general health Archives - Organic Body Detox

How to do Ozone Therapy at Home

What is it and how it works

Ozone therapy is a medical procedure that disrupts the unhealthy processes going on in our bodies. You don’t need to rush to get this therapy from an outside place; instead, you can do ozone therapy at home.

Ozone therapy has ozone gas that is very effective in fighting with different diseases. Due to the polluted atmosphere and lifestyle, many kinds of bacteria entered our bodies every day. Some of those got destroyed by our immune system, and the remaining are strong enough to survive. Ozone therapy helps in such a situation and stops the growth of harmful bacteria in our bodies.

Today, we will focus on the different procedures, benefits, and side effects of ozone therapy. For the ease of reading, we have divided the article into the following sections:

· Procedures of ozone therapy
· How to do ozone therapy at home
· Benefits of ozone therapy
· Side effects of ozone therapy

Procedures of ozone therapy

There are three different ways to receive ozone therapy. Each of them is for a specific group of people. If you are willing to receive ozone therapy, it is better to consult your healthcare provider. He will guide you about your body, and the treatment that is best for you. Typically, the following are the three procedures of ozone therapy:

Directly to tissues: This type of system is for people who have an extreme wound or specific issue with a body part. If you have any of these issues, then most likely, your health care provider will suggest this type of ozone therapy procedure. In this procedure, ozone gas is directly applied to the body’s tissues or a specific body part.
Intramuscularly: Another procedure for ozone therapy is intramuscular. In this type of procedure, ozone gas is transferred to the body via injection. As it is evident that no one can transfer gas with the syringe; therefore, it is mixed with your blood or sterile water.
Intravenously: It is another injection procedure with ozone gas. However, it is helpful for patients with chronic diseases like HIV. In this procedure, the doctors get blood from your body and then mix it with ozone gas. After that, they will inject it back to your body for your treatment.

How to do ozone therapy at home

Before starting on the details, the most important thing to keep in mind about doing ozone therapy at home is proper equipment and the best types of ozone procedures that one can do at home. In this section, we will discover the equipment and top methods that we can perform at home.

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Required equipment

Before starting the ozone therapy procedure, you should have the following two types of equipment at your home:

Oxygen tank
Ozone generator

Oxygen tank

The first equipment that is necessary for ozone therapy is an oxygen tank. Few people prefer oxygen concentrators over oxygen tanks. However, oxygen tanks are always better because of the high level of purity. For instance, an oxygen tank has 99.9% purity, while an oxygen concentrator has only 95% of purity in it.

In addition to this, there are two different types of oxygen tanks that you can buy. One is 540 commercial oxygen tanks, and the other in 870 medical oxygen tanks. Usually, people think that 870 medical tank is better than the commercial one.

However, you need a prescription from the doctor to get a medical tank. On the other hand, you can easily acquire a commercial tank from local Airgas, and it will cost less than a medical tank. You don’t need a prescription to buy 540 commercial oxygen tanks, and at the same time, it has the same purity as a medical oxygen tank.

Ozone generator

Unlike the oxygen tank, the ozone generator has a big difference in medical ozone generator and commercial ozone generator. Medical one is specifically for ozone therapy, while commercial one is for the purification of water. A commercial ozone generator has many impurities due to the fact that it was used for water purification, and obviously, no one wants those impurities to be a part of his body.

However, medical ozone generators are only for ozone therapy procedures. In addition to this, always focus on the quality of the generator because a low quality can harm your body. You will get the required accessories with the ozone generator that you can use to perform different ozone therapies at home.

Getting started with different ozone therapy procedures at home

After getting an oxygen tank and ozone generator, the next step is to decide the type of procedure that you want to perform at home. There are multiple procedures that you can choose, but we will discuss the most important ones that you can perform using an oxygen tank, ozone generator, and accessories with it.

Rectal Insufflation

Rectal insufflation is an ozone therapy that oxygenates your body. It is a painless procedure that is 95% effective. Usually, when people have issues like chronic diseases, aging, or want to improve general wellness, they use rectal insufflation to get instant relief. Also, this procedure gives benefits to the whole body. It is easy to do the procedure at home that requires no more than three minutes. You can talk to your health physician about the frequency of performing this procedure. However, in general, it can be repeated three to five times a week, according to the issue.

Ear Insufflation

It is a type of ozone therapy that is related to ear and brain issues. Mostly those people perform this therapy that has issues like cold, infections, brain fog, hearing damage, sore throat, common cold, and others like that. Most of the people have these issues in common, and it is the reason behind its frequent use. This procedure demands four to six minutes.

Ozone water

Ozone water is one of the best ozone therapies that we can perform at home. People with infections, wounds, ulcers, sores, oral health issues, cavitations, and other issues like that use this therapy for their cure. The best part is, any person can try this to cure any of these issues. Most athletes do this therapy to heal common wounds and sores. It requires eight to ten minutes.

Benefits of ozone therapy

Ozone therapy is helpful in treating many types of body issues and diseases. Following are the benefits of getting ozone therapy:

Cure breathing disorders: Lungs of our body are responsible for supplying blood to the whole body. When a person faces trouble while breathing, the primary factor is, his lungs can’t bear the stress of the entire body. Ozone therapy can do wonders in that situation. It can reduce the strain on your lungs by adding more oxygen to your blood.
Cure diabetes: The diabetic patient, most of the time, have oxygen issues in the body. Ozone therapy is one of the best options to cope with oxygen levels in the human body. Therefore, people with diabetes usually get many benefits from ozone therapy by reducing several risks associated with this disease.
Cure immune disorders: Ozone therapy is beneficial for people with immune disorders. Every one of us has an immune system in our bodies that are responsible for fighting against many diseases and harmful bacteria. People with a sound immune system tend to be healthier than others. Ozone therapy is one of the treatments that can help to boost your immune system.
Cure many chronic and viral diseases: Many chronic diseases like HIV, cancer, and heart-related diseases can get cured using ozone therapy. It was bombastic news in the medical field because before this procedure, and it was impossible to cure HIV patients. However, further research on this area is still going on.
Disinfect wounds: Ozone therapy works excellent if you have some severe or profound injuries. One of the procedures of ozone therapy is specified for treating injuries.

