Health

Why Detox?

2009-08-24T09:10:00.001-07:00

Why Detox?

Why Detoxify?

Every day we are exposed to external toxins from our environment and internal toxins produced as the byproduct of our digestive and metabolic processes. Toxic and unwanted inorgranic chemicals are found in our foods, water and air in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals and other pollutants. Working in climate controlled environments is a source of airborne microorganisms and debris and home and work environments expose us to paint and carpet fumes. Everything from plastic containers to drycleaned clothes to skin and haircare products and cosmetics bombard our bodies with unwanted pollutants. All of these fall in the category of environmental toxins.

Our bodies also produce unwanted substances as the normal byproduct of our digestion and metabolism. In addition to this, we can accumulate waste products of any infectious microrganisms living in our bodies. If our body has the proper nutrition in sufficient quantities to provide a healthy biochemistry and if the organs of elimination and detoxification are functioning at optimal levels, our body is able to eliminate these unwanted substances safely and efficiently through cellular processes via the main organs of detoxification; skin, bowels, liver, kidneys and lungs. This manifests as elimination through perspiration, bowel elimination, urination and respiration. However, if the body is producing and taking in more toxins than it can safely eliminate, a state of chronic toxicity may occur.

Most chronic illnesses are the result of a combination of factors. The main contributing factors, however, can be attributed to the presence of unwanted substances in the body or the lack of needed substances in the body and, in many cases, a combination of both of these factors. When the body has been overburdened with exogenous (external) and endogenous (internal) toxic substances for a prolonged period of time, it loses its capacity to detoxify at the same rate that toxins are being produced and ingested. It is under these unnatural conditions that we begin to manifest symptoms of being overloaded with toxicity and our organs are weakened. It is thought by many natural health professionals that this prolonged state of toxicity undermines organ and cellular function and is the underlying cause of many chronic diseases.

The presence of unwanted substances in the body is a very common root of illness. The process of eliminating unwanted substances from the body at the cellular level addresses and corrects this imbalance. However, for effective detoxification it is essential to provide the body with the necessary dietary substances so that the body can perform this important and natural function. This is exactly what we will be doing on the program.

"Detoxification" refers to the body's ability to neutralize and safely eliminate harmful chemicals within the body. The detoxification program is designed to enhance the body's innate ability to handle toxins. While it is unrealistic and virtually impossible to eliminate external toxins completely, the body can be unburdened and supported in its natural function of detoxification so that it is better able to cope with the daily stresses of modern life and thereby establish a higher level of health.

Detoxification has a beneficial effect on most chronic illnesses because it has an impact on almost all systems of the body: cardiovascular, nervous, immune, respiratory, reproductive, gastrointestinal, urinary, skin, musculoskeletal and endocrine.

Detoxification is recommended for individuals who:

Have symptoms of toxicity

Have chronic digestive problems

Have imparied liver function due to lifestyle (alcohol, toxic exposure, poor eating habits, high stress, chemical exposure in the workplace)

Have impaired liver function due to chronic illness (hepatitis, jaundice, fatty liver)

Are on medications affecting the liver

Are on hormone replacement therapy

Have PMS and moodiness

Have chronic headaches

Have chronic skin conditions

Have gallbladder pathology

Have chronic poor lifestyle habits

Common symptoms alleviated by detoxification may include:

Headaches

Stiff, aching joints and muscles

Susceptibility to infections

Respiratory difficulties

Allergies
Digestive problems

Constipation
Acne

Low energy and fatigue

Restlessness and irritability

Mental fogginess

Inability to concentrate

Depression and moodiness

Poor quality sleep and insomnia

Benefits of Detoxification
These are some of the possible results you can expect to experience:

A feeling of revitalisation

Increased energy, vitality and stamina

Increased immunity and resistance to infections and illness
Reduced allergy symptoms

Increased metabolism and metabolic balancing for weight control

Weight loss

Improved digestive functions such as absorption and elimination
Balanced water metabolism and reduction in fluid retention and uric acid

