Cleaning with Aromatherapy.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Use in a vapouriser to repel or kill insects
Blend with Lemon and lavender Essential oils to create an invigorating air freshener
Use directly on stubborn stains such as sticky gum residue from price stickers
Lavender Essential Oil
When vapourised, makes an effective insect repellent
Wipe all internal cupboard surfaces with Lavender to deter moths and silverfish and act as a natural disinfectant
Combine 1 tablespoon of Lavender essential oil with 1 litre of water in a spray bottle to mist over carpets to quickly dispatch fleas
Wipe window frames and doorframes with Lavender to keep flies, moths and mosquitoes and ants away
Add a few drops of lavender to your final rinse when washing clothes
Lemon Essential Oil
Use in a vapouriser to remove strong cooking odours
Mix Lemon together with vinegar and water to clean window and glass
Add 1 drop of lemon to a warm water when washing out the fridge, freezer of oven for a natural deodoriser
Use I drop of lemon directly on a cloth when wiping down work surfaces, cupboards, sinks and tiles
Peppermint Essential Oil
Use a trail of Peppermint essential oil where ants appear, they detest the smell or if the surface is painted, put the oil on a cotton wool ball and place in an appropriate corner.
Use a few drops of peppermint essential oil in warm water to rinse out rubbish bins around the home, for a pleasant and anti bacterial aroma.
Clean Kitchen Bench: 8 drops of Lavender Essential oil, 10 drops of Lemon Essential oil, 5 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil. Keep in a dark bottle, stored away form light and heat. Great disinfectant and anti-bacterial and leaves a beautiful aroma. Use it diluted in water for all kitchen surfaces, including the floor, or just spray all around for a fresh clean kitchen
Window Cleaner: 100ml colourless vinegar, 100 ml water and 5 drops of Lemon Essential oil. Mix the water and vinegar in a mist bottle, add the Lemon oil. Spray the windows or glass with a fine mist then polish with a soft dry cloth.
Refreshing Spring Vapouriser blend: To help you get through those spring cleaning chores, vapourise the following blend in your oil vapouriser. 2 drop Eucalyptus Essential oil, 1 drop peppermint Essential oil, and 3 drops of lemon Essential oil
Skin cleansing for Spring:
Here some simple, natural, low cost and homemade cleaners, scrubs and masks. To make your own face/body scrub, try this ground some almonds or apricot kernels, mix with honey and your face cream). For a great masque to draw out impurities try mixing dry yeast with witch hazel and a couple of drops of peppermint extract or oil. Witch Hazel is a great natural toner. Almond oil or Apricot kernel oil can be used as gentle cleansers for your face as well as massage or adding to your bath to moisturise the skin.
Now, inside our bodies could do with a Spring Clean too. The best place and most important place to start is with the colon. Visit your Naturopath or local Health Food Store and ask for a quality fibre blend. This will aid in bowel regularity, scouring the intestinal walls, and ridding the body of toxins.
Acid foods
Some foods can cause the nerves to fire off and other foods help calm down the nervous system. You probably know of someone who is always fidgety, talks and thinks faster than most other s. They seem to try and get 16 things done at once and although they do get some done they often take on too much. They sleep on the edge of sleep and wake feeling unrefreshed. The speed at which they go and the stamina they seem to have can make you feel tired just watching them and in fact they get cranky because you’re too slow at the job. These people have a high level of acidity in the tissues of the body.
The pH of the blood has a very small range and the body will adjust it by buffering any change. But which foods affects the blood level is quite different from what you may expect through your taste buds.
A Pineapple taste acidic to the tongue and when it hits an empty stomach some people can really feel it burning. It digests and is taken by the blood to the cell, the cell takes the energy form the pineapple and throws the rubbish back into the bloodstream. Surprisingly the waste of pineapple is alkaline. On the other hand meat or porridge or cheese creates an acidic waste. In fact neatly all fruit and vegies have an alkaline effect and almost everything else has an acid effect. The problems come when the acid forming foods dominate the diet.
So check what you eat. If you have cereal, toast and coffee for breakfast, it’s all acid forming. A sandwich for lunch is a hoax for the body. Would you really be full on just the salad that is in between the 2 slices of bread? The bread is a filler, offers little nutrition and is acid-forming. Add a muesli bar or the like and at least 60% of lunch is acid. Look at the snacks you eat. Anything out of a package is acid-forming. Ideally we need 80% of what we eat to be fruit and veg and only 20% being everything else.
Start the day with vegetable juice such as carrots, beetroot and added barley grass powder. Make sure you daily diet includes 2 pieces of fruit. Have salad for lunch with a small amount of nuts or meat or soup with wholegrain or legumes. For dinner aim for vegies being 80% of all you eat. Do this and you will feel calmer and brighter, sleep better and have a lot more energy.
