Lifestyle Choices

While drinking plenty of pure water will help to keep your skin hydrated and facilitate the release of toxins, you can also take advantage of the purifying benefits of water externally through the use of saunas, steams, and special cleansing baths. A daily bath or shower removes surface perspiration and toxins. But you don’t want to dry out your skin or upset the natural protective acid mantle. Use gentle vegetable oil soaps and lather up only where you absolutely need to. A thorough scrubbing with warm water and a loofah or rough washcloth is all you need over most of your body to remove dry skin cells and refresh your skin. Be sure to install a water filter on your shower if your tap water is chlorinated. Your skin and your hair will be much softer and you won’t be absorbing chlorine, which is a potent toxin. (more…)

Go to the seaside to bury yourself under the sand and gather salt. Salt is necessary for the balance, in volume and osmotic pressure, of the extracellular fluids. Everyone must have his daily dose of it. In therapeutic treatment, by strengthening the action of other elements, unrefined sea salt combats a number of deficiencies that cause humoral, glandular, and nervous imbalances.

The natural magnesium contained in sea salt is a precious remedy. Iodine in its natural state acts favorably on the thyroid gland. Bromine soothes the serves without weakening the nervous system. Salt, intermediate between earth and sea water, also contains traces of catalytic elements, such as gold, copper, nickel, and cobalt, as well as particles of clay. It goes very well with treatment by clay. Like clay, it attracts and absorbs sickness and is a pole that attracts substances with negative radiation. (more…)

Bathing should be a pleasant ritual that should treat your mind as well as your body. There are a number of useful prebath techniques and tools. They are important because they can prepare your skin and body for taking the plunge and ensure you get more benefit from bathing.

A Loofah

A dry, rough-textured sea gourd that you soften by wetting it, the loofah is rubbed against the skin to slough off dead cells and to increase circulation. You can buy loofahs in their natural state (about fifteen inches long) or sewn into gloves and bands of terry cloth to be used as scrubbers. (more…)

Moderation is a good general rule of nutrition.

Too little of important nutrients can lead to health problems. Excluding entire food groups can cause problems and is not advised. People who restrict or eliminate meat from the diet must be sure to carefully select other foods to insure a healthy diet. Just as too little food can cause problems, excessive intake of various nutrients can cause problems. More is not always better. Moderation (neither too much nor too little) in choices of foods is advised.

It is not necessary to permanently eliminate foods that you really enjoy, but some of your favorite food may not be among the best of choices. Enjoying special foods on occasion is part of moderation. (more…)

Nobody has perfect skin, not even models and movie stars. Nearly everyone has an occasional blemish. How do you take care of minor skin problems before they become major skin problems?

Zapping Zits and Blemishes

Blackheads are pores that have become clogged with oil or dirt. The “plug” that forms in the pore is called a comedo. When the comedo is exposed to air, it turns dark or black, causing a blackhead. If the plug is under the surface of the skin, and not exposed to air, a whitehead (pimple or “zit”) forms. (more…)

1. Calcium is important for building healthy bones and teeth, and also plays an essential role in nerve and muscle function and blood clotting. It keeps muscles moving smoothly and prevents cramping. Approximately 99 per cent of the calcium in your body is present in the bones, teeth and skeleton; the other 1 per cent is found in and around cells. You will find calcium in milk and milk products; calcium-fortified foods; the bones of fish like sardines and salmon; tofu, spinach and oatmeal.

To build healthy bones and avoid osteoporosis, get plenty of calcium in your diet and also include regular weight- bearing exercise in your lifestyle - especially while you are young. If supplements are needed, drink with a glass of milk, as it will help increase the uptake of calcium. (more…)

Knowing how to read nutrient labels will help you to make better food choices when shopping. Marketing slogans that call a product ‘healthy’ or ‘natural‘ can make a food sound a lot better than the ingredients would merit. When we are too busy we tend to believe what is written on the front of the package, rather than taking the time to read what is on the back. For example, popcorn is considered a great low-fat snack. However, if you buy the microwave or prepared versions, you will find they can be a lot higher in salt and fat than if you buy dried corn and pop it yourself. If advertising can be misleading, let’s have a look at what some of these terms really mean.

A. ‘Lite’ or ‘Light’

This can mean a number of things and not necessarily that the product is lower in kilojoules or fat. Lite potato crisps may be thinly sliced and lightly salted, but they may still contain a high fat content. Light olive oil has a lighter flavour, light beer has less alcohol content, light margarine has less fat, light cheese has less fat and salt. It is important you check the label for what it is that has been ‘lightened’. (more…)

Miso (pronounced meets) is produced when soybeans and a grain, usually rice or barley, are combined with salt and a mold culture, then fermented in wooden vats for up to three years. The resulting paste, which is rich in B vitamins and protein, is an essential condiment in Japan and China. Rather than starting their day with coffee, most Japanese get a nutritional boost from a cup of hot miss soup. Miss can be used to season and enrich all types of soups and stews, whether clear or creamed. It also can add nutrition and flavor to sauces, gravies, salad dressings, dips, sandwich spreads, casseroles, and vegetables. You can even marinate tofu in miso. Unpasteurized miso contains live cultures and has abundant lactic-acid-forming bacteria, protein, and enzymes that aid digestion. Also, the antioxidants in fermented soy foods-such as miso-are more easily absorbed than those in unfermented soybeans and soy products. (more…)