Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

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A friend of mine recently sent me selections from a blog written by a woman she knows. I went to the blog and was really blown away. Carla is under 50 and she is dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS. She writes,

So, here I am, in a wheelchair, unable to do anything other than talk (with a short of breath slur that makes people ask me to repeat myself a lot), think (which I do so well I can’t get to sleep), listen (which I love except when listening to somebody stupid enough to be stupid but not stupid enough to mock), and love (a renewable resource that grows exponentially as my ability to do everything else diminishes).

I bolded that bit as it surprised and moved me. I read on and on. Read the rest of this entry »

I like neti pots a lot. I’ve been using one or for a couple of years now, and I wouldn’t be without it. But maybe you don’t know what one is, or why you would use it.

A neti pot is a small container that looks a little like a miniature teapot. You put a salt solution in it and stand over the bathroom to irrigate your nostrils and sinuses. I do this with a tissue at the ready in my other hand, to  blow my nose gently afterwards. I breathe through my mouth while doing it.

This process isn’t always the most fun,  but I really do like the results. My nasal allergies are greatly diminished, and I do think I am getting fewer colds. It’s quite common for me to feel like I might be getting a cold, use the neti pot, and not catch the cold. This is not proof, though, as I usually throw vitamin C, garlic, or echinacea at the cold as well.

Here is a neti pot… clicking on the image will take you to its page at Amazon, where you can read more about it. Neti pots come with little instruction leaflets. Read the rest of this entry »

I won’t be getting any kind of flu shot this year — if you are interested in why not, you can go to www.mercola.com and search “flu vaccine exposed.” But I will be taking precautions to keep myself as healthy as possible. Supercharging our immune systems is always a good idea, this year even more than ever. Here are 10 things you can do. Most of them are free, and none are expensive.

1. Wash, wash, wash your hands — specially when you have been around someone who is ill, when you come home from being out, or after you have been handling money. Regular soap is actually better than anti-bacterial, because the anti-bacterial diminishes the number of the friendly bacteria, and you want those! Also, run a nail clipper tip or something under your fingernails. I am not suggesting you develop an obsession but a habit is good.

2. Get enough sleep, even if it means sacrificing some of your evening. Keep in mind that you don’t get as restorative a sleep after consuming any significant amount of alcohol. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been following the story about the relationship between cell phones and brain cancer for some time now, and I have often wondered how widely the story is getting out. There IS a relationship, it’s become quite evident, and the long-term implications are serious.

The Environmental Working Group has  released a free downloadable report in PDF format, titled Cell Phone Radiation: Science Review on Cancer Risks and Children’s Health. It’s at http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/fullreport

I just read it… well, skimmed it. It’s not exactly light reading, but the first sections summarize the findings.  Here is an example of the writing, where I bolded the main point: Read the rest of this entry »

Do you drink enough water? How much is enough, anyway? I’ve been mulling over my own water habits recently, every since I happened to buy a book called Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!, by a doctor who makes a vigorous case for drinking at least two quarts of water a day, or more if you are a large person.

He goes through a variety of his own experiences and those of others. It’s not the kind of book that is loaded with tons of references, but a few are woven into the text. By the time I had finished reading the book, I was not 100% convinced, but I had decided to experiment myself.It’s only been a couple of weeks, and I can’t say I have noticed anything except more peeing and possibly a little more energy. I will continue to evaluate.

I have found this arrangement works for me: I drink a quart of water in the morning before I have anything else to drink, and I start in on the second quart not long after lunch, not having any other beverages till it’s down the hatch. I finish by around 5 or 6. Read the rest of this entry »

When my dentist told me that my gums were a little inflamed and that I should use a mouthwash, I thought of those foul-tasting, vile-colored things you get at most stores. As I’m in Mexico at present, my choice of natural mouthwash products from a health food store was probably nonexistent.

I asked my dentist if there was something more natural I could use, perhaps involving salt. Generally, Mexican medical specialists know more about herbs, homeopathy, and natural remedies than their North American counterparts, and this dentist was no exception.

“Certainly,” he said. “Make a strong manzanilla tea — how do you say that in English?”

“Chamomile,” I said.

“Ah yes.  Make about a liter and add a coffee spoon of salt.”

I tried to think what a coffee spoon would be. “Oh, a teaspoon?”

“Yes, thank you.  Use it 3 times a day till your gums are better, then use it whenever you want.”

So I mixed up a quart of this Mexican natural mouthwash, and it is helping. And it tastes okay.