04 October 2006
12 May 2006
Coconut Oil, the healthy “fat”
Would you believe a fat that speeds up metabolism, helping weight loss, banishes infections and reduces heart disease and a whole lot more?
Before World War II, the use of coconut oil was popular for cooking and an ingredient for other food products. During the war, and long after, supplies of coconut oil was cut off, so manufacturers in the US developed alternatives sources of cooking oil – polyunsaturated oil. So much money had been poured into the production and promotion of these oils that they weren’t about to turn their back on them. These oils were soon promoted as being a healthy alternative to the more traditional “saturated fats” of butter and coconut oil. As happens time and time again, the mighty dollar and the all important profit win out. The poor nations who produce the coconut oil, simply couldn’t afford (and still can’t) to combat the publicity by the big multi-national companies.
The numerous health benefits of coconut oil are finally again becoming well-known.
Benefits like:
Reducing your risk of heart disease, reducing cholesterol,
Promoting weight loss when and if you need it
Supporting your immune system health
Reducing your risk of cancer and degenerative diseases
Supporting a healthy metabolism
Providing an immediate energy source for you
Helping to keep your skin healthy and prevent age-related damage
Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland
Preventing infections due to harmful bacteria, viruses, yeasts and other micro-organisms.
Coconut oil is a stable oil which is not damage by heat, like other oils. Unsaturated oils are prone to damage when heated and it is these that are primarily involved in heart disease, not the saturated fats. In countries where they have a coconut-based diet they rarely have heart disease.
The unique health benefits of coconut oil are directly related to its chemical structure, or more precisely, the length of its fatty acid chains.
Vegetable or seeds oils have long chain fatty acids, which are
are difficult for the body to break down -- they must be packaged with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and require special enzymes for digestion;
put more strain on the pancreas, the liver and the entire digestive system
are predominantly stored in the body as fat.
can be deposited within arteries in lipid forms such as cholesterol.
Coconut oil has medium-chain fatty acids which are healthier, because:
they are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body.
are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic problems.
are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat.
in coconut oil can actually stimulate your body's metabolism, leading to weight loss.
One of the best benefits of coconut oil lies in its ability to stimulate your metabolism. In the l940s, farmers attempted to use cheap coconut oil for fattening their animals, but they found that it made them lean, active and hungry. Animals which ate just a little pure unsaturated oil were fat, and animals which ate a lot of coconut oil were lean. Interesting!
So, by changing the fats in your diet from the unsaturated long-chain fatty acids found in vegetable or seed oils to the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil, you may find yourself gradually losing those unnecessary kilos with little or no effort.
Coconut oil has often been compared to carbohydrates in its ability to be "burned" for energy. However, since insulin is not involved in the process of digesting the coconut oil, you won't get those carb-related spikes in your blood sugar level. This is especially good news for those of you with diabetes or other blood sugar issues.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that, due to its metabolic effect, coconut oil increases the activity of the thyroid. Good news for those with a sluggish thyroid preventing them from losing weight.
There are other advantages to boosting your metabolic rate. The healing process accelerates. Cell regeneration increases to replace old, worn-out or damaged cells. And your immune system functions better overall.
Coconut milk contains the same compound that is in breast milk, lauric acid.
Lauric acid transforms when consumed into a substance called monolaurin, the actual compound responsible for fighting numerous types of infections. A lot of research has been done on the ability of lauric acid to fight dangerous micro-organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, parasites and moulds. Researchers found that this medium-chain fatty acid derivative actually disrupts the lipid (or fatty) membranes of the offending organisms.
Numerous studies have also indicated that many viruses are inactivated by medium-chain fats -- viruses like influenza, measles, HIV, herpes and cytomegalovirus.
Bacteria like strep and staph, gonorrhoea, helicobacter pylori, salmonella and clostridium botulinum. Also other "badies" like the yeast Candida, and the ringworm fungus.
The medium chain fats in coconut oil are so nutritious that they have been used in baby formulas, and in hospitals to feed the critically ill, those on tube feeding, and those with digestive problems.
Coconut oil is exceptionally helpful for pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly, those with digestive problems or metabolic diseases like diabetes, athletes, those who are fighting infectious or chronic degenerative diseases, those with thyroid disease, and those of you who just want to prevent disease.
Here are a few things you can do with coconut oil:
• Whenever you fry, stir-fry or sauté veggies, eggs, poultry, fish or whatever, use coconut oil for a healthy light flavour
• Toss some coconut oil into your smoothies or juiced drinks for a burst of lauric acid
• Make your own mayonnaise with coconut oil
• Use it on your salads for a tropical flair
Coconut oil is not just for cooking & eating, it’s good for the skin too!
Coconut oil is ideal for skin care. It prevents the formation of destructive free radicals, and can prevent your skin from developing skin blemishes caused by aging and overexposure to sunlight. It is ideal to use as a massage oil or in place of other lotions and creams.
