhance physical performance in athletes, yet it may be useful for couch potatoes who need an extra boost of energy to get motivated.
Ginseng is a tonic for invigoration and fortification in times of fatigue and debility, for declining capacity for work and concentration, also during convalescence.
In other words, if you are already at peak performance, ginseng will not make you any better. On the other hand, if your energy is at much less than optimum efficiency, ginseng may give you the boost you need to get up from the couch.
Works as an Aphrodisiac
Another traditional conception of ginseng is that it is an aphrodisiac, improving or increasing libido. Whether a substance is an aphrodisiac is a difficult question to study because desire, libido and so-called performance are intricately linked with so many factors in life. It may be very difficult to separate actual effects from placebo effects. Up to now only Korean ginseng has demonstrated a clinical effect on erection.
Reduces Blood Sugar
Diabetes is a new reason for using ginseng. Doctors at the University of Toronto made this discovery. They first studied American ginseng and found it useful to reduce postprandial glycemia (high blood sugar after meals).
They then studied the components of the ginseng root and identified ginsenosides as the molecules responsible for reducing blood sugar. Finally, they studied Korean ginseng and also found it effective but with a slightly different action.
Improves Immunity
Although clinical studies supporting the effect of ginseng on immunity are few, a new purified polysaccharide ginseng extract seems to be effective. Its effect is documented in numerous clinical studies that reveal its ability to reduce the number and intensity of colds and flu.
Ginseng May Not be for Everyone
A word of caution is in order. In the Chinese perception, ginseng is a hot herb and as such, they may amplify “hot temper” in people already prone to it. We all know someone who fits this description – the type A personality – and, more often than not, that person also has high blood pressure. Asian ginseng may not be a good choice for these people.
Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator and feel better is something we often hear or read in the Sunday papers. Few people actually follow that advice. Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do?
The Fluoride Deception by award-winning investigative reporter Christopher Bryson.
The history of fluoride is filled with secret studies, falsified and rigged “science.” This book uncovers the reasons for this governmental deception and documents it with more than 130 pages of notes and references!
Fluoride has been linked with increased risks of hip fractures, permanent brown stains on teeth, infertility, lowered IQ, arthritis, and now cancer. It has long been used by pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce thyroid activity, which sometimes manifests in obesity and fatigue.
In August 2005, eleven employee unions at the Environmental Protection Agency (including the union that represents the EPA scientists) petitioned the director of the EPA to declare a moratorium on drinking water fluoridation. They also petitioned Congress to hold hearings on fluoride to have it declared a cancer causing substance!
For reasons best explained in Bryson’s book, the government would rather ignore these calls for action. (Fluoride is essential to the production of nuclear weapons and the acknowledgment of its dangers would open the government and prime defense contractors to huge lawsuits)
Here’s what you can do to help:
Go to http://www.powalliance.org/campaigns.htm.
Sign the petition.
Click the link to send emails to your congressmen and senators supporting the EPA unions’ petitions.
Send the petition on to others.
A Study in Nutrition reports on an experiment that included 900 cats over four generations. The cats were divided into five groups. All the groups were supplied the same basic minimal diet, but the major portion of the diets were varied. Two of the groups were fed raw foods (raw milk and meat – real foods for cats). The other three groups were given processed foods: pasteurized, evaporated and condensed milk.
All four generations of the raw meat and raw milk groups remained healthy throughout their normal life spans.
The first generation of all three processed food groups developed diseases and illnesses near the end of their lives. The second generation of all three processed food groups developed diseases and illnesses in the middle of their lives. The third generation of all three processed food groups developed diseases and illnesses in the beginning of their lives and many died before six months of age. There was no fourth generation in any of the three processed food groups. Either the third generation parents were sterile or the fourth generation cats died before birth! Remember, all four generations of the raw food groups were healthy throughout their normal life spans.
Does this give you an understanding of why so many children are now developing cancer? Why there were no fertility clinics 30 years ago?