Enhanced liver function and detoxification processes

Invigorate circulation and balance blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides

Strengthen and lubricate joints; reduced joint aches and pains; increased joint mobility

Reduced risk for many chronic diseases

Reduced symptoms of chronic toxicity

Improved sleep patterns and feeling rested and refreshed

Heightened mental clarity, focus, concentration and memory

Promotion of stable moods, emotional balance and wellbeing; a greater sense of peace and calm

A feeling of rejuvenation on all levels

Author Bio

Graeme Stuart-Bradshaw, founder of the Integrated Medicine Institute (IMI) in Hong Kong, is a naturopathic physician with extensive experience at his Hong Kong-based clinic and internationally.

Please visit Kamalaya' s website:
Koh Samui Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, Thailand

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The Sustainable Path

2009-08-24T09:09:00.004-07:00

The Sustainable Path

By: Robert Barton

Sustainability starts with you, from the smallest change you can make in your own home or office can have a huge effect further up the chain. Simply by buying the right products you can help you and your family save heaps of money, and also help the environment through these purchases.

Natural and alternative health and lifestyle products can really benefit you and your family.

Did you know that the industry in health foods and natural products in their retail and business opportunity form have increased by 75% in the last 5 years alone?

This article has a few simple answers to why the natural more healthy alternatives can deliver much greater health benefits than just going and getting some vitamins from your local drug store.

Many elements and chemicals that help our body function and boost our immune system can only be found in a "stable" form in the foods and drinks that occur naturally. By taking these natural chemicals from their natural states and trying to "bottle" it is virtually impossible without the use of further adding dangerous additives and manmade chemicals.

Furthermore, the organic industry, which seems so new, is coming back after about 50 years of "conventional" farming to boost the sustainability and production needed in agriculture.

For some reason people think that organics has never existed before and it was only about 50 years ago that we didn't have pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides and relied purely on the co-dependant relationships of ecosystems.

People again are realising the benefits of organics only after 50 years of cancer causing chemicals being passed along in our food. It is strange as many people who have had the initial stages of cancer have converted to organics for added support to their immune systems.

From organics to sustainable lifestyles which includes our complete environment from building to water to energy production to health... everything is a dynamic system and will become increasingly important as global warming becomes more of a problem.

This leads me onto the next step, sustainable building. Did you know that your home can become a toxic and uncomfortable environment for you and your family if you don't think consciously about the types of products you use within and around your house?

Many insulation and cabinet maker products use materials that contain a vast amount of formaldehyde which is a very toxic and carcinogenic chemical. Paints and finishes can contain high levels of VOC (volatile organic compounds) which have been proven to cause serious health issues and lead to "sick house syndrome". Building material used for the structure of your home can be cheap and cause the temperature in your home to be very uncomfortable and the air conditioner you use to make up for this costs you hundreds of dollars every year.

Might as well give up hey? No way...

There are so many resources and products available at your request that can dramatically change the negative aspects and will improve your overall wellbeing aswell as your families, whilst at the same time improve the quality of products that are good for the environment also. For instance, there are many paint companies with low to zero VOC products, insulation has been developed using cellulose (recycled paper basically) with no formaldehyde, energy efficient air conditioners exist and many products that are affordable but have the qualities to increase the comfort of your home.

The main point is... If you buy for the health and comfort of you and your family, the results will be beneficial to both you and the environment. This is what I mean by a dynamic system. Sustainability isn't about knowing everything about what does what and where it goes, it is simply about working with your local environment to produce the best possible outcome that WILL save you money, your health and the environment.

I suggest you start to educate yourself in the simple parts of sustainability and even if you save a litre of water a year or have an organic meal at least once every 2 months, you will be on your way to sustainability.

