Friday, September 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Natural Remedies Help Recurring Sinus Infections
(NaturalNews) When the basic function of life - the ability to take breathe properly - is compromised, it can make you feel quite desperate. Recurrent sinus infections or allergic rhinitis are very common. It is estimated that at least 37 million Americans are affected by this every year. Sometimes allergic sinusitis can last 3 months or more and keep on coming back. For centuries, people have effectively used herbs and natural remedies to help heal sinus infections. Along with keeping well rested, here are a few helpful therapies that will boost the immune system and make symptoms of sinusitis more bearable:
Your health care practitioner should be consulted if your sinus infection is showing no sign of improvement.
- Vitamin C is an excellent immune booster. Take up to 3000 mg of a non-acidic form of vitamin C in divided doses each day.
- Trapped or stagnant mucus provides a breeding ground for bacteria so keep it fluid by drinking plenty of liquids, preferably purified water .
- Some people swear by apple cider vinegar. Mix two teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar in a glass of water with a spoon of honey to improve the taste. This can be taken 3 times a day.
- Avoiding environmental allergens may be difficult, but try to keep away from substances you know will trigger an allergic response such as house dust, animals, foods, pollens etc. Stay away from tobacco smoke and chemical irritants as these will cause further swelling of the mucus membranes.
- Do a nasal wash if you can bear it. Although not pleasant, it's an excellent antiseptic. Mix a cup of warm water, half a teaspoonful of sea salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Draw the fluid up through your nostrils and spit it out through your mouth.
- Aromatherapy oils such as eucalyptus, tea tree and rosemary help to clear congestion and ease inflamed nasal passages. To use as an inhalant, drape a towel over your head and lean over a pot of steaming water with a few drops of the oil in. You can also buy vapour rubs made with combinations of oils that will help open up airways and assist breathing especially at night.
- Use a warm compress to help open the nasal passages.
- Craniosacral therapy focuses on the cranial bones and has decompression techniques that assist draining of the sinuses.
- Garlic is well known for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. You can take it in a form of a supplement or if you don't mind the smell just eat it raw.
- Try immune boosting herbal combinations of Echinacea, Golden seal and Cat's claw. These are well known for their anti-viral properties.
- Consult your homeopath for remedies for sinusitis such as Kali bich, Hepar sulph, Pulsatilla, Merc sol, Nat mur, Silica and Sulphur, among many others. These promote drainage, fight infection and alleviate allergies. Homeopathic treatment should address the body as a whole, bringing the immune system back into balance. Homeopathic treatments can be used safely during pregnancy, for snuffles in newborn babies and for snotty-nosed children.
Your health care practitioner should be consulted if your sinus infection is showing no sign of improvement.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
20 Things You Need to Know About Ginger
Ginger has been used as a medicine for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments from diarrhea to arthritis. Besides it medicinal use, this tuber has been used as culinary cooking spice for nearly 4500 years. Ginger products, like candy, are made from fresh or dried ginger root and the herb is available in many different forms. Fresh ginger root can also be prepared as a tea. Read on to learn more about this powerful herb that can be found in any grocery store across the country.
1. Highly valued as a spice, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used medicinally for thousands of years by Chinese physicians. Ginger acts as an antioxidant and has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and pain-killing properties. It also improves liver function and lowers cholesterol as well as having beneficial effects on the heart. Ginger has anti-ulcer activity and improves the function of the muscles in the gut while helping to relieve spasm. Ginger is also valued for its warming properties.
- Nicola Reavley, The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs
2. Ginger helps the body to sweat, so toxins are drawn to the skin's surface. To prepare the ginger bath, place half-inch slices of fresh ginger in boiling water over a stove; turn off the heat, and steep for thirty minutes. Remove the ginger, and add that water into a tub already filled with hot water.
- Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps
3. Try some ginger ale — ginger is a known stomach soother. It's best to drink flat ginger ale at room temperature (cold beverages will irritate an upset stomach). Take tiny sips, especially if you have already vomited. If you can keep that down, sip a bit more. If you're out of ginger ale, you can try making a cup of ginger tea (with grated gingerroot). Some people even find relief by nibbling on a gingersnap.
- Carol Turkington, The Hypericum Handbook: Nature's Antidepressant
4. Ginger juice produces better recovery from symptoms of nausea than ondansetron, a commonly prescribed drug during chemotherapy.
- Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism
5. Ginger has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors in the colon in animal studies.
- Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism
6. Ginger root extract (gingerols) inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori in the digestive tract, which is a bacterium linked to stomach cancer.
- Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism
7. Ginger stimulates blood circulation. These effects make it useful in treating a number of disorders marked by swelling and pain, such as arthritis. A three-year study of fifty-six people with rheumatoid arthritis found that about 75 percent of the subjects achieved relief from pain and swelling by taking powdered ginger.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
8. If you take ginger for medicinal purposes, the powder form is the best because of its high concentration of nutrients. Take 4 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of powder divided in two to four doses over the course of the day. Ginger tea is a good herbal tonic for influenza because of its soothing qualities and its antiviral abilities. To make fresh ginger tea, cut a one-inch slice of fresh ginger-root into small slivers. Place the ginger in a pot and simmer at a near boil for about 15 minutes, then strain into a cup. Add a little honey to taste.
- Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki, The Okinawa Program: How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health
9. For centuries, ginger has been prescribed by Ayurvedic and Indian healers to treat the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. Ginger contains natural anti-inflammatory agents called gingeroles. Fresh ginger, however, also contains compounds called shogaoles, which can cause stomach irritation in some people.
- Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, ... and Much More!
10. Ginger tea aids digestion and soothes heartburn, and powdered ginger capsules, tea, or candy control motion sickness and nausea without causing drowsiness. Fresh ginger root relieves the sting of minor burns and can prevent and fight heartburn by absorbing stomach acid. A ginger compress can soothe carpel tunnel syndrome.
- Barrie R Cassileth, Ph.D., The Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference Guide to Alternative and Complementary Therapies
11. Ginger supplementation helped to modulate immune activity in a beneficial direction, suggesting usefulness in control of chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Another study of ginger found that the herb could help control the risk factors involved in "syndrome X," which combine to greatly increase risk of type 2 diabetes — a condition that creates severe inflammation throughout the body because of the pro-inflammatory effects of high blood sugar and high insulin levels.
- Freedom Press, Natural Cancer Cures: The Definitive Guide to Using Dietary Supplements to Fight and Prevent Cancer
12. A double-blind study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared the effects of ginger and Dramamine, a common over-the-counter motion sickness drug, and found that ginger was actually more effective. In addition, ginger had none of the side effects — such as drowsiness — of the commercial drug. Ginger is an even more effective anticoagulant than garlic or onions; gin-gerol, one of its compounds, has a structure very much like that of aspirin, which also thins the blood. Ginger is a folk remedy for menstrual cramps.
- Gary Null, Get Healthy Now with Gary Null: A Complete Guide to Prevention, Treatment and Healthy Living
13. Ginger is an inexpensive, effective, and nearly universally available remedy for inflammation and pain. It is used to treat cramping that accompanies constipation and to relieve peptic ulcers. In China, ginger has been put to the novel use of helping to turn breech babies by giving the mother ginger teas before delivery.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
14. To test the ability of ginger to reduce inflammation, a preliminary clinical study was conducted on seven patients with rheumatoid arthritis in whom conventional drugs had provided only temporary or partial relief. One patient took 50 grams per day of lightly cooked ginger, while the remaining six took either 5 grams of fresh ginger or 0.1 to 1 gram of powdered ginger daily. All patients reported substantial improvement, including pain relief, increased joint mobility, and decreased swelling and morning stiffness.
- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
15. Ginger has a long tradition of being very useful in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, including the nausea and vomiting typical of pregnancy. Although the mechanism of action has yet to be elucidated, current thought is that this is due more to ginger’s effects on the gastrointestinal tract than to any effects on the brain. Ginger’s anti-vomiting action has been studied in the most severe form of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, known as hyperemesis gravidum.
- Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition
16. Ginger also can settle stomach upset caused by food allergies. Ginger inhibits the production of immune-system components called cytokines, chemicals that create a long-term tendency toward inflammation.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
17. In Japan, ginger's anti-parasitic effect is put to use in the preparation of sushi, which is traditionally eaten with pickled ginger. In the laboratory, ginger extracts have been shown to kill the anisakid worm, a parasite sometimes carried in raw fish, within sixteen hours, about the length of time the parasite would have to establish itself in the digestive tract after consumption of contaminated fish.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
18. Fresh ginger is used to help break down high-protein foods such as meats and beans and lessen the effect of uric acids in the body from eating these foods. Dried ginger feeds the properties of foods and herbs to the lower extremities — the colon, kidneys, ovaries, sexual organs, and legs; it also treats motion sickness, and is most convenient in the form of capsules or a tincture for this purpose. Ginger should not be used when signs of heat are present.
- Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
19. Garlic and cayenne are good remedies for exterior conditions such as the common cold.
- Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
20. Ginger tea is useful as a supplement in treating schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease increasingly prevalent among tourists returning to the United States
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
1. Highly valued as a spice, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used medicinally for thousands of years by Chinese physicians. Ginger acts as an antioxidant and has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and pain-killing properties. It also improves liver function and lowers cholesterol as well as having beneficial effects on the heart. Ginger has anti-ulcer activity and improves the function of the muscles in the gut while helping to relieve spasm. Ginger is also valued for its warming properties.
- Nicola Reavley, The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs
2. Ginger helps the body to sweat, so toxins are drawn to the skin's surface. To prepare the ginger bath, place half-inch slices of fresh ginger in boiling water over a stove; turn off the heat, and steep for thirty minutes. Remove the ginger, and add that water into a tub already filled with hot water.
- Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps
3. Try some ginger ale — ginger is a known stomach soother. It's best to drink flat ginger ale at room temperature (cold beverages will irritate an upset stomach). Take tiny sips, especially if you have already vomited. If you can keep that down, sip a bit more. If you're out of ginger ale, you can try making a cup of ginger tea (with grated gingerroot). Some people even find relief by nibbling on a gingersnap.
- Carol Turkington, The Hypericum Handbook: Nature's Antidepressant
4. Ginger juice produces better recovery from symptoms of nausea than ondansetron, a commonly prescribed drug during chemotherapy.
- Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism
5. Ginger has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors in the colon in animal studies.
- Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism
6. Ginger root extract (gingerols) inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori in the digestive tract, which is a bacterium linked to stomach cancer.
- Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism
7. Ginger stimulates blood circulation. These effects make it useful in treating a number of disorders marked by swelling and pain, such as arthritis. A three-year study of fifty-six people with rheumatoid arthritis found that about 75 percent of the subjects achieved relief from pain and swelling by taking powdered ginger.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
8. If you take ginger for medicinal purposes, the powder form is the best because of its high concentration of nutrients. Take 4 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of powder divided in two to four doses over the course of the day. Ginger tea is a good herbal tonic for influenza because of its soothing qualities and its antiviral abilities. To make fresh ginger tea, cut a one-inch slice of fresh ginger-root into small slivers. Place the ginger in a pot and simmer at a near boil for about 15 minutes, then strain into a cup. Add a little honey to taste.
- Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki, The Okinawa Program: How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health
9. For centuries, ginger has been prescribed by Ayurvedic and Indian healers to treat the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. Ginger contains natural anti-inflammatory agents called gingeroles. Fresh ginger, however, also contains compounds called shogaoles, which can cause stomach irritation in some people.
- Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, ... and Much More!
10. Ginger tea aids digestion and soothes heartburn, and powdered ginger capsules, tea, or candy control motion sickness and nausea without causing drowsiness. Fresh ginger root relieves the sting of minor burns and can prevent and fight heartburn by absorbing stomach acid. A ginger compress can soothe carpel tunnel syndrome.
- Barrie R Cassileth, Ph.D., The Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference Guide to Alternative and Complementary Therapies
11. Ginger supplementation helped to modulate immune activity in a beneficial direction, suggesting usefulness in control of chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Another study of ginger found that the herb could help control the risk factors involved in "syndrome X," which combine to greatly increase risk of type 2 diabetes — a condition that creates severe inflammation throughout the body because of the pro-inflammatory effects of high blood sugar and high insulin levels.
- Freedom Press, Natural Cancer Cures: The Definitive Guide to Using Dietary Supplements to Fight and Prevent Cancer
12. A double-blind study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared the effects of ginger and Dramamine, a common over-the-counter motion sickness drug, and found that ginger was actually more effective. In addition, ginger had none of the side effects — such as drowsiness — of the commercial drug. Ginger is an even more effective anticoagulant than garlic or onions; gin-gerol, one of its compounds, has a structure very much like that of aspirin, which also thins the blood. Ginger is a folk remedy for menstrual cramps.