Side effects

Other than its numerous benefits, there are some dark sides associated with ozone therapy. However, it depends on the type of procedure that a person has chosen. Following are the side effects of ozone therapy:

Nausea and vomiting: These types of symptoms are usually the result of inhaling ozone gas. Therefore, it is essential that you don’t have to inhale ozone. If, in any case, it enters your mouth, eyes, or nose, you will feel instant burning, and then nausea, vomiting, etc. In addition to this, if the condition gets worst, you can have different respiratory complications.
Severe flu: Sometimes when people get any ozone therapy, they have a severe reaction, which results in severe flu. If you undergo the same procedure, it is mandatory to consult your health care provider for immediate medical treatment.
Gastric issues: Some people found out that blowing ozone gas into their bodies causes issues like cramping, discomfort, and need to pass gas frequently. However, these side effects will no longer remain the same. They have a short time span, and eventually, they will disappear.

The topic concludes that starting with the low doses and some basic precautions, anyone can perform ozone therapy at home with the required set of equipment.

Indian Home Remedies for Body Pain

The best Indian home remedies for body pain

Almost everyone will have an experience with body pain at some time in life. For some, it becomes a regular part of life and they learn to manage the symptoms as best they can, and for others, they find the cause and are able to create a solution. As people want to move more away from prescription medications there has been a resurgence of interest in the older Indian home remedies for body pain.

Ayurvedic medicine and yoga

Many of these are rooted in Ayurvedic principles, which work in tandem with Yoga to help heal the mind and body. They see the two as so interconnected you can’t treat one without treating the other.

Many of these remedies will involve food choices, movements, and pastes or poultices. Since these practices go back so many years they are all created around things that are easily available and easy to implement.

Indian home remedies for injuries

Body pain that is caused by injury may require a trip to the doctor to see if a cast, wrap, or other treatments are necessary. If they are not, or if it is a more minor injury such as an ankle sprain or twist, then it may be treated at home as well.

A swollen joint can be treated with a paste, and there are a few different types that are recommended.

Ginger paste: Ginger paste is made by heating water on the stove and adding ginger, them mixing until it makes a paste. This can be applied warm to the sore joint or muscle, it will cool and dry on the skin and then flake off. While it is in place it will warm the area, relax the muscle, and it has an anti-inflammatory property that will relieve the swelling as well as the pain. This may need to be repeated a few times a month or even twice a week.
Turmeric: Another food that fights body pain and inflammation is turmeric. This can be added to cooking, baking, or even taken in a tea. It has been shown to help rheumatoid arthritis specifically, and other forms of arthritis as well.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon in a tea, baking, or even added to warm milk and consume that way is said to relieve pain, have anti-inflammatory properties, and have antioxidants to help with healing.
Potassium-rich foods: Adding bananas and other fruits and vegetables that are high in potassium can help muscles heal themselves and relieve muscle cramps and pain.
Apple cider vinegar: For an all-over body pain treatment adding apple cider vinegar to a warm or even a cold bath and soaking in it can help with relaxation and pain relief, and even fever during illness.
Mint can also help with pains, illness, and particularly with mouth or tooth pain. Mint can be chewed, added to food, added to an oil or paste and applied to the body, or consumed in a tea. Mint has also been shown to help with headaches and migraines for the same anti-inflammatory abilities, as well as being antimicrobial to help kill bacteria causing illness or pain.
Some people will use oils on the body to help keep it lubricated. This is said to keep the joints moving easily. Oils can be applied to the skin on their own or added to a paste or cream for easy application. Some apply to the temples, across the forehead, or directly to the skin where the body pain is. This will soak in and affect the skin as well as the muscles underneath. Coconut oil is a well known and frequently used product for skin conditions and body aches and can have other ingredients such as ginger, turmeric, or mint added to it before applying. A good virgin olive oil is also great for moisturizing and lubricating joints and tendons, reducing pain in and around the body joints.

Physical activity is a common treatment for chronic pain

Movement can often help with body pain, but when you are in pain it is very hard to add more movements. It can start easily with gentle movements, even while seated. Try to move and stretch gently at least 5 minutes twice a day.

Start from the top of the body with neck stretches, turn the head to one side for 2 breaths and then the other.
Next stretch ear towards shoulder (keep your shoulders down and back) and hold for a few seconds, then the other side.
Next bring shoulders up in a shrug and down, holding for a few seconds or 2 deep breaths each time. Raise arms up, over your head, back down, and repeat.
Then twist at the waist to the left, deep breaths, then to the right. Twist at the wrist a few times to loosen them as well.
Then do gentle leg stretches, each side, a few breaths at a time.

Yoga and walking

This is one way to start adding gentle movements, and if you can add a yoga session into your day you will find benefits that both help body pain now, but also will help to prevent body pain in the future.

It is also important to get up and walk around every once in a while, at least once every couple hours, to keep muscles loosened and joints moving. Going for a simple walk every day may help to keep muscles and joints loose and moving easily as well, which can help reduce pain.

Heat therapy

Heat is also very helpful with body pains. A hot water bottle, a warm shower, a heated car seat, a heated blanket, however you apply heat in your home is helpful.

Place the heat on the sore muscles and areas of the body and leave it for 15-20 minutes at a time. For muscle pain, it may also help to alternate heat with cold, to both relax and reduce swelling in the muscles. Relaxing the muscles and tendons around a joint will also result in less pain around the joint.

For full-body pain, a bath or shower may be the easiest way to apply heat to the entire body at the same time.

The benefits of drinking water

The easiest and fastest thing to implement to help with body pain is to increase your water intake. Water helps to keep the body healthy and provides the muscles and the joints with the nutrients and fluids that they need.

Our bodies are made of more water than anything else, and when we are not replenishing our water enough the body will become dehydrated. There are many different degrees of dehydration, and most people are mildly dehydrated all the time.

The body needs to work harder to function without enough water, and it may increase tension, sore muscles, stiff joints, and make it more painful to move around. It may take a few days of increased water to see marked improvement, but it can help quickly when headaches, stomach issues, tiredness, and cramps are concerns.

Water helps reduce all these by providing the body with both the fluid and the nutrients that it needs.

Nutrition and its effects on chronic pain

If you are struggling to keep the proper nutrients adding new foods, especially fruits and vegetables, or even a supplement can be useful. Things like magnesium, calcium, and potassium are shown to be necessary for the body to function.

These things will increase movement, reduce pain, help reduce any muscle cramps, and encourage healthy bone and muscle growth. There are some food choices that can increase pain as well, so reducing the intake of those can help to relieve the body pain associated with them.