So please, before you cook with oil again, don't pass up this way to improve your health by making one simple change in your diet.
Before World War II, the use of coconut oil was popular for cooking and an ingredient for other food products. During the war, and long after, supplies of coconut oil was cut off, so manufacturers in the US developed alternatives sources of cooking oil – polyunsaturated oil. So much money had been poured into the production and promotion of these oils that they weren’t about to turn their back on them. These oils were soon promoted as being a healthy alternative to the more traditional “saturated fats” of butter and coconut oil. As happens time and time again, the mighty dollar and the all important profit win out. The poor nations who produce the coconut oil, simply couldn’t afford (and still can’t) to combat the publicity by the big multi-national companies.
The numerous health benefits of coconut oil are finally again becoming well-known.
Benefits like:
Reducing your risk of heart disease, reducing cholesterol,
Promoting weight loss when and if you need it
Supporting your immune system health
Reducing your risk of cancer and degenerative diseases
Supporting a healthy metabolism
Providing an immediate energy source for you
Helping to keep your skin healthy and prevent age-related damage
Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland
Preventing infections due to harmful bacteria, viruses, yeasts and other micro-organisms.
Coconut oil is a stable oil which is not damage by heat, like other oils. Unsaturated oils are prone to damage when heated and it is these that are primarily involved in heart disease, not the saturated fats. In countries where they have a coconut-based diet they rarely have heart disease.
The unique health benefits of coconut oil are directly related to its chemical structure, or more precisely, the length of its fatty acid chains.
Vegetable or seeds oils have long chain fatty acids, which are
are difficult for the body to break down -- they must be packaged with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and require special enzymes for digestion;
put more strain on the pancreas, the liver and the entire digestive system
are predominantly stored in the body as fat.
can be deposited within arteries in lipid forms such as cholesterol.
Coconut oil has medium-chain fatty acids which are healthier, because:
they are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body.
are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic problems.
are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat.
in coconut oil can actually stimulate your body's metabolism, leading to weight loss.
One of the best benefits of coconut oil lies in its ability to stimulate your metabolism. In the l940s, farmers attempted to use cheap coconut oil for fattening their animals, but they found that it made them lean, active and hungry. Animals which ate just a little pure unsaturated oil were fat, and animals which ate a lot of coconut oil were lean. Interesting!
So, by changing the fats in your diet from the unsaturated long-chain fatty acids found in vegetable or seed oils to the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil, you may find yourself gradually losing those unnecessary kilos with little or no effort.
Coconut oil has often been compared to carbohydrates in its ability to be "burned" for energy. However, since insulin is not involved in the process of digesting the coconut oil, you won't get those carb-related spikes in your blood sugar level. This is especially good news for those of you with diabetes or other blood sugar issues.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that, due to its metabolic effect, coconut oil increases the activity of the thyroid. Good news for those with a sluggish thyroid preventing them from losing weight.
There are other advantages to boosting your metabolic rate. The healing process accelerates. Cell regeneration increases to replace old, worn-out or damaged cells. And your immune system functions better overall.
Coconut milk contains the same compound that is in breast milk, lauric acid.
Lauric acid transforms when consumed into a substance called monolaurin, the actual compound responsible for fighting numerous types of infections. A lot of research has been done on the ability of lauric acid to fight dangerous micro-organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, parasites and moulds. Researchers found that this medium-chain fatty acid derivative actually disrupts the lipid (or fatty) membranes of the offending organisms.
Numerous studies have also indicated that many viruses are inactivated by medium-chain fats -- viruses like influenza, measles, HIV, herpes and cytomegalovirus.
Bacteria like strep and staph, gonorrhoea, helicobacter pylori, salmonella and clostridium botulinum. Also other "badies" like the yeast Candida, and the ringworm fungus.
The medium chain fats in coconut oil are so nutritious that they have been used in baby formulas, and in hospitals to feed the critically ill, those on tube feeding, and those with digestive problems.
Coconut oil is exceptionally helpful for pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly, those with digestive problems or metabolic diseases like diabetes, athletes, those who are fighting infectious or chronic degenerative diseases, those with thyroid disease, and those of you who just want to prevent disease.
Here are a few things you can do with coconut oil:
• Whenever you fry, stir-fry or sauté veggies, eggs, poultry, fish or whatever, use coconut oil for a healthy light flavour
• Toss some coconut oil into your smoothies or juiced drinks for a burst of lauric acid
• Make your own mayonnaise with coconut oil
• Use it on your salads for a tropical flair
Coconut oil is not just for cooking & eating, it’s good for the skin too!
Coconut oil is ideal for skin care. It prevents the formation of destructive free radicals, and can prevent your skin from developing skin blemishes caused by aging and overexposure to sunlight. It is ideal to use as a massage oil or in place of other lotions and creams.
