Monday, March 1, 2010

Avoiding Colds and Flu Naturally

This year it is of utmost importance that we pay attention to strengthening our immune systems naturally. Using certain herbs, foods, supplements and homeopathic remedies can help you avoid catching a cold or flu and build your immune system. If you do catch a virus, they can help relieve the symptoms and shorten the duration and severity of the illness.

What most people don’t realize is how much your daily diet has an impact on the strength of your immune system. If you or your child are eating sweets daily, processed foods, junk food, drinking soda or other sweetened beverages regularly, you are weakening your immunity and will be more likely to catch virus’s. One teaspoon of sugar (soda has about 9-
11 tbsp.) can weaken your immune system for 4 hours. I believe that this is why so many people are now having an extreme difficulty fighting illnesses. (Besides repeated antibiotic use)

Try eating more vegetables, at least 4-5 servings a day! Along with eggs for breakfast, how about a few pieces of steamed asparagus, some spinach, squash or a few tomato slices. Have a salad with lunch, and at least two vegetables with dinner. Fresh fruit can also bolster vitamin C and help build resistance.
Eat berries daily! Especially frozen - freezing berries breaks the cell wall and releases more color pigments containing the beneficial bioflavanoids. Avoid all white flour (eat only WHOLE grains), baked goods, sugary cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and sweets. You’ll feel so much stronger than you realize!

Good Natural Vitamins a MUST!
It is very important to take a good quality, plant-based not synthetic, multi-vitamin/ mineral supplement daily which supplies you with vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, proanthocyanadines, bioflavanoids, green foods, enzymes and more.
Taking 2000-4000 mg. of Vitamin C every day will help you fight infections. Eating garlic regularly or taking odorless garlic capsules helps fight viral, bacterial, and yeast infections. Bee propolis is known as Russian penicillin and is often found in natural vitamin
supplements. It is collected by bees to protect the hives from infection.

Super Antioxidants
I HIGHLY recommend using Super Antioxidants daily! Not only because they help reduce the signs of aging, along with aches and pains, but they can greatly increase your immune system, being 20 - 50 times more potent than Vitamin C and E!

Using Echinacea (purple coneflower) herbal extract regularly can help you avoid or reduce the severity and duration of viral illnesses. 40 drops for an adult taken 4-6 times a day at the first sign of a cold can help you avoid it completely. Olive Leaf extract is proven more powerful than penicillin in fighting upper respiratory infections, sinus, strep and throat infections! Those with autoimmune diseases should consider using Astragalus instead of Echinacea to strengthen the spleen and immune system. It is a safe, long term immune system tonic.

Oil of Oregano
My favorite is a high-quality, full-strength Oil of Oregano. It is a very powerful agent against bacterial, viral,parasitic, and fungal infections. I recommend keeping some on hand! It’s an excellent general tonic and immune stimulant. You can take one or two capsules a day, or
place one or two drops of the oil under the tongue to go immediately into the blood and lymph system. 4-5 drops can also be placed in juice andtaken several times a day. This can be your best defense against the flu!

Therapeutic value of Colloidal Silver
Also consider using Colloidal Silver for excellent anti-viral protection! It works great to help avoid or reduce symptoms of colds and flu. The body has an innate ability to rejuvenate and restore itself to optimum health. When taken daily, Colloidal Silver acts as an optimal immune system supporter by helping the body fight invaders. Medical tests indicate no known adverse effects from the use of properly prepared Colloidal Silver, and there has
never been a recorded case of drug interaction with any other medication.
The body does not develop a tolerance to Colloidal Silver and no allergic reaction has ever been recorded.

How Colloidal Silver Works
The presence of Colloidal Silver near an invader disables its oxygen-metabolism enzyme, its chemical lung, so to say. Within a few minutes, the invader suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of our bodies by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, Colloidal Silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different than those enzymes of primitive
single-celled life. Thus, Colloidal Silver is absolutely safe for humans,reptiles, plants and all multi-celled living matter.

