It seems like you can’t read a magazine or newspaper, listen to the news or a talk show, that someone isn’t talking about making sure you eat your fruits and veggies.
Of course, I’ve said my fair share of that as well on this blog. As a Naturopath and Health Coach it is my #1 recommendation to people: EAT MORE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. Basically, I don’t believe you can get enough. Nature was kind enough to leave us with an abundance of colors, tastes and textures, all with their own unique healing power.
Unfortunately, as I’ve mentioned before, the produce you buy at the store often has had significant travel time, been exposed to various toxins and poisons on the way to you, and has therefore, lost nutritional value.
But what if you can pick your own? I’m not talking about growing your own fruits and vegetables (that would be ideal of course, but few us have the space nor the time!). But what if you could visit a local farm and pick your own from them? Turns out, there are numerous farms throughout the United States that offer this service. Visit www.PickYourOwn.org to find a farm near you where you can visit and pick your own. Also, this helps support a local farmer in your community and best of all, your fruits and vegetables will be FRESH which will help them to be best absorbed and utilized by your body.
Now that summer is upon us, alot of people will be doing some traveling. I’ve put together a list of some essential items for staying healthy while traveling, that you might want to take with you, “just in case.”
1. Homeopathic Arnica — You can find in pellets, drops and ointment. Good to use in ANY injury to help calm down inflammation.
2. Bach Rescue Remedy and Bach Rescue Remedy Cream — This product is one of my all time favorites. The Rescue Remedy itself helps in times of stress; so you can use before a flight or boat trip if you get nervous and stressed out. The cream can be used for scrapes, skin abrasions, rashes, cuts, etc. Click on the link to learn more about the Bach Flower Remedies.
3. Nutritiotic Grapefruit Seed Extract — Take as preventive measure to protect your body against foreign invaders. 10-15 drops mixed in with 4 oz. strong juice like grape juice; stir well and drink 2-3 times per day. Also I use this amazing product to clean fruit and vegetables with it; so if you’re going camping or cooking in your hotel room, this product is essential to help keep your food clean and fresh.
4. Probiotics — Good to help keep your digestive system in running order!
5. Ginger Capsules — Great for naseau.
6. Essential Oils – There are several that I never go on a trip without. Pan Away, to soothe any muscular inflammation that I might incur while hiking; Peppermint Oil, will help with easing headaches and naseau; Lavendar for bites, burns, or inflammed skin and also to help you sleep in strange places; and Purification to help cleanse the stale air in hotels or musty cabins. To learn more about these therapeutic grade essential oils, click here.
The above items are essential to bring with me when I travel and I don’t leave home without them! Remember to also drink plenty of water while traveling to help keep your system hydrated especially if you’re going to be on planes which tend to be very dehydrating. Getting plenty of sleep is also essential to keeping your immune system healthy! And remember not to “go crazy” with your diet; eating plenty of fresh whole foods with the “occasional” splurge will result in you feeling your best while having fun!
Here’s to a safe and wonderful summer! Happy travels!
Melissa
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Essential Oils, Herbs, Natural Therapies, Resources
I’m sure most of you have heard about mercury poisoning and how it is definitely damaging our health. The most common ways to get mercury toxicity is from amalgam (silver) fillings in our teeth; consuming too much seafood or fish; and from vaccinations. However, now new research is coming forward with a much more insidious way that we are being exposed to mercury: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).
I’m sure many of you are unaware exactly how much of HFCS you are actually consuming. But let me warn you: it’s in virtually everything. It is a VERY cheap form of sugar and food manufacturer’s use it much more often to sweeten items like: sodas, barbecue sauce, weight loss bars/drinks, jellies and jams, ketchup, peanut butter, etc. The list goes on and on and quite frankly, I could write several articles about the dangers of HFCS and all the various forms you can find it in, but that is not the subject of this post.
Since our consumption of HFCS is on the rise that means that we are also becoming more exposed to mercury toxicity. But how does corn syrup get mercury in it? Well, four of the big plants that make corn syrup, use mercury-cell technology in the production of caustic soda, an ingredient used in the corn conversion process. It’s a very technical process, but the bottom line is…..mercury is being found in food products. Fortunately, we have consumer watchdog groups like “Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy“ that did the testing and research and discovered this fact.
But why is mercury bad, you ask? Well first of all, it damages your nervous system. This is one of the primary risks for pregnant women and their fetuses and why pregnant moms and also babies and children are encouraged to avoid seafood. Also, vision problems, impairment of speech, walking and muscle weakness are another issue. Some people have insomnia, headaches, emotional issues, and skin problems. And of course, it’s been linked to autism and ADD and ADHD because mercury can cause such severe brain imbalances.
So quite simply, this is yet another reason to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup. Not only does it contribute to obesity, diabetes and a whole host of other health problems, NOW mercury toxicity has been linked to it. Please do yourself a favor and start reading food labels and please avoid any product that has High Fructose Corn Syrup.