So please, before you cook with oil again, don't pass up this way to improve your health by making one simple change in your diet.
01 May 2006
Sleep Naturally
Tossing and turning all night? The clock is ticking over; minute after minute, hour after hour, but you just can't sleep. The only thing worse, is the feeling of being totally zonked the next day. Insomnia is a problem that affects most people at some time during their lives. It has many different causes and many different ways of being expressed. For some, it may be a case of a few restless nights or a lifetime of poor sleep. Sleep is an important part of our lives allowing us to regain strength, heal and grow. So when it is disturbed for any reason it can seriously affect our lives.
There is a large variation in the amount of sleep needed. Some only need a few hours sleep, while others may need up to 10 hours to feel refreshed. Insomnia is the condition where a person feels as if they are not getting adequate sleep on a regular basis. Their sleep is non-refreshing and their ability to function normally on a daily basis is affected.
Sleep patterns are different with different people, as too is the patterns for insomniacs. Some may fall asleep easily, but wake during the night and not be able to return to sleep. Others may lay awake for hours before being able to drift off to sleep. Some people wake hundreds of times during the night, without realising it. It has been found through electrical monitoring of insomniacs, while they sleep, that they don not change sleep stages very often. Normal sleep requires many stages and insomniacs may not reach the deep sleep known as 'REM'.
If you are suffering from sleep problems, it could be related to many different causes. A whole lifestyle check needs to be done. Are you eating right? Heavy meals in the evening can certainly affect sleep. Are you getting enough exercise and fresh air? One of the biggest issues with sleep problems is stress. What is happening in your life that is playing on your mind?
Have a look through the following suggestions; there may be something that will help you. Most importantly, try not to be worried about not sleeping. Go to bed with the thoughts of a good nights rest, relax and sleep well
Suggestions to help you improve your sleep
* Try to get some regular exercise and fresh air.
* Allow time to relax before going to bed.
* Take up some form of meditation; if you find this difficult a class may help. Deep breathing techniques can also be helpful.
* Try reading before bedtime. Stick to something light and easy, maybe even boring, don’t read anything too exciting. Watching a stimulating television program should also be avoided. * Develop a regular bedtime relaxation routine. Try keeping your bedtime and getting up time regular.
* Relaxing in a warm bath or even a warm shower can be helpful.
* Make sure your bed and pillow are comfortable for you, not too hard or soft.
* If light or noise is a problem, use earplugs or eye-mask.
* Make sure you are warm enough, but not too hot and that the room is well ventilated.
* Try a warm drink before bed, such as a warm milk or chamomile tea.
* Keep a pen and paper beside your bed. If you have a lot of things on your mind, write them all down, if they are preventing you from sleeping. Similarly if you wake up and start to think about something, write it down and then you can forget it, until a more suitable time.
* Listen to relaxation music while preparing yourself for sleep.
* Put the clock out of sight, it doesn’t help to have a constant reminder of how long you’ve been awake.
* When you go to bed try some relaxation techniques. Relax your muscles individually and imagine yourself in a peaceful setting.
* Don’t take any stimulants in the evening. These include tea, coffee, cola and chocolate drinks, smoking and alcohol.
* It is best not to eat too close to going to bed and allow at least three ours to digest your evening meal before going to bed.
* If you are having difficulty sleeping, get up and do something
There is a large variation in the amount of sleep needed. Some only need a few hours sleep, while others may need up to 10 hours to feel refreshed. Insomnia is the condition where a person feels as if they are not getting adequate sleep on a regular basis. Their sleep is non-refreshing and their ability to function normally on a daily basis is affected.
Sleep patterns are different with different people, as too is the patterns for insomniacs. Some may fall asleep easily, but wake during the night and not be able to return to sleep. Others may lay awake for hours before being able to drift off to sleep. Some people wake hundreds of times during the night, without realising it. It has been found through electrical monitoring of insomniacs, while they sleep, that they don not change sleep stages very often. Normal sleep requires many stages and insomniacs may not reach the deep sleep known as 'REM'.
If you are suffering from sleep problems, it could be related to many different causes. A whole lifestyle check needs to be done. Are you eating right? Heavy meals in the evening can certainly affect sleep. Are you getting enough exercise and fresh air? One of the biggest issues with sleep problems is stress. What is happening in your life that is playing on your mind?
Have a look through the following suggestions; there may be something that will help you. Most importantly, try not to be worried about not sleeping. Go to bed with the thoughts of a good nights rest, relax and sleep well
Suggestions to help you improve your sleep
* Try to get some regular exercise and fresh air.
* Allow time to relax before going to bed.
* Take up some form of meditation; if you find this difficult a class may help. Deep breathing techniques can also be helpful.