- Gary Null, Get Healthy Now with Gary Null: A Complete Guide to Prevention, Treatment and Healthy Living
13. Ginger is an inexpensive, effective, and nearly universally available remedy for inflammation and pain. It is used to treat cramping that accompanies constipation and to relieve peptic ulcers. In China, ginger has been put to the novel use of helping to turn breech babies by giving the mother ginger teas before delivery.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
14. To test the ability of ginger to reduce inflammation, a preliminary clinical study was conducted on seven patients with rheumatoid arthritis in whom conventional drugs had provided only temporary or partial relief. One patient took 50 grams per day of lightly cooked ginger, while the remaining six took either 5 grams of fresh ginger or 0.1 to 1 gram of powdered ginger daily. All patients reported substantial improvement, including pain relief, increased joint mobility, and decreased swelling and morning stiffness.
- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
15. Ginger has a long tradition of being very useful in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, including the nausea and vomiting typical of pregnancy. Although the mechanism of action has yet to be elucidated, current thought is that this is due more to ginger’s effects on the gastrointestinal tract than to any effects on the brain. Ginger’s anti-vomiting action has been studied in the most severe form of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, known as hyperemesis gravidum.
- Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition
16. Ginger also can settle stomach upset caused by food allergies. Ginger inhibits the production of immune-system components called cytokines, chemicals that create a long-term tendency toward inflammation.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
17. In Japan, ginger's anti-parasitic effect is put to use in the preparation of sushi, which is traditionally eaten with pickled ginger. In the laboratory, ginger extracts have been shown to kill the anisakid worm, a parasite sometimes carried in raw fish, within sixteen hours, about the length of time the parasite would have to establish itself in the digestive tract after consumption of contaminated fish.
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
18. Fresh ginger is used to help break down high-protein foods such as meats and beans and lessen the effect of uric acids in the body from eating these foods. Dried ginger feeds the properties of foods and herbs to the lower extremities — the colon, kidneys, ovaries, sexual organs, and legs; it also treats motion sickness, and is most convenient in the form of capsules or a tincture for this purpose. Ginger should not be used when signs of heat are present.
- Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
19. Garlic and cayenne are good remedies for exterior conditions such as the common cold.
- Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
20. Ginger tea is useful as a supplement in treating schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease increasingly prevalent among tourists returning to the United States
- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies
Thursday, January 14, 2010
25 ways to improve your health and happiness in 2010
From NaturalNews
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
The New Year is upon us, and for many people, it includes a New Year's resolution for achieving improved health and happiness in 2010. Here are twenty-five health-enhancing ideas to help you accomplish that goal.
#1 - Replace sodas or soft drinks with tea or water.
#2 - Commit to eating one raw fruit (or serving of vegetables) at every meal.
#3 - Add just 5 minutes a day to your exercise routine. Don't have an exercise routine? Start with 5 minutes a day!
#4 - Get more sunshine!
#5 - Learn some Pilates. It's probably the #1 exercise system for core strength and flexibility.
#6 - Drink a superfood smoothie every day.
#7 - Buy more indoor plants: They purify the air in your home.
#8 - Take a quality, wild-harvested fish oil supplement that contains vitamin D.
#9 - Eat more quinoa: It's a high-protein, low-carb "grain" that can easily replace rice or couscous.
#10 - When you get out of bed each morning, do five sit-ups first. It sounds simple, but just 5 sit-ups a day can make a difference.
#11 - Instead of trying to find a parking spot so close to the grocery store, park farther away. You'll get a little more walking exercise and a little more sunshine.
#12 - Get a good water filter so you can stop drinking tap water (or bottled water).
#13 - Pick up a "gentle" art like Tai-Qi or Yoga. It will reduce your stress and improve your physical stamina.
#14 - Take a relaxing hot bath with epsom salts and soothing herbs like lavender. It will do wonders for your mind and your muscles.
#15 - Get a professional massage! Massage therapy is really, really healthy, and it's a great way to reward yourself for some of the other accomplishments you're making.
#16 - Grow your own sprouts! With a simple, low-cost sprouting machine, you can grow and eat your own sprouts. Eating just one ounce of sprouts a day still had a huge impact on preventing cancer and boosting immune function.
#17 - Prepare for a Spring garden. Sure, it's cold and snowy right now, but make a commitment to start a garden this Spring, and you'll reap many health benefits in the months ahead.
#18 - Get a mini-trampoline and do some rebounding in your living room. You can even watch movies or documentary DVDs at the same time.
#19 - Make a point to get at least eight hours of sleep for 2-3 nights a week (or more, if you can). Most people are sleep deprived, and the health cost is enormous.
#20 - Start visiting local farmer's markets so that you eat more local food in 2010. You'll be healthier and happier as a result.
#21 - Got a job you don't like? Quit it! Downgrade your lifestyle to live on less money, then pursue what you really enjoy. Being happy in a small house is better than being miserable in a big one.