Author Bio

Environmental Scientist, Rob Barton has been involved with the education and empowerment of people to help them understand sustainability. For more information and rights to this article visit or display www.onlife.com.au

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Cure Insomnia By Relaxation

2009-08-24T09:09:00.003-07:00

Cure Insomnia By Relaxation

By: Philip Jubb

Insomnia cures by relaxation have been popular since before man invented fire. We can trace them back, certainly in the case of China, for many thousands of years. It has only been in the last few years that we have been able to confirm the efficiency or otherwise of the Insomnia cure by relaxation.

Insomnia itself is a pernicious affliction bringing with it misery and despondancy. Many sufferers of Insomnia and other sleep disorders lay there night after night staring into the dark checking the alarm clock every five minutes and worring about the effects of sleep loss on their performance during the coming day. Getting more and more tense and finding relaxation ever more difficult.

How can we use relaxation to help to cure insomnia? One of the first stops for the sufferer looking to cure Insomnia by relaxation or any other way is the doctors surgery. This is an excellent idea as a physical checkup will reveal wether or not there is a physical reason for the Insomnia or just the need to relax. The drawback is that if the doctor finds no physical reason for the Insomnia he is likely to reach for his prescription pad.

The drawbacks here are well known. Unbeliveably simply to cure insomnia you could also suffer addiction, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, personality changes, memory impairment, impaired concentration, poor judgment, mood disturbances, and in extreme cases irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. The list goes on and on. A safer insomnia cure may well lie in the direction of lerning relaxation, a more natural remedy.

This is the reason why drug companies can afford large scale advertising such as TV ads and big internet ad campaigns. They know if they can get a hold of you once, they will trap you and continue to make money off of you for years to come. Their mission is to program you. Whenever you have sleep problems, they want you to think about their products.

Used to cure insomnia and many other ailments for thousands of years relaxation rechniques are becoming more and more popular with main stream health care professionals to cure insomnia. As a cure for insomnia you need to practice relaxation regularly , notice the experience of the sounds of the simple things in life.

Look into what causes your need for relaxation. When you discover the ways you create stress, you can look for ways you to relax and avoid these stress creators.

Plan to cure your insomnia - You need to consider the timing of your relaxation. It should be daily. Perhaps a weekend is better suited to a night out so that you don't have to wake early the next morning for work or during the night for the bathroom.

Try relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation CD at the office, in the car, or wherever you'll need it most. Certainly by the bedside.

Walk a while. If you have at least ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. I have a dog and we walk as often as we can. Pounding the streets or woodland paths is an excellent way of getting rid of frustrations, relaxing, and ultimately, when gently tired, I can can think much more productively.

Exercise - Find a form of exercise you will enjoy - yoga and tai chi are great for relaxation. Schedule in relaxation time every day - This could be for as little as 30 minutes a day or one hour away from the office during lunch time.

Get into yoga. This type of exercise puts an emphasis on relaxation and breath control. Could have been designed to cure insomnia by relaxation. Practise this at least twice a day, perhaps on waking and when you go to bed. This will train your unconscious mind to be able to quickly take you into abdominal breathing and hence relaxation.

A massage is also a great way to relieve stress from the body and ease insomnia. Its great fun and as long as its not your partner doing it :) It's very conducive to relaxation.

I will make a bold promise to you right off the bat: I will change the way you think about sleep forever.

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Philip Jubb

THE Insomnia Solution

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Insomnia a Herbal Remedy

2009-08-24T09:09:00.001-07:00

Insomnia a Herbal Remedy

By: Philip Jubb

A herbal remedy for insomnia is probably the most popular herbal remedy reccomended in the western hemisphere today. With anything from 10 to 20 percent of the American adult population claiming to suffer from insomnia at any one time the search for relief is on. Notice I said relief. It should be stressed that only behavioral or psychologic techniques can actually cure insomnia, whereas prolonged use of sleeping pills can only result in dependency. Hence an insomnia herbal remedy is good!