There is no similar experiment in medical literature. The findings were supervised by Dr. Pottenger along with Dr. Alvin Foord, professor of pathology at the University of Southern California and pathologist at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. These studies met the most rigorous scientific standards of their day.
Are you spending your hard earned money on sports drinks and then wondering if you are getting good value? Sports drinks contain vital nutrients like electrolytes and carbohydrates that are lost in exercise. You can now make your own sports drink in your kitchen and know that it doesn’t contain dyes and high fructose corn syrup. Here are a couple of recipes you might enjoy.
This is an easy to make alternative to some of the name brand sports drinks. If you are exercising for more than 30 minutes you may benefit from a fluid-replacement sports drink.
1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt (Optional: use for heavy or long workouts)
water
Mix the ingredients with enough water to equal 1 gallon. Store in the fridge. If this solution is too sweet, add extra water to the solution. The salt in this drink will give the electrolytes you need for a long work out.
An even easier recipe: 1 cup of orange juice, 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt.
General Tips: Drink 1 to 2 cups of fluid 30 minutes before you exercise and 1/2 to 1 cup of fluid every 15 minutes of exercise.
Money Saving Tip: For mild workouts or short workouts water will provide sufficient hydration and save you money. However, a good tasting beverage may encourage you to drink more liquids when exercising.
Sports drink recipe from “Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook”
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 1/2 cups cold water
In a quart pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water. Add the remaining ingredients and the cold water. The drink contains about 50 calories and 110 mg of sodium per 8 ounces, approximately the same as for most sports drinks.
I think many times we get so busy with our lives and our work, that we forgot the important people in our lives. This video is a reminder about those important people and the quality time we should be spending with them: 25 Dollar Movie
If you like the video I would encourage you to forward it around to your family and friends. If you enjoyed it, go check out more inspirational videos like it at:
For those of you in the United States I with you a safe Thanksgiving weekend with your family and friends. I hope you will give thanks to what is really important in life and remember the ones you love.
The Flu Shot may be free but food products like pop tarts and potato chips have to list their ingredients while vaccines do not. Just in case you can’t find the ingredients on the box here is a list of what you might find in your flu shot. Ethylene glycol (antifreeze), Phenol (carbolic acid), used as a disinfectant, Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent, Aluminum, used as an additive to promote antibody response, Thimerosal, a mercury disinfectant/preservative, Neomycin and Streptomycin used as antibiotics.
Vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines).
This video is great at taking a humorous look at what’s in the vaccine.
Yoga is considered the oldest physical discipline in the world. Although the exact origins are not known, it is thought to have been around for over five thousand years. It is also believed that the original purpose of the breathing exercises and postures was to help bring stability and relaxation to those practitioners to prepare for meditation as they would be sitting for long periods of time.
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means to merge, join or unite. This form of exercise connects the body and the breath through exercise. While holding the body in a pose (asanas) and controlling the breath, harmony is restored to the body, mind and emotions. Yoga can bring balance to every area of your life.
There are many different types of Yoga, but Hatha Yoga is the most popular in the western world. Hatha comes from the word Ha which means sun and Tha which means moon. Yoga is the union between the body and mind which leads to strength, vitality and peach of mind.
Hatha yoga aims at the balance between different energy flows with the body while controlling movement and conscious breathing. The movements tend to be slow and controlled which results in an invigorating workout.
Yoga also helps to ease tense muscles as well as toning the internal organs and improving flexibility in the body. The aim is to improve strength and suppleness as each posture is performed slowly. Hatha yoga is good in helping to release endorphins in the brain and when done along with breathing techniques can help to stimulate circulation and digestion.
The great thing about yoga is that it can be practiced by everyone, regardless of age or physical condition. Yoga is a practice which means you are always working on improving your poses and breathing techniques. The more yoga is practised the more strength and flexibility one will find in the body. It is also a great stress reliever and is a great exercise for graceful ageing.
If you have any concerns please check with your doctor before staring your yoga practise especially if you suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis or any back or neck injury or have had recent surgery.