#22 - Get off those medications! Make a point to learn how to safely and gradually get yourself off all the medications you can by eliminating underlying imbalances or illnesses. The fewer medications you take, the healthier you'll be!
#23 - Throw out your television! Are you still watching cable TV or satellite TV? It's a complete waste of your life (but you already knew that). Disconnect the cable. Read more books and get your information online where news sources are more independent and intelligent.
#24 - Make a decision to think of food as nourishment instead of entertainment. Eat what your body needs, not what your taste buds desire.
#25 - Teach others how to be healthy! The more you talk with others about healthy habits, the more you'll follow them yourself. :-)
That's it! I hope you enjoyed these 25 ideas for improving your health in 2010 (and beyond).
Of course, one of the best ways to keep improving your health in 2010 is to keep reading NaturalNews! We'll be bringing you more natural cures, herbal remedies and self-care tips throughout 2010.
I'm personally looking forward to sharing a great year with you!
--
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public. He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and pursues hobbies such as Pilates, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
The New Year is upon us, and for many people, it includes a New Year's resolution for achieving improved health and happiness in 2010. Here are twenty-five health-enhancing ideas to help you accomplish that goal.
#1 - Replace sodas or soft drinks with tea or water.
#2 - Commit to eating one raw fruit (or serving of vegetables) at every meal.
#3 - Add just 5 minutes a day to your exercise routine. Don't have an exercise routine? Start with 5 minutes a day!
#4 - Get more sunshine!
#5 - Learn some Pilates. It's probably the #1 exercise system for core strength and flexibility.
#6 - Drink a superfood smoothie every day.
#7 - Buy more indoor plants: They purify the air in your home.
#8 - Take a quality, wild-harvested fish oil supplement that contains vitamin D.
#9 - Eat more quinoa: It's a high-protein, low-carb "grain" that can easily replace rice or couscous.
#10 - When you get out of bed each morning, do five sit-ups first. It sounds simple, but just 5 sit-ups a day can make a difference.
#11 - Instead of trying to find a parking spot so close to the grocery store, park farther away. You'll get a little more walking exercise and a little more sunshine.
#12 - Get a good water filter so you can stop drinking tap water (or bottled water).
#13 - Pick up a "gentle" art like Tai-Qi or Yoga. It will reduce your stress and improve your physical stamina.
#14 - Take a relaxing hot bath with epsom salts and soothing herbs like lavender. It will do wonders for your mind and your muscles.
#15 - Get a professional massage! Massage therapy is really, really healthy, and it's a great way to reward yourself for some of the other accomplishments you're making.
#16 - Grow your own sprouts! With a simple, low-cost sprouting machine, you can grow and eat your own sprouts. Eating just one ounce of sprouts a day still had a huge impact on preventing cancer and boosting immune function.
#17 - Prepare for a Spring garden. Sure, it's cold and snowy right now, but make a commitment to start a garden this Spring, and you'll reap many health benefits in the months ahead.
#18 - Get a mini-trampoline and do some rebounding in your living room. You can even watch movies or documentary DVDs at the same time.
#19 - Make a point to get at least eight hours of sleep for 2-3 nights a week (or more, if you can). Most people are sleep deprived, and the health cost is enormous.
#20 - Start visiting local farmer's markets so that you eat more local food in 2010. You'll be healthier and happier as a result.
#21 - Got a job you don't like? Quit it! Downgrade your lifestyle to live on less money, then pursue what you really enjoy. Being happy in a small house is better than being miserable in a big one.
#22 - Get off those medications! Make a point to learn how to safely and gradually get yourself off all the medications you can by eliminating underlying imbalances or illnesses. The fewer medications you take, the healthier you'll be!
#23 - Throw out your television! Are you still watching cable TV or satellite TV? It's a complete waste of your life (but you already knew that). Disconnect the cable. Read more books and get your information online where news sources are more independent and intelligent.
#24 - Make a decision to think of food as nourishment instead of entertainment. Eat what your body needs, not what your taste buds desire.
#25 - Teach others how to be healthy! The more you talk with others about healthy habits, the more you'll follow them yourself. :-)
That's it! I hope you enjoyed these 25 ideas for improving your health in 2010 (and beyond).
Of course, one of the best ways to keep improving your health in 2010 is to keep reading NaturalNews! We'll be bringing you more natural cures, herbal remedies and self-care tips throughout 2010.
I'm personally looking forward to sharing a great year with you!
--
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public. He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and pursues hobbies such as Pilates, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
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