There a large number of herbs that you may (and I say MAY) find helpful as a insomnia herbal remedy. Before testing any insomnia herbal remedy you should consult your Doctor or other Health Professional before self medicating. Lets face it most drugs are good and er bad.

I'll list some of the main insomnia herbal remedys here and add a few notes. Others insomnia herbal remedys are mentioned at great length in the books mentioned at the bottom of the article.

Essential oils are organic compounds that are extracted from various plant parts, including flowers, trees, herbs, spices. Essential oil compounds are found in the leaves, wood, resin, fruit, flower blossoms, roots and buds of the plant. Lots of Herbal remedies for insomnia can be used as essential oils.

Ginseng is the most famous Chinese herb and the most widely recognized plant used in traditional medicine. The main active ingredients of ginseng are the more than 25 saponin triterpenoid glycosides called "ginsenosides". These steroid-like ingredients provide the adaptogenic properties that enable ginseng to balance and counter the effects of stress. Benefits; to reduce the effects of stress, boost energy levels, assist with mental and body fatigue and maintains excellent body functions. An excellent Herbal Remedy for Insomnia. It hits all the targets.

Maca. Maca grows in volcanically enriched soils high up in the Peruvian Andes in a pure, unpolluted atmosphere. According to scientific research, Maca is amazingly rich in healthy amino acids, carbohydrates, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium, iron, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B12, C and E. Benefits of Maca, Increases libido, Deeper sleep, Balances moods, Helps adapt to stress,Slows the aging process,Lessens aches and pain. This was a new one to me and as yet I haven't tried it as a insomnia herbal remedy. Any comments ?

Mushrooms promote good health and vitality and increase your body's adaptive abilities and are an effective insomnia herbal remedy. Mushrooms are probiotic meaning they fight off illness by restoring our bodies balance and natural resistance to disease through homeostasis. Natural mushroom supplements contain an active ingredient proven by research to be an incredibly effective enhancing agent to the immune system. Mushrooms are low in calories and high in vegetable proteins, chitin, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins & minerals. Hands up for mushrooms as a insomnia herbal remedy!

Extracts of (St John's wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. St John's wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants us as an insomnia herbal remedy. Researchers in Europe have studied St John's Wort for decades. They discovered a combination of elements in the plant, foremost of which is "hypericin", react with specific chemicals in the brain to temper emotional discomfort, lift depression, and calm the nerves. Working very much like the common synthetic prescription antidepressants (maprotiline hydrochloride and imipramine) and again a wonderful insomnia herbal remedy.

Yohimbe is a popular herb originally from South Africa and known worldwide as an excellent aphrodisiac. Traditionally yohimbe bark has been used to treat fevers, coughs, and leprosy. Often yohimbe tea was taken by warriors in preparation for battle. Yohimbe supplementation was also taken during fertility celebrations, mating and marriage rituals. It has been used as a topical anesthetic, and a hallucinogen when smoked.!! Yohimbe's most common, modern use is as a tonic and as a insomnia herbal remedy

Yohimbe is also known to reduce anxiety, elevate mood, and prevent heart attacks. Because it stimulates the central nervous system, it has been used to treat narcolepsy and weight loss, and has other positive effects on overall health such as a insomnia herbal remedy!

And we are out of space already just as the herbal remedies for insomnia have got into the swing of things. I hope I've given you a taster and will return to this theme in a further article.

Sleep Well

Philip Jubb

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Philip Jubb

THE Insomnia Solution

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Insomnia solution

2009-08-24T09:08:00.001-07:00

Insomnia solution

By: Philip Jubb

An insomnia cure. Hmm... Before we go for a cure it may be a good idea to try and know our enemy. What are our signs and symptons. What type of Insomnia do we have. Perhaps a working definition would be helpful.

The experts seem to agree that something along these lines would suit.

"Insomnia" is any episode of unrefreshing sleep, difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, or waking up too early in the morning and not being able to drop back off. Women and the elderly seem to be the most frequent sufferers. We can divide these episodes into three collective groups and label them Short-term Transient or Chronic.