Excess alcohol or sugar, red meats, overcooked or burnt foods, and even some spicy foods can increase the work the body needs to do to digest them, and that can increase some body pain. Limiting these foods can help to maintain balance in the body, and leave the necessary energy for healing and body movement, reducing the pain levels. These foods can cause inflammation and stiffness in the muscles and joints.

Final thoughts: Indian home remedies for body pain

People have had body pain for as long as they have existed, so there are many old and well-used methods of pain relief in the Indian practices of Yoga and Ayurveda. These methods do not use modern medications and can be easily implemented at home, often with things readily available in the kitchen or even with nothing at all.

Keeping the body moving, supplying the necessary hydration, food, and nutrients, as well as enough sleep, and avoiding foods that can increase pain and inflammation are all easy ways to address body pain.

Heat or cold applied to the area of pain can also be very productive in reducing inflammation or swelling that causes pain. By maintaining natural Indian home remedies for pain, often found in Yoga and Ayurveda, you can help decrease or end body pain without medications or medical intervention.

Prevention is almost always easier than treatment after, but these ideas will be helpful for both, and no matter how well you follow all the suggestions given people will have body pain at some point. It is an inevitable part of life, but being prepared can help to reduce the frequency and severity.

Crystals for Radiation Protection

Using crystals for radiation protection

All of us use many electronic devices, our phones, laptops, tabs, hairdryers, hair iron and curlers. The list goes on and on. Many of us even sleep with our electronic devices right next to us, and the radiation from it affects our brain more than you think. This is a can’t with, can’t without situation. And here is a solution- crystals for radiation protection.

What is an EMF?

Electromagnetic fields are invisible areas of energy that is all around us, which comes with the use of electric power and lighting which can be either man-made or natural such as cosmic rays.

It can be divided into: non-ionizing & ionizing.

Non-ionizing radiation are rays that are on the lower end of the spectrum, such as microwaves, radio waves and infrared. They can come from the devices that we use every day, like microwave ovens, telephones, laptops, even the Wi-Fi that you use and keep switched on every single second of the day. Its advantage is that it’s relatively harmless as opposed to ionizing radiation because it has a very low potency. However, as the saying goes ‘too much of anything is good for nothing’, exposing ourselves too much to it, will have harm some way or the other.

Ionizing radiation on the other hand, is very dangerous. It can lead your body to DNA damage, resulting in various different types of cancers. These rays come from the higher end of the spectrum, such as UV, X-rays, and gamma. Its sources are from the sun, X-ray machines etc.

There are many symptoms of exceedingly high EMF that you can come across such as:

-fatigue and being tired all the time.

-being forgetful quite often.

-Insomnia (can’t sleep at night)

-joint and muscle pain.

-difficulty in focusing.

As we have seen the danger of the EMF around us, we can’t sit back and let it destroy us, can we? Something different has approached us all, using crystals to protect us from harmful radiation.

There are crystals for radiation protection that can be kept near the devices, such as the black tourmaline which would reduce the emission of EMF. Our bodies have been damages quite a lot because of electromagnetic radiation, there are a few stones that help you heal as well. Basically these crystals help you reduce electromagnetic smog as much as they can. Reducing some of it is better than nothing, right?

A radiation dosimeter for measuring dose uptake of external ionizing radiation

Famous crystals for EMF protection

Black tourmaline: The stone of protection. It protects you from all electromagnetic radiation, negative stress in your life, psychological problems and all the troubles of the mind. It also increases physical vitality, getting rid of your daily stress quota.
Black Tourmaline with Quartz: This is a protective stone as well, has all the qualities of the basic black tourmaline, with the addition of the healing properties of Quartz.
Magnesium crystal: This element increases the serotonin (the hormone that is responsible for being happy and positive) in your body which results in utter relaxation. You can perform a healing magnesium crystal bath right after a bombardment of radiation or simply if you think you have been using your electronic devices too long and need a detox. There are many videos on how to perform it correctly, so go take a look!
Prehnite: This is a stone that is said to make you prepared and shower you with unconditional love. It increases your inner knowledge and recognition of the surroundings. When you are disturbed with unnecessary negative energy, and you need some love instead of stress, this is the stone to use.
Malachite: It is the type of stone that balances both, good and bad energies. It will protect you from all the negative energy and radiation your mind and body possesses. If you are a big spiritual person, this is the stone for you as it grounds major of the spiritual energies of this planet we live on.
Amazonite: This stone speaks on an emotional level to you, it is known to absorb microwaves and radiation from all the new technology such as the new versions of the mobile phone and protect us from electromagnetic pollution. It helps you get over emotional and mental trauma.
Black Moonstone: If you are a person who constantly uses many electronic devices, this is the stone for you. It is said that this stone can block all electromagnetic radiation you are exposed to especially if you have electrical sensitivity.
Hematite: This stone has a history of ancient Rome attached to it, where the soldiers present at that time used it to appeal as intimidating and had a protective function. It is actually used in radiation shielding, and it is said that it is very beneficial if you kept it at your workplace or in your own bedroom.
Orgonite: This stone is made up of multiple layers of organic materials, iron, a combination of other metals plus a layer of resin. It was constructed by Wilhelm Reich in the 20th century. The magical substance in this stone is the resin – when resin dries out it propagates pressure on the stone and the different metals causing it to become more powerful. This stone is a great one to have at your workplace.
Shungite: As mentioned previously, electromagnetic radiation brings about great danger to human health, such as DNA damage and cancers. This stone is said to one of the oldest and most powerful protectors there is absorbing and eliminating any type of energy that poses a threat to human health. It will transform your negative and stressful thoughts into positive and peaceful ones. It is made mostly of carbon and will protect you from harmful radiation you are exposed to every day. It also increases your own energy, the positive type of course. It contains an added advantage this one, it acts as a strong antioxidant since it contains Fullerene molecules, and this gives you twice the reason to use this to protect yourself from EMF.

Final thoughts

Crystals for radiation protection give you a new out to lead a happy, healthier life with less radiation around you. You can carry it in your wallet, purse, place it in your pocket, and keep it near your bed, in your bathroom, your office, and kitchen. Anywhere you like! Preferably where you are exposed to a large percentage of constant radiation.

The trick to keep them working always, is to cleanse and charge themselves as well by placing them under the light of the full moon or the sun (for short periods, you don’t want them to get too energized!) Another trick is to smudge them with sage leaf, this is will make sure you can use them for a very long time, for EMF protection as well as the cleansing and healing your body as well!