Not to be underestimated is the value of maintaining good colon health. The Chinese have long equated respiratory problems with poor bowel function. If waste product is not beingremoved in a timely fashion then toxins build up in the body, and particularly the respiratory system. Be sure to take herbs which perform a good bowel detox, as well as keep the intestines in fighting shape with friendly bacteria, such as acidophilus or bifidophilus. Enzymes are a must. Take a broad spectrum enzyme combination, both with meals and
between meals.

Regular daily exercise and fresh air will also keep your lymph moving and your immune system strong. Try rebounding (jumping on a mini-trampoline) everyday, even if it's just 2-5 minutes, several times a day.

Be sure to wear a hat when out in the cold. Getting plenty of sleep and daily relaxation to reduce stress will also help. Keeping your self strong and healthy not only protects you from the flu, but many other ills as well.

Alternative Health Treatments

Do you suffer with one of the many health problems out there? Are you getting fed up with the traditional forms of health treatment? Are you looking into the different forms of alternative health therapy that are available? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, this article may be of interest to you. In the article, I am going to write about some of these alternative therapy treatments which I, my family and friends have tried in the past. I hope you enjoy the read.

My wife has had many problems with her own health and also suffers from regular bouts of depression. She is quite a stressful person and at times finds life to be fairly tough. A couple of years ago she decided to find a different approach to ones she had previously tried. The first option she tried was reflexology. She was not entirely sure if she really wanted a stranger messing about with her feet but was more than pleased with the experience on her return. She could not believe how relaxed and chilled out it made her feel.

I have also found myself struggling to cope with the pressures of every day life. I now have turned my hand to meditation. This is not I am sure for everyone but it has certainly helped me to think in a more positive and clearer way. It took me quite a long to meditate in what would be known as the correct way as I originally could not seem to concentrate or relax enough.

My mother prefers to go to a womens wellness centre rather than to the doctors. She has not spoken too much about this to me but it obviously helps her as she has now been going there for years.

Tai chi is a very popular form of alternative therapy for many people. Tai chi is also very good at reducing peoples stress levels and is something I also considered before I took up meditation.

A friend of mine always raves on about yoga and the many health benefits that this has bought her. To me it all seems like a lot of hard work, however she insists that it isn't. In a way these things are like horses for courses. Some people prefer to do one thing and others prefer to do something entirely different.

My brother who also finds it hard to relax, it must run in my family I suppose, has found hypnotherapy to be very useful. He has been a smoker for many years and two years ago decided it was time to quit. He was very determined, which helps of course but by attending hypnotherapy sessions, also gave him that extra edge. He, from what he tells me has not smoked even one cigarette for the past eighteen months.

These are just a small number of the many alternative health treatments out there. It is worth pointing out that even though they have been successful in helping the above people, they may not work for everyone. In my opinion it is worth giving different things a try as it may just change your life.

Acne 101

It is the bane of a person’s existence. Everybody gets it; everybody hates it. And once you have it, prepare to be tormented, embarrassed and humiliated. Such a small bump, so much at stake. So what is this little bundle of horror? What else but the dreaded pimple!

A pimple, or acne as some people calls it, is a dreaded red, swollen bump in the face. Nobody is spared from having it. Male or female, American, Chinese or Puerto Rican, they all have gotten it at some points of their lives and may even still have it. It is like a universal language; it is like a right of passage in a person’s life. Acne is a result of the hormones action on the skin's oil glands (the sebaceous gland) which leads to clogged pores and outbreak of lesions like pimples, blemishes or acne. Acne commonly occurs in the neck, face, back, shoulders and chest because the sebaceous glands are most abundant in these locations. But the important question we should be asking to be able to avoid this dreaded “disease” is, “What causes this pain in the neck called acne?”

Unfortunately, the causes of acne cannot really be determined (unless your parents or their parents are acne infested too then there’s a big, big chance you’ll be called acne face by your peers and classmates) thus the acne myths are born! These myths claim to be the cause of acne. We shall enumerate them here.

