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JANUARY - 2011 HEALTH TIPS
Health Tips is packed with wonderful natural ways of improving and regaining your vitality and health. Here you will find information on organic, herbal and natural remedies to improve your diet for a healthier you.
Think of your body as a Planet, and we are the gardener of this planet. We are asking this planet to produce a product. The product is healthy hair, skin and nails, teeth, etc. Next we want healthy organs, heart, lungs, liver, etc. Next we demand a sharp mind, the brain as the central computer has many demands placed on it daily. Then we expect high energy output to accomplish the day to day asks. There are many more expectations that we demand of our body, but are we giving our body the care it needs to produce a quality product?
There are thousands of ways to improve your health and remember, it took many years for your body to acclimate to the American way of eating and living, but it will only take weeks to notice improvements by correcting your diet and increasing your exercise program.
Volume 001 of Health Tips will begin with the basics, the first step in many steps towards making healthy choices and changes in your life.
The cosmetic surgery industry has grown exponentially in recent years. Did this automatically make you wonder if birth defects are on the rise or perhaps some strange phenomenon has been taking place where the burn centers are overflowing with patients waiting in line for skin grafts? Or perhaps your first thought was that the explanation for this exponential increase is the result of improper safety precautions being taken in the home and workplace causing tragic accidents countrywide requiring surgical reconstruction?
We have become a society of instant gratification, spending thousands of dollars every year on cosmetic improvements to give the appearance of health and radiance. Clearly, if nothing else, the cosmetic industry has proven that as a nation, we have fully conceptualized and understand the importance of "looking" healthy.
I am not opposed to cosmetic surgery for any reason, personal preference or otherwise. I am not against looking beautiful, makeup, plastic surgery, hair dying, manicures natural or synthetic, hair implants, tattoos, body piercings or the like. These are all personal choices and forms of expression. Many see the human body as a blank canvas meant to be perfected through various alterations. Purists see the human body as perfect in its organic and natural state, and most of us live somewhere in between. However you see your canvas, it is still stretched over a hidden frame that we seem to be ignoring.
When the mind, body and spirit are in balance, we become more energized, more positive, more POWERFUL. No one part of us can live in healthy balance without the other. |
AS WITHIN, SO WITHOUT!
Because our body is being depleted daily by pollutants in the air, in our water and in our foods, perhaps it is time for us to replenish ourselves. When we undergo a physiological makeover, there are so many things to consider. What we put into our bodies is the first step in what our body can put out.
So how do we, the gardener, begin to heal this planet we call our body? Well, one step at a time of course! Our improved health begins with consciousness, a thought.... and we know that thoughts become things!
When the body is weak and struggling to repair itself from the toxins that we ingest daily, it reduces our physical, mental and emotional energy as well.
There are certain factors we cannot control, like the air we breathe. However, even this can be changed by relocating to a place with higher air quality. But, before we all pack up and find a nice rain forest to build a lean-to in, let's try something simpler first!
Let's start with some factors we can control more easily. Our own personal environment. What we ingest, our physical activity, the foods we purchase, the clothing we wear, the car we drive, etc. Change begins one step at a time!
Starring.....Water !!
We're going to make one change this month and be consistent with that change. This month that change will be to incorporate proper water into your daily diet. You don't have to change anything else this month if you don't want to, just add water to your diet. "Proper" is not just quantity, it is quality as well! We'll talk about that in a minute.
We now know that the human body is approximately two-thirds water, just like our planet (coincidence.. I don't think so!)
Did you know that dehydration of the human body ages our skin as well as our organs? If nothing else, for vanity sake, drink your water. Dehydration causes our brains to function at a slower capacity as well, so we do not think as clearly. In fact, the effects of dehydration have similar symptoms to being under the influence of alcohol.
Just like our planet uses water to nurture and purify, so does our body, remember, our body is a living organism just like your planet is a living organism.
Water helps filter and flush toxins from our body. Because anything we put into our body must be processed, we burn calories as our body processes the water. Water naturally decreases our appetite as well, so it is wonderful for weight loss. As you increase your water intake, you will more than likely decrease your intake of other beverages such as carbonated drinks, coffee, etc., all leading to a good step towards weight loss, brighter skin, healthier hair, improved digestion and a general sense of well being. |
WATER QUANTITY BASICS
As with any dietary change, please consult with your physician or health care professional. If you have kidney or adrenal problems, or your doctor has you taking diuretics, you need to consult with your doctor about how much water to drink each day.
The amount of water you should consume daily is dependent upon your own physiological structure. To calculate how much water you should drink: Allow 50% of your weight to equate to ounces of water per day. Example, you weigh 160, 50% of that is 80, so 80 ounces. Add 8 extra ounces for dry climate. Add 8 extra ounces for strenuous exercise. Then divide by the number of waking hours (most folks sleep 8 hours and are awake 16.) Now you have a number that averages the number of ounces per hour you should consume.
WATER QUALITY BASICS
The quality of water is also important. Tap water is nearly always chlorinated, in fact, municipal water is required to be chlorinated to kill bacteria that could be harmful to you. What you may not realize is that chlorine is harmful to our body and specifically it is harmful to our arteries. Chlorine causes etching, seen as microscopic cuts in our arteries. The result is scarring as the arteries attempt to heal themselves. This scarring causes cholesterol to stick to the artery walls causing the arteries to clog. This is commonly known as arteriosclerosis, a dangerous disease and a cause of heart problems.
Bottled water labels should be read carefully. Educate yourself about the bottled water you are drinking. Research and testing has shown that some bottled waters are actually as poor quality as your tap water.
It doesn't end with the water that you drink, but the water you cook with matters too. To naturally dechlorinate your water, allow it to sit open for 24 hours. This is not purifying your water, but it is allowing the chlorine gases to escape. You can also add a filter to your faucet to reduce the amount of impurities in your tap water. Any small changes you make to improve the quality of your water is improving the quality of your health!
Love and Blessings
Star |