The above mentioned are a few of the main stones and its special functions, however, there are a lot more from where they came from, so get using them and choose wisely! Make your mind be at peace when you use your mobile phones and laptops by protecting yourself at the same time.

K Laser Therapy Treatment – Effective and Painless

What is K Laser treatment?

K laser therapy is improving the pain levels of people with both chronic and acute pain. It is a new approach to treating pain by addressing the root cause of the pain rather than treating the pain as the whole problem. It does this by using a laser to encourage healing and cell repair and growth.
This therapy is completed with a small handheld unit with an attachment similar to a flashlight that is held against the skin at the site of the pain. It sends light through the skin into the cells where it stimulates healing and growth, and increases by boosting their activity and functions, also encouraging the release of collagen from the cells and endorphins that will help the cells to repair themselves.

Using the laser therapy to help cells repair themselves relieves the pain from the damaged or injured area without using pain relievers, and actually heal the injury and cause of pain rather than mask it.

K laser therapy treatment performed by health care professional

K laser therapy is also called high power laser therapy, so it must be done in a professional office with trained staff. It has been in use in areas throughout Europe for decades and has now made it’s way to the USA and Canada. It is a safe way to help reduce swelling, pain, stiffness, as well as reduce muscle spasms and increase range of motion and movement in injures muscles, ligaments, and nerves.

Treating such a wide range of concerns makes it a valuable addition to any treatment plan. Injuries that can be helped with k laser therapy include fibromyalgia, back pain, sciatica, carpal tunnel in the wrist, knee injuries, tendinitis, bunions, sprains, bruises both surface and deep tissue, some burns to the skin, headaches, and general injuries. This is not an all-inclusive list and other forms of illness and injury may also benefit from this treatment.

Does laser therapy really work?

Patients may find their pain is reduced or even eliminated in the first treatment, but follow up treatments may be necessary as pain returns. The cells will begin to repair as soon as they are activated by the light, so larger injuries may require longer treatments.

The light may be held against the skin for as little as 30 seconds or as long as 9 minutes. The time length is determined by the size and severity of the injury, as well as how deep the injury goes. A deep tissue injury or ligament damage will require longer treatment times on each spot than a surface bruise or contusion. This allows the light to get deep enough to reach the injured cells and to supply them with enough light and energy to start repairing themselves.

They may also require a few treatments to reach larger areas and to help prevent a resurgence of pain in the future. Due to the method of treatment, there is no downtime after treatment before returning to normal activities. An injured athlete may be back to playing in a game the same day as their light treatment and a burn is less likely to result in any form of infection because the cells and the area will be healthy and healing almost immediately.

As this is successful in treating both chronic pain issues as well as acute injury it is versatile enough to help anyone who needs it.

It is one of the natural methods of treatment

As this treatment is natural and focuses on healing the injury rather than treating the symptom of pain, it is suitable for all those looking to return to natural solutions. Many people want to use fewer chemicals, fewer medications, and to treat their bodies in natural and safe ways, that allow a return to what feels natural to the body.

Using light to heal is a great option for those with allergies or intolerances to other treatments, and does not have the side effects of causing damage to the liver or kidneys as some pain medications can after long term use. K laser therapy has no side effects for anyone and is safe for both the patient and the person performing the treatments.

What other conditions can benefit from K laser therapy

Other benefits of this treatment include increased circulation to both the injury and the area surrounding it. This helps the whole body at the same time as helping to heal the damaged cells and tissue, and may even help increase the overall health of the whole area or even the entire limb.

By increasing the nutrients, the oxygen, and even the water, that is supplied to the area there will be a lower risk of secondary symptoms due to lack of oxygen or water to the cells, which encourages healing to move forward with fewer setbacks or slowed healing.

By increasing the activity, functionality, and circulation of the cells there is encouraged all overhealing as well as targeted healing to the specific area being treated. By encouraging health throughout the entire body, the body is then more able to heal itself and repair damages as they occur.
Due to the safety of this specific treatment, it is especially helpful in areas that can be hard to treat otherwise or that can be risky in other treatments.

Treating the spine is one area that can be a great option for laser treatments, as this treatment can be done without causing any additional trauma to the area. Things such as bulging discs, damaged soft tissue, or any other spinal concerns can be addressed with the k laser therapy. It will gently encourage the cells to repair themselves and return to their natural state.

The pain or even numbness can be improved even in the first treatment, increasing movement in not only the spine but also all of the areas that are affected by the injury to the spine, such as the arms or legs. Treating this one area can bring improvements to many other areas of the body by increasing the blood flow and circulation that may have been impeded by the injury to the neck or spine, as well as reducing headaches caused by an injury to that area.

It is also especially suited for people who have underlying health issues that can make other treatments riskier or rule them out completely. Things like diabetic nerve pain, shingles, diabetic foot concerns and ulcers, edema, and even rheumatoid arthritis and trigeminal neuralgia. Some of these can be hard to treat with other methods, they may require medications with strong side effects, or treatments can be ruled out due to allergies or medication interactions.

K laser therapy reduces pain without undesirable side effects

As k laser therapy doesn’t interact with any medications it is safe to use for people who are treating other issues or concerns without altering or changing their other treatments. K laser therapy is a safe and effective treatment for many injuries or even ongoing conditions. There are no side effects and it is safe with many medications, making it a suitable treatment for a wide range of people both with or without other health concerns.

It is efficient and improvements and relief can be found immediately, in as little as one treatment for even 15 minutes. The bigger injuries will require longer treatment times and follow up treatments, but improvement will be seen quickly and even small relief from pain, swelling, stiffness, and other injury concerns is a great relief for people.

After several decades of use in other countries and several years of research it has been determined safe for use in most people and is a painless treatment. Often patients report a feeling of warmth and comfort during treatments, rather than any pain or irritation. With no known side affects many find themselves returning to normal activities almost immediately after treatments, even the same day.

Final thoughts

By using light to stimulate the cells, cell repair, and cell growth, it is a natural treatment chosen often by those looking for non-medication ways to treat pain and injury. It is suitable for both chronic issues and traumatic injuries, long term treatment or short term treatment of short term concerns, and anything in between.

So many concerns and injuries can be treated this way it offers a wide range of patients and opportunities for use and may encourage an overall healthy body with improved circulation and cell activity. Even targeted areas improving in circulation and movement can translate to easier and increased movement for the whole body, as people with reduced pain have increased movement, and bring the health benefits of that to the whole person.