Acne Myth Number 1

Acne is caused by not washing your face often and not scrubbing it hard enough. Many believed that acne is caused by dirt and dust in the face and by washing your face two-three even four times a day or even by scrubbing your face hard can prevent acne. Wrong, wrong, wrong! It is true that dirt and dust is unsightly to the face and washing the face is the way to eradicate them but washing often can actually irritate the skin more. Washing should not be done more than twice a day. More than twice is enough to strip the face of its natural oils making it dry. Also, scrubbing can cause inflammations. Washing the face should be done as gently as possible with the gentlest facial scrub.

Acne Myth Number 2

Improper Diet can cause acne. Certain foods that are oily like French fries and junk food can cause acne to erupt in our face. But scientific studies have not discovered any connection between these two. So this means that food does not cause acne. Though a proper and healthy diet is always good for our system, eating like a pig won’t make pimples a permanent resident in your face. So feel free to eat your favorite Lay’s, French fries and chocolates anytime.

Acne Myth Number 3

When you’re stressed acne tends to pop on your face like popcorn pops from a kernel. Not true. Stress is a part of our daily lives and believe it or not it is not a contributing factor to the acne residing in your face. Only severe stress treated by the doctor MAY cause acne to erupt only as a side effect of the drugs a person may be taking. If this is the case, consult your doctor immediately.

A Natural Herbal Remedy Could Be Your Answer

Natural herbal remedies are drawing the attention of many traditional medical practitioners to rapidly recognize the ability of the hundreds of thousands of known herbs that have the ability to treat and prevent various human and animal illnesses, as well as properties that can enhance mental attitude, appearance, and performance.

Many centuries of experimentation by many cultures, for example Indian herbal medicine (Ayurvedic), Chinese herbal medicine, and western herbal medicine have created many uses for plants either singularly or in compounds, and sometimes animal by products to prevent and treat various conditions and illnesses.

A natural remedy can be anything from tea, to complex preparations of herbal compounds used in hospitals and clinics. These formulas come in many forms such as capsules, pills, ointments, and gels.

You may be using some of the common herbs as a food in your home such as:

* Garlic--natural antibiotic and helps reduce cholesterol

* Cinnamon--lowers blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides

* Ginger--prevents motion sickness and lowers risk of blood clots

* Chamomile Tea--calms nerves and help relieve digestive problems

* Peppermint--Treats many digestion and gastrointestinal problems

These common herbs may be mixed with other proven natural products to achieve a particular result.

Traditional medicine is very useful for diagnosis, emergencies, trauma and surgery, but often does not cut it for preventing disease from occurring. The time and wait needed to visit a doctor to get a prescription, and the ever growing cost of medicine is allowing an opportunity for many people to try to get help from natural products.

Many traditional medicines are showing many adverse side effects. Natural, is not necessarily safe, and may have unwanted side effects just as with conventional medicines, however a large ever growing number of the population has been using herbals, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids for many years with very favorable results and no adverse effects.

Natural herbal products are now available for use by adults, children, and pets to remedy countless conditions from Angina and Arthritis, to skin care remedies, thyroid treatment, urinary tract infection and an unlimited number of other disorders.

Many new products have been compounded to remedy conditions other then disease, such as smoking cessation, removing unwanted hair, eliminating wrinkles and many other conditions.

One of the many natural herbal remedies could be your answer.

For quality information, and natural herbal remedies that are produced under pharmaceutical conditions to ensure the highest degree of potency and consistency. http://www.aa1info.com

Easy Crafts for Kids Aged 3-5 to Make for Mother's Day

Kids are always wanting to make mom a gift for Mother’s Day. They want something that is all their own, without much help from anyone, so here are some ideas that are both inexpensive and easy for them.

A home made jewelry box: Give the child a small paper mache box - sort of like a jewelry box, any shape with a lid. Now, put down some newspaper, put acrylic paints, brushes, glitter, buttons, charms, ribbon or lace, glue, colored markers or crayons down on the paper, and let your child do the work. You will be surprised what they can come up with.