Enzymes are complex protein molecules found in every cell of our bodies that facilitate specific tasks like producing energy, rebuilding cells, breaking down fats and nutrients, or exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide. Digestive enzymes produced by the body and also found in raw fruits and vegetables like pineapples, papaya and sprouts are responsible for helping to break down food, says Eric Braverman, M.D., found of PATH Medical in New York City and author of Younger You. From the moment you smell a delicious meal, your body jumps into action, secreting enzymes (amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates and starch) into your saliva. As food moves through your body, different enzymes (protease, which helps digest proteins, lipase, which break down fat, and amylase) continue the work of digesting and preparing the food to become nutrition for your body. Maltase and sucrase, which break down food sugars; cellulose, which breaks down cellulose and lactase, which helps digest dairy products, also lend a hand.
By breaking down the food we eat into small enough bits, the enzymes allow nutrients to pass through the intestines and into the blood, where other enzymes take the nutrients and use them to build muscle, bones and blood as well as take care of other essential body functions, like respiration.
But certain conditions, like lactose intolerance, have been linked to a deficiency in specific enzymes. And experts believe that our modern diet, heavy on cooked and processed foods and stimulants like caffeine and sugar, make it difficult for our digestive enzymes to do the job they’re made for.
Most of us eat cooked and processed foods at least some of the time, and processing and cooking may inactive or destroy the enzymes in our food, meaning our bodies have to create more enzymes and work harder to digest it. Adding more enzymes to our diets via the food we eat is always the best place to start. All fresh, raw fruits and vegetables contain enzymes, but papaya, pineapple and sprouts are especially potent. Adding these to your diet may help you give your digestive system a boost.
For almost 60 years there’s been a kind of weird system for transforming the way you look and feel in just 10 days.
I say it’s “weird” because the results people get when they do this for just 10 days are astounding, but the whole process is really simple to do. And everything you need can be picked up at the grocery store for a couple dollars.
Normally I would say the whole thing sounds too good to be true, but this system has been around for close to 60 years, and today it’s more popular then ever!
It’s even being used by Hollywood stars who have to look good all the time because the cameras always on them. The last thing they want is an unflattering photo of them looking sickly and out of shape on the front page of the tabloids.
Using this 10 day system keeps them looking great, and it can do the same for you.
If you’re even a little bit curious about this 10 day system you should go to Master Cleanse Secrets. That website will tell you all about the 10 day system.
PS. You might be wondering what exactly this system does. Going to the website will tell you all about it, and list all the things this system can do for you. I think you’ll be surprised at the results you can get in 10 days. Here’s that website again Master Cleanse Secrets
I couldn’t resist adding this commercial to the blog. It may not be about wellness, but it certainly made me smile while I was watching the commercial. The TV advertisement is for the ISUZU Gemini and was done about 20 years ago. This ad did not use computer graphics, those cars were really ‘flying’ in the air!
Researchers in Australia have discovered a cure in a honey sold in most health food stores. Research has shown that Manuka honey kills bacteria including antibiotic-resistant superbugs that are found in most hospitals and have killed many people.
Many bacteria have become resistant to antibacterial drugs but researchers found that when they tested Manuka honey on different bacteria, the bacteria was killed. When they applied the honey externally it healed cuts, buts and infections. What’s different about this honey is that it comes from bees who feed on tea tress native to Australia and New Zealand.
Honey has been used for thousands of years for dressing wounds and cuts long before the invention of antibiotics. One of the problems in using antibiotics is the bacteria quickly becomes resistant to the antibiotic. Therefore, finding an alternative that could save many lives is very important. The researchers found that the bacteria they used to test the honey, including the flesh-eating bacteria did not built up any immunity. For more information on Manuka honey and a variety of products made from this astounding honey click here: Manu Nutraceuticals Ltd
In the 1918 flu epidemic almost twenty million people died. Doctors using drugs to battle the epidemic saw around 33% of their patients die from the flu, whereas natural hospitals such as one run by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg were having a 100% recovery rate.