By offering a relaxing method of treatment that brings warmth and comfort it is not an anxious or fearful treatment, which can also help to speed healing. Addressing the root cause of the pain and correcting and healing the injury at the cellular level the problem is solved rather than simply treating symptoms and covering pain.

Best Quality Bee Pollen for Immunity

Bee pollen: the superfood of tomorrow

When you think of healthy “food,” you might not immediately think of anything that comes from bees, except for perhaps honey. However, honey isn’t the only useful food product that bees produce. In fact, bee pollen is considered one of the best modern-day superfoods available, with some experts going as far as to consider it a medicine. So, what does the best quality bee pollen have to offer us? How is it produced? And with the dire straits that the bee population is facing, how does that affect the outlook for bee products and can we reverse that trend? All these items and more will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

What is bee pollen?

You’re probably aware that bees are one of the biggest pollinating species in the world and many plant species, such as cherries, are heavily dependent on bees to pollinate their flowers. But what exactly is bee pollen, and why should we be consuming it?

Bee pollen if created by adolescent bees that interact with flowers. Bee pollen is a combination of pollen, honey, and their saliva. The pollen is transported back to their hive and that the pollen, after fermentation, is what feeds their hive. Beekeepers are capable of harvesting this pollen from their bees by installing combs at the entrances of the hives that can whisk the pollen off of the bees’ legs.

The bees play a vital role in the fertilization process of the plants since this pollination process is what carries pollen from the male part of the plant to the female part, which allows fertilization to occur and for the plant to bear seeds. Without the bees and their tireless work, many plant species don’t survive and certainly don’t repopulate as quickly.

When you purchase bee pollen, it comes in the form of crunchy little pieces. Its nutritional value is extremely high, even for just a tablespoon or two. Bee pollen contains a lot of protein, carbs, and hundreds of vitamins, nutrients, and more. The recommended consumption for adults is 3-5 tablespoons each day, and for children just 1 to 2 tablespoons daily.

Benefits of bee pollen

The benefits are wide-ranging and numerous. Here are a few.

First, bee pollen helps to reduce inflammation, and even offers similar results to many anti-inflammation pharmaceuticals, making it a great natural remedy if you’re dealing with inflammation in areas such as your liver.
It also acts as an antioxidant, along the same lines as fermented items, and it contains vitamins A, C, and E along with compounds found in wine, tomatoes, and more. If you’re unfamiliar with the benefits of antioxidants, they help you to maintain your health by fighting pollutants that you inhale, such as smoke, chemicals, and pollution.
Going along with the theme of filtering out pollutants, bee pollen also helps to keep your liver functioning at top efficiency and can even reverse liver damage to a certain extent.
It can help to boost your immune system, which you might’ve guessed when you read that it contained a good amount of vitamin C. Bee pollen can help supplement your immune system to be able to fight viruses and illnesses as well as bacterial infections.
There have even been links to bee pollen and the health of babies conceived by those who regularly consumed bee pollen, and even lifespan increases.
It can also help to increase circulation of blood throughout your nervous system, which helps to lower your stress levels and increases your energy. And this increase in circulation also helps in many other areas, such as your skin’s ability to heal and even the moisture and hydration of your skin.
It’s also shown to decrease your bad cholesterol levels and increase your heart health.
For those who deal with menopause and the effects of that, such as hot flashes, bee pollen has been shown to ease many of these symptoms, which 71% of women included in a study reporting that bee pollen helped ease their menopausal symptoms.
And lastly, pollen can help boost your metabolism and help your body to distribute vital nutrients better, meaning that the nutrients that you consume aren’t going to waste when combined with bee pollen.

Please note that almost all of these benefits have only been confirmed in animal studies, and very few human tests have been completed, since this product is a relatively new trend.

Possible side effects

As with all good things, it doesn’t always work for everyone, and there are possible side effects associated with bee pollen consumption. You should also ensure that your bee pollen is coming from a company that has a strict quality assurance program since there are companies that have been found to be filling their bee pollen with dangerous fillers that offer worse side effects than normal.

Even for quality bee pollen, the risk of side effects exists, and they include itching, lightheadedness, breathing complications, and swelling. For this reason, you should speak with your physician before taking bee pollen, and you should immediately stop taking it and speak with them again if you notice any of these side effects. Very few people report these effects, and most people take it without noticing anything but positives, but you should always be aware of negative side effects to look out for.

Bee pollen shouldn’t be mixed up with other bee products, such as honey. It’s possible that your honey contains bee pollen, but it’s also possible that it doesn’t and it might also include other ingredients that don’t benefit you and might actually outweigh the positives of any bee pollen that might be contained in it.

So, now that you know the wonders that bee pollen can work, you probably want to purchase some, but as we warned previously, you don’t want to just buy from any random source, since it could contain dangerous filler ingredients.

We’ll recommend a few companies that make their pollen without any additives or processing, so that you know that you’re getting only the best quality bee pollen without any dangerous fillers. When it comes to bee pollen, and most food items, less processing and less ingredients are better.

Trusted bee pollen brands

Stakich Bee Pollen is a great example of a company that does bee pollen right. They don’t process their pollen; they don’t even dry it either. The bee pollen that you get from them is the same bee pollen that they harvested, and that’s the greatest assurance you can get that there aren’t any unhealthy manufacturing or ingredient mixtures included with your pollen.

They have been in business for 95 years and have been producing bee products such as honey the whole time, so they’re experts when it comes to this stuff.

You can get it on Amazon for $17.95 for a 16-ounce pouch, which equates to about 20 to 30 adult servings, so you’re paying a fraction of a dollar for each serving, not too bad.

Another great company that is a little bit cheaper than Stakich is YS Eco Bee Farms. They also avoid processing their bee pollen and you can buy their pollen in bulk, so you can stock up for a few months and pay less over the long term, and bee pollen isn’t incredibly expensive to begin with, considering you’re paying anywhere from $15-20 per month for all of those incredible benefits.

Where to buy bee pollen:

You should also be able to buy best quality bee pollen at any supplement or nutrition store, such as GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. And many drugstores also carry bee pollen in their supplement section. And it’s available through online sources such as Amazon.

Bee pollen might be the next wave of superfoods that can work wonders for you in terms of making sure that your organs are functioning at peak efficiency, your nutritional intake is high, your immunity is high, and you’re feeling energized and relaxed. Hopefully more confirmation can come in the coming years to show the validity and magnitude of some of these benefits through human studies.