* Try reading before bedtime. Stick to something light and easy, maybe even boring, don’t read anything too exciting. Watching a stimulating television program should also be avoided. * Develop a regular bedtime relaxation routine. Try keeping your bedtime and getting up time regular.
* Relaxing in a warm bath or even a warm shower can be helpful.
* Make sure your bed and pillow are comfortable for you, not too hard or soft.
* If light or noise is a problem, use earplugs or eye-mask.
* Make sure you are warm enough, but not too hot and that the room is well ventilated.
* Try a warm drink before bed, such as a warm milk or chamomile tea.
* Keep a pen and paper beside your bed. If you have a lot of things on your mind, write them all down, if they are preventing you from sleeping. Similarly if you wake up and start to think about something, write it down and then you can forget it, until a more suitable time.
* Listen to relaxation music while preparing yourself for sleep.
* Put the clock out of sight, it doesn’t help to have a constant reminder of how long you’ve been awake.
* When you go to bed try some relaxation techniques. Relax your muscles individually and imagine yourself in a peaceful setting.
* Don’t take any stimulants in the evening. These include tea, coffee, cola and chocolate drinks, smoking and alcohol.
* It is best not to eat too close to going to bed and allow at least three ours to digest your evening meal before going to bed.
* If you are having difficulty sleeping, get up and do something
04 April 2006
Diabetes!!
Now this is a big problem in a society. More and more people are being diagnosed with this insidious disease. This is not something to be taken lightly at all. It is the leading cause of kidney failure, limb amputations and new blindness in adults. It also contributes to heart disease and stroke.
It is easy to be a bit ho-hum about diabetes, as so many people now have it and they seem to mange quite alright. But it is a serious health problem that you are best to avoid.
If you have any family history of diabetes you need to be aware of this and keep it in the back of you mind. Don’t be complacent about. Avoiding diabetes is a case of keeping yourself fit and healthy. Studies have proven that regular exercise and a healthy diet will reduce your risk of contracting this by around 60%.
Exercising 3-5 times a week is a good goal. As we get older we do become a bit complacent about exercising. But we have to consider it a necessary part of life, just as we get up in the morning, have a shower, brush our teeth, we have to exercise. It has to become part of our daily routine.
A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables is a good basis for everyone. Of course that is not enough, but that needs to be the basis on what we eat. Think fruit and veg first, and then add to that, not the other way round. Fruit is an ideal way to satisfy that sweet tooth. Forget about the artificial sweeteners, you wouldn’t believe the long list of health problems they can cause. (If you feel you really need a sweetener, try Xylitol or Stevia, they are natural and actually have some health benefits. Research indicates that Stevia effectively regulates blood sugar and brings it toward a normal balance.)
Still have an insatiable desire for sweets?
There is an herb called Gymnema sylvestre that can really help eliminate your taste for sweets. (Email me for more info.) It also lowers fasting blood glucose levels and helps improve the health of the pancreas.
EFT offers helps for dealing with sugar cravings, click to learn more.
Now I’ve discussed before all the wonderful health properties of Essential Fatty Acids for just about everything. Here they seem to be important as well. It was noted that although Eskimos are essentially, to our standards, obese, these people do not suffer from heart disease or diabetes. Although their diet may be low in fresh fruit and veg, it is extremely high in Essential fatty acids, which they get from all the fish they eat. Studies have backed this up. It appears that the EFA’s work by improving sensitivity of insulin receptors.
There also appears to be some link between reduced insulin production and Alzheimer’s. Diabetes increases your risk of Alzheimer’s by 65%.
Now, I don’t want to freak people with diabetes out, but this is something that you must take very seriously. You must take care of your self. Don’t mess with this. There is a tendency for those on diabetes medication to use this to “prop” up their bad diet. If they eat some sugar laden food and their “sugars” go through the roof, they just take more medication. This is not good. If this is done of a regular basis, the situation is just going to get worse. The medication pushes the already struggling pancreas to produce more insulin. There is a limit to what it can do and eventually all the medication in the world won’t work. Please concentrate on keeping your condition under control with a good quality diet rich in healthy foods.
So, to summarise what you need to keep in mind, nutritionally:
Avoid simple sugars, refined carbohydrates, soft drinks, cordials, and milk products.
Avoid saturated fats and deep fried foods. Use good quality oils that are high in Omegas.
Increase foods such as oats, okra, mussels. Eat fish regularly e.g., cod, tuna, salmon, sardines.
Avoid nitrates which have been added to meats and sausages.
Pancreatic enzymes can help, or a dose of vinegar a day has been shown to be effective (make it into a salad dressing with a good quality oil, add some herbs and spices and Yummy!)
Chromium can be of benefit, so add foods such as brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, fruit s and vegies, esp. broccoli
Avoiding diabetes or keeping it under control should not be a battle. It’s about developing a sensible eating and exercise plan and sticking to it.