Dr. Kellogg shared his influenza protocols in an article in 1918. The following information is taken from that article.
First, the patients were doing water enemas twice a day to clean their bowels. They’d use two or three pints of warm water and would cleanse their colon thoroughly, until all of the filth was removed. The enemas started at the beginning of the disease and continued until complete recovery.
Second, the patients were drinking three or four quarts of water or fruit juice each day to promote elimination through the kidneys and skin. A glass was taken each half hour, when awake. Fiber, such as bran, was mixed into foods including oatmeal and rice to promote bowel movements and the elimination of the problem.
Short hot baths and hot blanket packs were used to ease fevers and help with pain in the back and legs. A hot blanket pack entailed wrapping a person in a “hot as they could stand,” wrung-out wet blanket for twelve to fifteen minutes. A wool blanket covered the outside of the wet blanket, and heads and faces were kept cool. If the pulse was rapid, an ice pack was held over the heart. For very high fevers, the hot blanket packs were used only for four or five minutes.
Cold compresses were used for headaches. For high fevers, a cold compress was used immediately after a short hot blanket pack to bring down the fever.
In 1918 there wasn’t the sugary, chemical laden or processed foods that are available today. It is be a good idea to avoid these types of foods but more important during a time of sickness to allow the body to heal. Patients were also kept in bed for several days after the fever was gone.
To keep the memory sharp, it is important to maintain vision. Relaxation is the key to maintain vision for many years. Vision and mental focus go hand in hand and both don’t do well with strain and stress. Relaxation and inner peace is important in remembering things. All these things rely on each other to work properly.
A great way to test the condition of the eyes is a mental memory exercise. In this exercise, the goal is to maintain a visual image for as long as possible. To start, cover one eye and glance quickly at a letter on the page with the other eye. Close your eyes and hold the image of the letter in your mind as long as possible. Count how many seconds the image stays in your mind before fading away to darkness. Take note of this number. Do the same thing for the other eye and compare the results.
Now relax the eyes and try again. One way to relax the eyes is to close them and concentrate only on pleasant thoughts and good memories. Allow your eyes to focus on the darkness and forget everything around you. Open your eyes and try the exercise again. Hopefully the results are different and the image stayed longer the second time around. If not, you may need to find some eye relaxing exercises and work on removing the strain.
Vision affects memory. We need the vision to see the image. The more clearly we see the image the more detail we can call on later. Focusing on the positive events will help keep the mind relaxed and the eyes free of strain.
The following exercise will help you relax and improve your memory. Try it tonight. While lying in bed tonight focus on all the positive things that happened throughout the day. Picture the events in as much detail and color as possible. Try picturing your lunch or the clothes the person who complimented you was wearing. Focusing on the positive will clear your mind, relax the body, and give you a better night’s sleep.
Removing the strain from the eyes will not only improve your vision it will also improve your memory.
When you buy supplements do you consider organic? If you have thought you should be buying organic supplements there are a few things to consider. If you have a medical condition or are not getting enough nutritional support then you might want to consider the quality of your supplements. In different times in your life you may need different supplements. Pregnant women need to take folic acid and if you are elderly you may need to take more B12.
What does organic on the label really mean? There is more than one definition so you need to decide what it means to you. It is unlikely that a supplement will be a 100% organic. Some of the ingredients may be, but chances are not all of them will be. In both Canada and the United States, the label needs to state that the ingredients are at least 95% organic to be considered organic.
Is taking an organic supplement better than one that isn’t organic? The good news is that a supplement that is deemed organic can not be genetically engineered or contain any synthetic pesticides, growth regulators or additives.
Remember that if you choose synthetic, natural or organic supplements they are meant to be an addition to a healthy diet along with a chance at better health and wellness.
Disclaimer:The information on this site and in any consulting process is for educational purposes only and is not meant to treat any particular medical condition or disease. If you have a specific health concern, please see your doctor.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=9a7aa1cb-3bdd-4ffd-bc01-fc5e8be08fe0)