In the meantime, you’ll just have to try it for yourself and see how much it helps and how much better you feel after taking it. There are many doctors that have come out in support of bee pollen and many satisfied customers who have also claimed it works wonders.

Save the bees!

And lastly, a short PSA to remind you that the wonderful insects that give us bee pollen are in danger, and without them, we not only won’t have honey or pollen, but we won’t have one-third of the food that we currently consume.

Bees are dying off at an alarming rate due to factors such as pollution, pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, and more. To help, you can look at greenpeace.org or you can buy products that don’t use dangerous pesticides and you can help to preserve habitats.

Stop Smoking Affirmations and how to Make them Work for You

Affirmations to help you quit smoking

Smoking cigarettes is one of the most dangerous coping mechanisms that people use to handle stress or depression or any number of issues that we have going on in our lives. Between cancer, high blood pressure, lung, heart and gum diseases, and bad-smelling breath and clothes, there are a lot of reasons why you should quit. Quitting smoking cigarettes is a challenge because the habit becomes a crutch for times that people feel that they need a release. The fact that we can walk into any store once we turn 18 and legally purchase these poisonous items makes the accessibility too easy to put them down without a fight. Although quitting cigarettes is challenging, it is not impossible! One of the tricks to help you psychologically when you feel those cravings is something called stop-smoking affirmations.

There are mantras that you can repeat to yourself to talk yourself out of the urge to sneak in a quick smoke, and when you are feeling a heightened sense of stress these phrases can help you curb that urge a lot more effectively.

Build your list of reasons for quitting

Everyone has personal reasons for why they want to quit and although the health concerns of cigarettes or vape pens should be the obvious reason, it often isn’t the main driving factor. Some people quit to save money or to be more presentable in a work environment without needing to take breaks. Others quit for the sake of their loved ones, because they want to be around for their children or because their spouse hates the idea of them getting cancer one day.

The next time that you have the urge to smoke, remind yourself of the reasons why you quit by saying, “I’m doing this for _____” and list as many reasons as you can think of that drove you to your decision to walk away from the cigarettes.

NOPE, not one puff ever!

Getting through each day without a cigarette is hard at first, but it gets easier with time. As you go through the process, a lot of people like using the acronym N.O.P.E. to encourage themselves, which stands for “Not One Puff Ever”.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you will never slip up but the definitive declaration can help rewire your brain because that first puff can lead you down a path of relapsing. Just keep telling yourself “NOPE” every time that you are craving a smoke and over time, you will feel that it becomes more and more effective until it is so ingrained into your thought process that you won’t need to say it anymore!

Day-to-day focus

Every time that you relapse into smoking, don’t get discouraged. Just start from the beginning but make a commitment that you will not start over again this time. Try to remind yourself of how long you’ve been successful in order to keep the momentum going.

Every day say to yourself “I have made it ____ days/weeks/months without a cigarette and I am not starting from the beginning”. It can shift your entire perspective on how strongly committed you are to this new path in life.

I’m strong enough to quit smoking

Another stop-smoking affirmation that can help you reestablish that commitment to yourself is by reminding yourself that you are strong enough to beat those cravings and that you don’t have to fall victim to them anymore.

The main driver of people who return to smoking cigarettes even after quitting is stress. We fool ourselves into thinking that cigarettes help us in times of stress, but the nicotine in them actually heightens our blood pressure rather than calming us down.

There are tips and tricks like chamomile tea or other actually calming resources that have been proven to help combat that feeling, but ultimately you need to find a more rational way to deal with a stressful environment. Stress is real and you can’t avoid it by using other crutches in your life, so face it head-on!

A man broke a cigarette in half to illustrate that smoking is harmful, and it is possible to stop by means of a stop-smoking affirmations

Stress management

There are two stop-smoking affirmations that are crucial to your quitting that help you deal with stressful environments. The first is to ask yourself the question of what you are actually stressed about. You need to be able to identify the source of that stress if you have any hopes of tackling it in a healthy and impactful way. Instead of sticking to the standard train of thought and telling yourself that you can’t handle this stress and that you “need” a cigarette, shift your process to first asking yourself to identify the source of where the stress is coming from. Identifying the source of your stress is the only way that you can make an effective plan to combat it.k

Once you identify the source of your stress, you have to engage in part two of curbing your craving and remind yourself that smoking will do nothing to address that source of stress. If you remind yourself that the cigarette can’t fix your job stress or your family stress or your financial stress, and in fact, it can make some of these issues worse, then you will be less likely to rely on it for your coping mechanism. Instead, remind yourself of the commitment that you made to quit and think about all of the things in your life that the cigarette won’t do anything positive to solve.

Final thoughts: Stop smoking affirmations

Addiction is a hard thing to handle and it can add undue burdens to the people who you love most. Nobody wants to see their loved one die of cancer or even lose their beautiful white smile or their soft and gentle voice. The problem is that quitting any substance is easier said than done and those who want you to stop smoking may not understand the struggle that quitting is for you.

Instead of trying to make excuses for why you are on this island by yourself trying to quit without the understanding of others, try being your own personal cheerleader! Use these stop-smoking affirmations to remind yourself that you are all that you need to stop smoking because no matter how supportive anyone else is, the decision to quit has to come from within yourself.

Healthy Food for Toddlers in Winter

Foods and habits that can keep your kids healthy throughout the winter season

Keeping your kids healthy in the wintertime can be an extremely tall task. During the winter, sickness is everywhere, food lacks nutrition around the holidays, kids can become sedentary if you live somewhere that gets too cold to go outside, and screen time for their devices seems to increase each day. As examples, we have listed below some tips and a list of healthy food for toddlers in the winter you can prepare.

One way to boost your child’s immune system against terrible sicknesses like the flu and the common cold is to ensure that they’re eating healthy, getting protein and essential vitamins and avoiding foods that are high in sugar.

Sugar has an adverse effect on the immune system, and it can be difficult to keep sugar levels down around the holidays, but it’s possible. Also, staying hydrated is a key for your children, because keeping hydrated can not only help fight infection, but it also helps to flush toxins from their systems. Doctors recommend that your kids drink half their pound weight equivalent in ounces each day. So, for example, if your child weighs 40 pounds, they should be drinking 20 ounces of water daily.

What else should you take into account besides healthy nutrition

For the majority of this article, we’ll be focusing on how food and proper nutrition is possible for your kids in the winter, but there are additional ways for them to stay healthy as well.