It is easy to be a bit ho-hum about diabetes, as so many people now have it and they seem to mange quite alright. But it is a serious health problem that you are best to avoid.
If you have any family history of diabetes you need to be aware of this and keep it in the back of you mind. Don’t be complacent about. Avoiding diabetes is a case of keeping yourself fit and healthy. Studies have proven that regular exercise and a healthy diet will reduce your risk of contracting this by around 60%.
Exercising 3-5 times a week is a good goal. As we get older we do become a bit complacent about exercising. But we have to consider it a necessary part of life, just as we get up in the morning, have a shower, brush our teeth, we have to exercise. It has to become part of our daily routine.
A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables is a good basis for everyone. Of course that is not enough, but that needs to be the basis on what we eat. Think fruit and veg first, and then add to that, not the other way round. Fruit is an ideal way to satisfy that sweet tooth. Forget about the artificial sweeteners, you wouldn’t believe the long list of health problems they can cause. (If you feel you really need a sweetener, try Xylitol or Stevia, they are natural and actually have some health benefits. Research indicates that Stevia effectively regulates blood sugar and brings it toward a normal balance.)
Still have an insatiable desire for sweets?
There is an herb called Gymnema sylvestre that can really help eliminate your taste for sweets. (Email me for more info.) It also lowers fasting blood glucose levels and helps improve the health of the pancreas.
EFT offers helps for dealing with sugar cravings, click to learn more.
Now I’ve discussed before all the wonderful health properties of Essential Fatty Acids for just about everything. Here they seem to be important as well. It was noted that although Eskimos are essentially, to our standards, obese, these people do not suffer from heart disease or diabetes. Although their diet may be low in fresh fruit and veg, it is extremely high in Essential fatty acids, which they get from all the fish they eat. Studies have backed this up. It appears that the EFA’s work by improving sensitivity of insulin receptors.
There also appears to be some link between reduced insulin production and Alzheimer’s. Diabetes increases your risk of Alzheimer’s by 65%.
Now, I don’t want to freak people with diabetes out, but this is something that you must take very seriously. You must take care of your self. Don’t mess with this. There is a tendency for those on diabetes medication to use this to “prop” up their bad diet. If they eat some sugar laden food and their “sugars” go through the roof, they just take more medication. This is not good. If this is done of a regular basis, the situation is just going to get worse. The medication pushes the already struggling pancreas to produce more insulin. There is a limit to what it can do and eventually all the medication in the world won’t work. Please concentrate on keeping your condition under control with a good quality diet rich in healthy foods.
So, to summarise what you need to keep in mind, nutritionally:
Avoid simple sugars, refined carbohydrates, soft drinks, cordials, and milk products.
Avoid saturated fats and deep fried foods. Use good quality oils that are high in Omegas.
Increase foods such as oats, okra, mussels. Eat fish regularly e.g., cod, tuna, salmon, sardines.
Avoid nitrates which have been added to meats and sausages.
Pancreatic enzymes can help, or a dose of vinegar a day has been shown to be effective (make it into a salad dressing with a good quality oil, add some herbs and spices and Yummy!)
Chromium can be of benefit, so add foods such as brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, fruit s and vegies, esp. broccoli
Avoiding diabetes or keeping it under control should not be a battle. It’s about developing a sensible eating and exercise plan and sticking to it.
09 March 2006
Let the Leaves Fall
As autumn gently rolls in I can’t help being remind that life is constantly changing. I suppose that is the way we like it. Life would get boring if it didn’t. No 2 days are a like, everyday something new and different.
Autumn is a time of introspection. It’s the time to find balance in our lives. Like the trees letting go of their leaves, it is time to let go of things that no longer serve us, of the things that aren’t working in our lives. Of course there are always some things that we just don’t want to let go of, but when the time comes, you just have to do it. Letting go, can free you up to new experiences. As they say as one door closes another opens. It is so easy to bog our lives down with what is past. The past we can’t change. So many people are hanging on to past hurts, past traumas, past longings. Besides not allowing you self to grow from the experience and open you life up to a state of joy and peace, it can also lead to physical symptoms and serious illnesses.
More and more it is becoming accepted that illness is brought on by emotional traumas and pent up anger and stress. No matter how many treatments you try, sometimes the conditions or illness keeps coming back. This is because the real “issues” have not been dealt with.
I’d like to introduce you to a method, which applies to just about every emotional and physical issue you can name and often works where nothing else will. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
Based on impressive new discoveries involving the body's subtle energies, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has been clinically effective in thousands of cases for Trauma & Abuse, Stress & Anxiety, Fears & Phobias, Depression, Addictive Cravings, Children's Issues and hundreds of physical symptoms including headaches, body pains and breathing difficulties. Properly applied, over 80% achieve either noticeable improvement or complete cessation of the problem.