They can also use the same materials to make a card for Mom on Mother’s Day. Just get a thick card stock to fold in half so they can decorate it. You can also use poster board and help them make a big “Happy Mother’s Day” sign, to greet her in the morning with.

Another idea is to get some cheap plastic beads with big holes, some string and let them make a matching set of bracelets and a necklace for mom.

Cut out hearts of red, pink, lavender paper or poster board, color it, put glitter on it and hang them all over the house.

Modeling clay is always a nice medium to play with. There are clays that only need to dry in the air and need no baking at all. Modeling clay allows your child to form anything that comes to mind. They can use their imagination with no limits, except for the limits of the clay. Once the project is dry, your child can paint it or dress it up any way they want. It is an inexpensive way and fun way of letting your child make and give of their heart to their mom on Mother’s Day.

Check your local craft shop for other project ideas that are appropriate for this age group. Take your little one to the store and let them decide what they want to make for mommy. Just remember to read the age group limit on the outside of the box.

Always remember to supervise the children, especially with glue, paint and scissors around.

Adding Other Items to Your Scrapbook

Scrapbooks are not meant just for photos. I tend to often date myself. When I was in elementary school, I had a scrapbook. Of course back then I used paper that is now yellow and I used glue. However, what’s important is I remember the contents of that scrapbook.

I kept movie ticket stubs, concert ticket stubs, love letters from boys I like, a test with an A+ on it and many other items.

Today, we can still preserve those memories by adding these extras to our scrapbooks. I always recommend making copies of everything. Unless the original paper is acid free, it will yellow and crumble with time. So, do include the original in your scrapbook, but also keep a copy.

So, what types of “extras” are fun to put into scrapbooks?

• Report Cards
• Essays from School
• Birthday Invitations
• Maps of Cities Visited
• College Brochures
• Greeting Cards
• Post Cards
• Decorative Napkins
• Place Cards from Table Settings
• Pressed Flowers
• Receipts from a Favorite Restaurant
• Play and Concert Programs
• Sporting Event Tickets and Programs
• Magazine and Newspaper Articles
• Old Drivers Licenses
• CD Covers

These items can be added to individual pages or they can be left in tact and put into a sheet protector alongside photos of the events they represent.

There is no limit to the items you can put into your scrapbook. Extra items can help tell the overall story.

Common Crafts For Kids To Make For Fathers Day

Really young children just don’t understand the concept of giving on particular holidays. Buying dad a tie or a coffee mug just doesn’t mean much to them. Young kids love to make things, though, so here are some common crafts that kids make for Father’s Day that you could try.

Dough Handprints – Using ordinary flour dough, which you can make at home your child can press their hand print into the soft substance. Put a name and a year on it, and then bake for several hours. Now you have a great gift for dad for Father’s Day that symbolized that particular year in his child’s life.

Print and Color Cards – Definitely the easiest craft for kids to make is a card. You can just use construction paper folded in half to create your card, or you can print out pictures from your computer, glue them onto the card and color. A nice Father’s Day gift that kids can be proud of.

Picture Frames – Using picture frames from discount or dollar stores, kids can use various paints and glitter glue to make it unique and special. Messages like “Happy Father’s Day” or “#1 Dad” will always make the frame a treasured gift.

Hand-print T-Shirts – Using a plain t-shirt, all the kids in the family pick a color of fabric paint and put their hand-print on the shirt. Mom or older siblings can write special Father’s Day messages on the shirt, as well as put the kids’ names under the prints.

Colorful Coupons – What could dad need more than an hour of quiet? What would he enjoy more than breakfast in bed? What would he like more than a clean car? Well, he can get all that and more with homemade Father’s Day coupons! You can print them off your computer and have the young children color them. Just remember – don’t make a coupon that the kids couldn’t actually do!

Original Neckties – Why go buy dad a tie with a silly design on it? Just let your kids make one for him! With puffy fabric paints, kids can have a ball making dad his new neckwear.

Crafts for dad are easily found in books and on the internet. If you’d like to find crafts that kids make for Father’s Day, those are good places to start looking.