Getting enough sleep is crucial to staying healthy no matter if you’re a kid or a grown adult. And although adults are usually most prone to wintertime stress, secondhand stress from their adult family members and the business of the wintertime can also negatively affect the immune systems of children. For this reason, you should be ensuring that your kids are getting some downtime and some time for them to decompress.
Also, keeping good hygiene by making sure they’re regularly washing their hands and changing out their toothbrushes can help to avoid the spread of germs. They should be washing their hands before every meal after they sneeze or cough, and after they do any activity where they’re around other kids or touching something unclean.
Always make sure that your kids are getting their flu shots around October so that the doctors can pinpoint that year’s flu virus and so your chances of them catching it earlier than that are slim.

Healthy food for toddlers in the winter

Kids eating healthy in the winter means not only should they be getting well-balanced meals, but they should especially be getting sufficient protein, vitamins, and fluids.

One great food that generally checks off all of these areas is soup. Soup is a great way to sneak extra fluids into a meal to ensure that your child is staying hydrated throughout the day and whatever you put in the soup can help to hit the other key areas, vitamins and protein. If you make vegetable beef soup, for example, it will offer a good source of vitamins in the vegetables and the beef will deliver a protein-packed punch to keep your kids’ immune systems fighting strong.
Besides soup, other great ideas that can offer various sources of nutrition are pot pies, stuffed peppers, vegetable calzones, and more. And of course, you don’t have to make sure that your kids are getting all of their essential nutrients in the entrée. You can pair lunches with fruit, such as clementines, or give them orange juice with breakfast to make sure that they’re getting their daily vitamin C.
Salmon is a great source of amino acids. Varying amino acids is essential to not only making sure that protein intake is high, but that your children are getting the essential amino acids for the various functions of their cells. Fish also are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which have vast health impacts including being shown to reduce depressive moods. Depressive moods can be a theme in the winter for many kids for many various reasons such as lack of activity, cabin fever, boredom, and more.
Sweet potatoes can be a superfood for children in the winter because of their great supply of fiber, vitamin A, and potassium. These can be delivered in many ways, such as loaded, in a casserole, or substituted for French fries, a much less healthy food. It’s key lunch and dinner substitutes like swapping regular French fries for sweet potato fries that might make the biggest difference because you’re eliminating unhealthy food and introducing a healthy option in one fell swoop.
Cauliflower can be one of the most impactful vegetables available to your child in the wintertime, and that’s saying a lot for such a powerful food group. It has high levels of vitamin C, vitamin K, and compounds that have been found to prevent infection. Furthermore, it also contains folate, which is a vitamin that is key to your child’s growth. Like sweet potatoes, cauliflower has a lot of fiber as well, which helps to boost your child’s energy and aids the digestive process. Cauliflower might not be the most popular food item for your children, but you can find creative ways to include it, such as using it to make an alternative form of rice and pairing it with dishes that usually are served over rice.
Great options for snacks are nuts, which help your body’s metabolism and also offer a great protein source. Keeping snacks in mind, jaggery can be an ideal substitute for sugar and much more healthy at that. In combination with ginger, jaggery can be a great defense against coughs.
Additional foods to consider are beef, garlic, yogurt, and any fruits high in vitamin C. Beef is a good source of zinc, a nutrient that is key to producing white blood cells that provide defense against negative bacteria. Fruit that is high in vitamin C includes oranges, strawberries, raspberries, and pomegranates. Garlic is known to have allicin, which is essential to fighting infection. Yogurt, especially if it involves probiotics, will keep your child’s digestive system from being prone to germs that might cause disease.

Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day for children?

a healthy breakfast with fruits for your toddler in the winter

One of the most overlooked and nutrition-void meals of the day is breakfast. Children sleep longer than adults, meaning that after an overnight break that can last for twelve hours, they urgently need a balanced and healthy breakfast. Nutritionists say that breakfast should cover 18 to 22 percent of all-day energy intake, and skipping it is a cause for developing obesity because it leads to overeating throughout the rest of the day.

So many breakfast foods are high in sugar such as Pop-Tarts, Toaster Strudels, and sugary cereals and cereal bars. Not only are these foods high in sugar, but they often lack the essentials that we’ve been talking about through much of this article such as protein and vitamins.

Instead of these sugary breakfasts, make your child some eggs or add some cottage cheese or yogurt to breakfast. If making eggs every morning is too much of a time consumer while you’re trying to shuffle the little ones off to school or daycare, maybe you can hard boil the eggs in advance.

Other great nutritious breakfast ideas are breakfast burritos and smoothies made with peanut butter and fruit for an easy to consume a meal that has protein and vitamins.

How to get your kids to eat healthy food

Eating healthy isn’t always the number one priority for young children, that’s understandable. For this reason, there are some tips that can make your kids more prone to eat the healthy meals that you’ve prepared for them.

For example, if your kids are given a few healthy options for lunch or breakfast and they can choose their favorite and help you prepare it, they’ll be more likely to trust it and eat it, rather than scowling in disgust before they even try it. So, before you take your trip to the grocery store and come home with a bunch of foods your kid won’t touch, run a few ideas by them before you leave the house and see what healthy options they’re in favor of most.

Also, the holidays are supposed to be a time of year that is fun for everyone, especially the little ones. So, keep in mind that you don’t have to throw out all of the sugary foods in the house and abstain from making holiday cookies or including treats in their presents. Your kids can and should still be able to indulge in a treat every now and then but keep it to no more than one sugary treat each day.

If they’re snacking on cookies and chocolate throughout the entirety of the day and eating a sugary breakfast, that’s when you start to run into major nutritional issues and immune deficiencies. But the holidays also shouldn’t be a time that your kids dread because they know that they’ll be on a strict diet of fish, beef, veggies and nothing else.

Final thoughts: Healthy food for toddlers in winter

If you take these suggestions into mind and implement them as much as you can, your kids will be better off for it. Perfection isn’t what you should be aiming for, especially with how stressful and busy the winter can be, but if you keep these healthy foods in mind when you’re preparing meals and going to the grocery store, it’ll go a long way.

Does Obesity Cause Cancer?

The link between overweight and cancer risk

Does obesity cause cancer? The cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and the obesity rate has also doubled in the last 40 years. Now, an international review of scientific studies published by the British Medical Journal has attempted to identify the types of cancer-associated most palpably with obesity, eliminating biases that can lead to errors.

In total 204 studies have been studied examining the relationship between obesity, weight gain, abdominal circumference and 36 types of cancer. The team, led by Imperial College London (United Kingdom) found that having 5 kilograms more than what is considered a healthy body weight (according to BMI) increased the risk of rectal cancer in men by 9% and 56% for liver and gallbladder cancer.