You can read the whole article here:
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4662&src=
Tags: Nutrition/Food
On the heels of all the controversy surrounding 13-year old Daniel Hauser for refusing chemotherapy, I thought I would point out some positive aspects about the benefits of choosing natural and alternative therapies:
Safe, Natural and Gentle. Most forms of alternative therapies are safe and non-invasive. Most herbs, homeopathic remedies, nutritional supplementation, and therapies like massage, Reiki and acupuncture are all wonderful forms of therapies that would be considered safe and gentle. One might argue about acupuncture being “invasive” with the use of needles, but as a fellow advocate of acupuncture and having personally had many sessions, I can say that while acupuncture does use needles, they are very tiny and you can hardly feel them at all. Certainly, they are not as invasive as a surgeon’s knife! Of course, please be sure the supplements you’re taking are safe for you. You can read more about how to tell here: Whole Food Vs. Synthetic Supplements.
More Choices for You. Since most health insurance company’s do not cover natural therapies, you often have much more choices available to you when searching for help. The insurance company oftentimes regulates who you can and can’t see, but with them out of the picture, you are free to choose what type of natural therapy you would like and which practitioner to see. Be sure to always check credentials; each state has different licensing and credentialing laws.
Really having yourself heard. Most alternative medicine practitioners will take the time to really “listen” to you and your symptoms. In conventional medicine, sometimes all you get is a quick appointment. I’ve had patients tell me in some cases, their visits with their doctor was timed and lasted only 3 minutes! Yikes! Most Naturopath’sor Chiropractor’s will take significant time with you (especially the 1st visit) to really assess you and your situation. We take into account not only your physical symptoms, but emotional too and really address your whole body.
You’re in Charge. Whether you decide to take some herbs or homeopathy for yourself or make that Reiki appointment, you’re in charge of what goes into your body and what happens to it. Of course for serious illnesses, I always recommend you partner with a natural health care practitioner that can assist you. But if you just have the sniffles or some allergies, there are LOTS of remedies you can try yourself and educate yourself on. There are some wonderful books that I recommend to help you in your quest to better your health. Although I don’t have this book on my list, for those of you that want to try some homeopathy, this book and homeopathic kit are my favorites to have in your home. Also, essential oils are some of my favorite things to try to use for allergies, insomnia, and other minor ailments.
In conclusion, don’t be afraid to try some natural therapies. The benefits FAR outweigh any risks that you may have heard about. Of course, you’re always welcome to Contact Me with questions or post a comment!
Stay Healthy and Well!
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Essential Oils, Herbs, Natural Therapies, Naturopathic Doctor, Nutrition/Food
Well my phone is already ringing off the hook this morning with all the media attention to the Swine Flu. Since I am in the San Antonio area (which is where there are several documented cases), we are getting alot of media attention here; probably even more than the national news is getting!
So the predominant question is, “What can I do to prevent infection and keep my immune system strong in case of exposure?”
Here’s some suggestions I have for keeping your body healthy and your immune system strong ALL the time: Click here to continue reading »
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Essential Oils, Natural Therapies, Naturopathic Doctor
It happened again the other day…..another new patient coming in with lots of health problems. One of the biggest misconceptions that people have when visiting a Natural Health Practitioner, is that they will only get one or two “medicines”. The other misconception is that they Click here to continue reading »
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Herbs, Natural Therapies, Nutrition/Food
One of the things that I think is most important is that people accept responsibility for taking care of themselves. On the heels of the Oprah Show yesterday, for those of you that missed it, I want to talk about why it’s important to question everything that comes from any doctor. That includes alternative medicine care providers and the conventional MD’s. If you didn’t see the show the summary of it was “Medical Mistakes”. There were many examples on the show of people that have been tragically damaged as a result of a medical mistake. Over 100,000 people die each year as a result of medical error. In the event you find yourself visiting a hospital or an MD’s office, here’s a Click here to continue reading »
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Resources
Being an avid lover of essential oils, I was ecstatic to find this article this morning:
Frankincense Oil–A Wise Man’s Remedy for Bladder Cancer
It’s so exciting to see that conventional medical researchers are beginning to see the benefits of essential oils. Those of us that have been around them for years, recognize and utilize them as powerful medicinal agents. I have seen them work on shrinking tumors, eliminate gastrointestinal problems, alleviate allergies for many people and be fantastic remedies for a whole host of other ailments. In a word: they are POWERFUL. I regularly recommend them for people to help them enhance and improve their health. Fortunately, there is more and more research being done on these potent plant oils. It’s exciting to see mainstream medicine “catching up” and giving these oils the attention and recognition they deserve.
For more information about the best therapeutic-grade essential oils on the market, please visit my essentail oil website:
http://sacred-oils.younglivingworld.com/
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Essential Oils, Natural Therapies
In my last article, “Why Do We Need To Take Supplements”, we discussed the importance of taking natural supplements to support our body and our immune system. But which supplements do we take and how do we know which supplements are the best ones? With billions being spent every year on supplements, it is very important you understand that not all supplements are created equal….there are sometimes very vast differences between one product and another.
So let’s talk about the difference between Click here to continue reading »
Tags: Herbs, Natural Therapies, Nutrition/Food