...Often works where nothing else will
....Usually rapid, long lasting and gentle
....No drugs or equipment involved
....Easily learned by anyone
....Can be self applied.
Take a look at this method, it is very simple to use and may be just what you have been looking for. Even better still, you can download a free manual which will teach you to use this technique yourself. It really is so simple young children can do it. Do it now while it is fresh on your mind – you will be glad you did. Emotional Freedom Techniques
Autumn is a time of introspection. It’s the time to find balance in our lives. Like the trees letting go of their leaves, it is time to let go of things that no longer serve us, of the things that aren’t working in our lives. Of course there are always some things that we just don’t want to let go of, but when the time comes, you just have to do it. Letting go, can free you up to new experiences. As they say as one door closes another opens. It is so easy to bog our lives down with what is past. The past we can’t change. So many people are hanging on to past hurts, past traumas, past longings. Besides not allowing you self to grow from the experience and open you life up to a state of joy and peace, it can also lead to physical symptoms and serious illnesses.
More and more it is becoming accepted that illness is brought on by emotional traumas and pent up anger and stress. No matter how many treatments you try, sometimes the conditions or illness keeps coming back. This is because the real “issues” have not been dealt with.
I’d like to introduce you to a method, which applies to just about every emotional and physical issue you can name and often works where nothing else will. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
Based on impressive new discoveries involving the body's subtle energies, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has been clinically effective in thousands of cases for Trauma & Abuse, Stress & Anxiety, Fears & Phobias, Depression, Addictive Cravings, Children's Issues and hundreds of physical symptoms including headaches, body pains and breathing difficulties. Properly applied, over 80% achieve either noticeable improvement or complete cessation of the problem.
...Often works where nothing else will
....Usually rapid, long lasting and gentle
....No drugs or equipment involved
....Easily learned by anyone
....Can be self applied.
Take a look at this method, it is very simple to use and may be just what you have been looking for. Even better still, you can download a free manual which will teach you to use this technique yourself. It really is so simple young children can do it. Do it now while it is fresh on your mind – you will be glad you did. Emotional Freedom Techniques
06 March 2006
Avoiding Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract Infections (Cystitis) is a common health problem, which about 20% of all women will experience sometimes in their lives. Men can also suffer from it, but to a far less degree however the risk increases with age for them.
UTI’s are caused when bacteria enter the urinary tract and once inside, the bacteria thrive in the warm, moist environment. The bacteria eventually affect the urine production and the function of the bladder, resulting in sometimes extremely painful as well as frequent urination. Other symptoms include: back pain; blood in the urine; cloudy urine; inability to urinate, despite the urge; fever; and a general feeling of being unwell. If there is presence of fever, chills & low back pain it may indicate that the kidneys are also involved, so get it checked out.
So, if you feel any sign of infection coming on, what can you do to combat it? If you get in early, you have a good chance of fighting it off.
To start with I repeat what you’ve heard so many times before: “Drink 8 glasses of water a day”, to help prevent UTI’s. This helps to flush out bacteria (and keeps just about everything in your body working properly). At the first sign that you may have an infection coming on, increase your water in take, by another 4 glasses a day. (Around 3 litres a day).
Keeping your immune system healthy is important. An increased dosage of Vitamin C can be helpful. Keep up a higher dose for a few days after the symptoms have gone, then gradually reduce over a couple of weeks.
Garlic is a great immune booster and fights of bacterial infections. Add it and onion to your diet.
Cranberry juice is a great treatment for UTI’s in around 73% of cases. It reduces the ability of bacteria to stick to lining of bladder & urethra. If it won’t stick, it will be washed away. (Sweetened cranberry juice is not recommended as sugar can be harmful to the immune system.) The recommended amount is about 2 glasses. (470 ml) A glass of cranberry juice daily has been shown to decrease the recurrence of UTI’s, so if you’re prone to these, it can be very helpful for you to make this apart of your day. Cranberry juice is also available in capsules. We have a great one on our site AIM CranVerry. It is an all-natural dried juice concentrate from raw cranberries and contains no added sugars, just the dried juice concentrate.
UTI’s are caused when bacteria enter the urinary tract and once inside, the bacteria thrive in the warm, moist environment. The bacteria eventually affect the urine production and the function of the bladder, resulting in sometimes extremely painful as well as frequent urination. Other symptoms include: back pain; blood in the urine; cloudy urine; inability to urinate, despite the urge; fever; and a general feeling of being unwell. If there is presence of fever, chills & low back pain it may indicate that the kidneys are also involved, so get it checked out.
So, if you feel any sign of infection coming on, what can you do to combat it? If you get in early, you have a good chance of fighting it off.