A quick explanation of these three would be as follows;

Transient, a simple disturbance in sleeping patterns. A short illness, a sudden change in lifestyle, stress, isomething that leads to a short term change

Short-term insomnia is is less fun. It lastsfor about 2-3 weeks. Causes could be something like a new job, divorce, serious illness, financial problems, or a family berevement.

Chronic as the name suggests is the real thing. Chronic insomnia is the rarest and most serious type, with Insomnia lasting longer than a few weeks. I've just been reading a learned article that says Chronic Insomnia is fairly rare. That may be so but if 10 percent of the US population suffers from it thats over 20 Million people leading a life of misery.

While it would be nice to blame insomnia on things outside our control , many cases of insomnia are self inflicted by such things as caffeine, smoking, poor eating habits, alcohol and lack of exercise.

Caffeine is one the most widely blamed causes of insomnia. An ingredient in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate, and some medications, caffeine is a stimulant . We insomniacs DO NOT NEED stimulants. Quite the reverse. Insomnia solution number one - Cut out the caffine.

Alcohol is often reccomended as a nightcap. Forget it. Thats only beacuse your Doctor drinks it. Alcohol actually lightens and fragments sleep, causing you to wake up as your body metabolizes it. You may think you're in a deep sleep, but your not getting the deep sleep that Insomniacs need for a cure. Insomnia solution number two - No Alcohol with a couple or four hours of bedtime.

Eating. Yes, I know I can't ban you from eating but I can jump on the slimmers bandwaggon. Eat a light last meal a couple of hours before going to bed. Avoid spicy and fatty foods that cause indigestion. Lets hear it for MILK. Milk has an amino acid that the body converts to a sleep-enhancing compound in the brain. Calcium is a natural relaxing agent along with several other vitamins such as the B vitamins and magnesium. Have a look at the bottom of the page for details on how to find others. If you get hungry at night, have a light snack before bedtime. Some foods are helpful and actually promote production of melatonin, a hormone associated sleep. Try cheese, soy nuts, chicken, pumpkinseeds, and turkey. High-carbohydrate foods such as bread act upon another hormone, serotonin, which helps to reduce anxiety and contribute toan insomnia solution. Insomnia solution no three. Be careful what you eat.

Nicotine products are universally bad for you. For the Insomniac nicotine has to go. It's a stimulant that increases blood pressure, speeds up the heart rate, and stimulates brain activity. Insomniacs do not need increased blood pressure, a fast heart rate and a stimulant. Insomnia solution number four. No more ciggies!

Regular exercise is good in fact its excellent, (here comes the but) but, not just before bed. If you work out too close to bedtime, the increase in your heart rate and metabolism will make your body too excitable to sleep. Exercise earlier in the day and give the body a chance to produce that warm rosy glow and relax as the body reacts by producing melatonin to take your temperature down to normal. Exercise for an insomnia solution!

Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Experiment with what works best for you. Choose a position conducive to sleep. If your partner is the source of your insomnia consider a change of rooms for a while. Get rid of the alarm clock . It only acts as a stressful reminder that you aren't sleeping.

Control the amount of light in your bedroom. Excessive brightness not only affects your eyes, but it also influences the hormone production that helps to establish a healthy sleep cycle. Wear a sleep mask if necessary. Dark is usually good for an insomnia solution.

When it comes to noise, many people find repetitive sounds easier to sleep through than intermittent and abrupt ones. Ear plugs or a continuous background sound such as a fan can help mask disturbing noise (the next- door neighbors barking dog in my case). Consider is a white noise machine.

Control the thermostat. Temperature extremes, whether too hot or too cold, are no fun for the light sleeper. Cool is usually good for an insomnia solution.

Hope some of these help. Drop us a line and let us know,

Sleep well.

Philip

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Philip Jubb

THE Insomnia Solution

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