To start with I repeat what you’ve heard so many times before: “Drink 8 glasses of water a day”, to help prevent UTI’s. This helps to flush out bacteria (and keeps just about everything in your body working properly). At the first sign that you may have an infection coming on, increase your water in take, by another 4 glasses a day. (Around 3 litres a day).
Keeping your immune system healthy is important. An increased dosage of Vitamin C can be helpful. Keep up a higher dose for a few days after the symptoms have gone, then gradually reduce over a couple of weeks.
Garlic is a great immune booster and fights of bacterial infections. Add it and onion to your diet.
Cranberry juice is a great treatment for UTI’s in around 73% of cases. It reduces the ability of bacteria to stick to lining of bladder & urethra. If it won’t stick, it will be washed away. (Sweetened cranberry juice is not recommended as sugar can be harmful to the immune system.) The recommended amount is about 2 glasses. (470 ml) A glass of cranberry juice daily has been shown to decrease the recurrence of UTI’s, so if you’re prone to these, it can be very helpful for you to make this apart of your day. Cranberry juice is also available in capsules. We have a great one on our site AIM CranVerry. It is an all-natural dried juice concentrate from raw cranberries and contains no added sugars, just the dried juice concentrate.
27 February 2006
School Lunches
Well it’s back to school time and the endless battle of the packed lunch begins. I always hated packed lunches and still do, but when you’ve got kids going to school, you have to do it. A healthy nutritious lunch is vital if they are going to get through the day.
It's essential to keep your child's lunch balanced with healthy snacks in order to give your child proper nutrition, and yet still be healthy and tasty.
It's important to pack a lunch that you know they will eat. A good place to start is to ask your child what they would like. Now, let’s not leave this to the last minute. Sit down with your children and plan out some ideas. Grab some recipe books. There are some great little ones available on lunches and healthy snacks. Get some ideas from these on what they like and is practical to pack. Make of list of all the sandwich fillings they like, the fruit that they like. Ideas for some healthy bars, made from dried fruits and seeds or the like. Of course you can buy some of these too, but read the ingredients first, some of them are just laden with sugar and empty calories.
As you know, kids love to have fun. The same goes for their lunches. Try to use your imagination in creating a more appealing lunch. Even just a little touch, such as cutting their sandwiches into different shapes can be more satisfying than a plain piece of bread. Bite-sized pieces of fruits and vegetables, with a tasty, healthy dip makes the healthy stuff much easier and much more fun to eat. You can even create a "build-your-own" kit, where the child can make their own sandwiches. It becomes an opportunity for your child to be free to express themselves and they will actually enjoy their lunch.
Make a week-long lunch plan. Also remind your child not to swap or trade food at school. It defeats the purpose of everything you're working for.
Make sure your child has a suitable lunch box. Especially in the Australian Summer, we can get some very hot days when the kids go back to school. Try to find a box with some sort of insulation. You can freeze some water or fruit juice in a bottle to help keep the lunch cool. Some trial may be needed here, as the condensation from the bottle can cause a soaky lunch How about a small flask? Cold drinks for summer, soups for winter.
The ideas are endless, it just takes a little imagination and planning and your child will be enjoying their school lunches without all the unhealthy snacks.
It's essential to keep your child's lunch balanced with healthy snacks in order to give your child proper nutrition, and yet still be healthy and tasty.
It's important to pack a lunch that you know they will eat. A good place to start is to ask your child what they would like. Now, let’s not leave this to the last minute. Sit down with your children and plan out some ideas. Grab some recipe books. There are some great little ones available on lunches and healthy snacks. Get some ideas from these on what they like and is practical to pack. Make of list of all the sandwich fillings they like, the fruit that they like. Ideas for some healthy bars, made from dried fruits and seeds or the like. Of course you can buy some of these too, but read the ingredients first, some of them are just laden with sugar and empty calories.
As you know, kids love to have fun. The same goes for their lunches. Try to use your imagination in creating a more appealing lunch. Even just a little touch, such as cutting their sandwiches into different shapes can be more satisfying than a plain piece of bread. Bite-sized pieces of fruits and vegetables, with a tasty, healthy dip makes the healthy stuff much easier and much more fun to eat. You can even create a "build-your-own" kit, where the child can make their own sandwiches. It becomes an opportunity for your child to be free to express themselves and they will actually enjoy their lunch.
Make a week-long lunch plan. Also remind your child not to swap or trade food at school. It defeats the purpose of everything you're working for.
Make sure your child has a suitable lunch box. Especially in the Australian Summer, we can get some very hot days when the kids go back to school. Try to find a box with some sort of insulation. You can freeze some water or fruit juice in a bottle to help keep the lunch cool. Some trial may be needed here, as the condensation from the bottle can cause a soaky lunch How about a small flask? Cold drinks for summer, soups for winter.
The ideas are endless, it just takes a little imagination and planning and your child will be enjoying their school lunches without all the unhealthy snacks.
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