For every 5 kg more we increase our risk of cancer. The risk of postmenopausal breast cancer among women who never had hormone replacement therapy increased by 11% for every 5 kg of weight gain. Obesity was also related to the esophagus, uterus and kidney cancer in this case. Specifically, the scientists identified up to 11 types of cancer that get worse when you are obese: breast, ovarian, kidney, pancreas, colon, rectum, marrow, endometrium, multiple and gastric myeloma.

Does obesity cause cancer?

The data is clear. ” Being overweight is the second largest cause of cancer that is preventable after smoking, whether climbing the stairs or shifting to sugar-free drinks, little adjustments can produce a tangible difference, helping to maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the risk of cancer, “says Rachel Orritt, head of UK Cancer Research, who was not involved in the study. Reducing our weight can, therefore, be a good strategy to reduce the chances of cancer.

Obesity causes more cases of cancer than tobacco (and is increasing).

UK Cancer Research, an NGO that researches and raises awareness about cancer in the United Kingdom, has announced a release that obesity causes more types of cancer than smoking tobacco. Specifically, the study points to four types of cancer: ovarian, bowel, kidney and liver. However, his new campaign to warn of the dangers of overweight has been severely criticized.

These are cigarette packages but labeled with a message: “Obesity is also a cause of cancer.” In addition, they carry another text in which you can read that “Like smoking, obesity puts millions of adults at serious risk of cancer.” In social networks, many people support the campaign, while others believe that those who are overweight are pointing their finger.

Cigarette package labeled with a message: "obesity is a cause of cancer too."

The figures shown by the BBC do not deceive. They compare the number of cancer cases in the United Kingdom and how they have been caused:

Bowel cancer: there are 42,000 new cases a year: obesity causes 4,800 and tobacco, 2,900.

Kidney cancer: there are 12,900 new cases: obesity causes 2,900 and smoking, 1,600.

Liver cancer: there are 5,900 new cases: obesity causes 1,300 and smoking, 1,200.

Ovarian cancer: there are 7,500 new cases: obesity causes 490 cases and smoking, 25.

Reducible figures – around 40% of cancer cases could be prevented

The NGO does not blame the obese individuals but advises that their number can be reduced. Moreover, obesity is the most significant cause of preventable cancer and, on the other hand, smoking figures only go down in the UK, the obese persons should try their best to follow the reverse way: the more.

One-fifth of the population of Britan is suffering from obesity. That is to say that 13 million out of 66 million of Britain population have the problem of overweight and from the NGO influence researches that have previously noted the connection between cancer and obesity: the studies show that fat cells have the tendency of producing more hormones that induce cell division more often than other body cells, this raises the possibility of producing more cancerous cells.

Being overweight is not synonymous with cancer, but increasing the risk. Cancer Research UK explains that thirteen kinds of cancer are linked to obesity: breast, intestine, pancreas, esophagus, liver, kidney, gallbladder, uterus, ovaries, thyroid myeloma, meningioma, and upper stomach.

Recommendations to Prevent Cancer

Now that you know the answer to the question – does obesity cause cancer, it’s time to take care of it. Maintain a healthy weight and avoid gaining weight in adult life. Be active as part of everyday life, walk more, spend less time sitting. Make whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, such as lentils, the most important part of your daily diet. Limit the consumption of fast food and processed foods rich in fats, sugars, and starches.

Do not eat more than moderate amounts of red meat, such as veal, pork, and lamb. Eat very little, or nothing, of processed meat. Drink water and unsweetened drinks. To prevent cancer, it is best not to drink alcohol.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for mother and baby. And it puts on the table that to prevent the onset of this disease, the quality of the global diet is more important and to maintain active aging than for example the consumption of a certain nutrient or organic compound, such as acrylamide.

“It is unlikely that specific foods or nutrients are unique key factors that cause or protect against cancer. Instead, the combination of different patterns of diet and physical activity throughout life are those that influence you more or less susceptible to developing cancer,” said Giota Mitrou, of the WCRF, during the 25th European Congress of obesity.

The “planetary health diet”

As I mentioned before, to prevent the onset of this disease, the quality of the global diet and maintaining active aging are of the highest importance.

The study also links the regular consumption of sugary drinks with an increased risk of cancer, since these fluids contribute to weight gain. Stresses that leading a physically active life has a direct protective effect on the colon, breast (post-menopause) and uterine cancer, in addition to helping to maintain adequate weight, which reduces the overall risk.

Remember that alcohol consumption is strongly linked to an increased risk of developing six types of tumors, colorectal, breast, liver, mouth, and neck, esophagus and stomach. And it recommends a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes, with low consumption of red meat.

One in six deaths on the planet every year is due to cancer. In Europe, there are more than 3.7 million new cases per year and 1.9 million deaths, and it is the second leading cause of death. Paradoxically, despite the fact that the European continent only accounts for an eighth of the world’s population, it accounts for a quarter of all global cancer cases.

Hot Drinks to Lower Cholesterol

Can drinking hot beverages lower cholesterol?

Diet and exercise are the two main ingredients to keeping your cholesterol in check, and that certainly has not changed. However, there are some studies that have added a new layer to the potential list of things that can help in this area. Drinking a lot of cold water has been proven to help with weight loss, but drinking hot water and healthy hot drinks have had an interesting impact on the digestive system and the body’s ability to break down particles.

Hot drinks to lower bad cholesterol level

What is high cholesterol?

To understand how hot drinks can help lower cholesterol, it is first important to understand what it means to have high cholesterol in the first place. Cholesterol is a substance that is necessary for building healthy cells throughout the body. However, when you have a diet that is high in fats, drink excessive alcohol and many other factors then you can develop too much cholesterol.

Essentially, your bloodstream stores fatty deposits when you have too much cholesterol and that can prevent the blood from moving freely throughout the body and fueling all organs properly. High cholesterol can lead to stroke or heart attack and any other number of issues. Once it is contracted, it is manageable but there need to be serious lifestyle changes and medical advice.

There are genetic markers that can make you more susceptible to high cholesterol, just as with any other illness or condition. However, the vast majority of cases are preventable with significant reduction in fatty foods, a regular exercise regimen and loading up on the fruits and veggies! We are going to share with you all of the ways that hot drinks can also contribute to lowering or preventing any cholesterol issues.

How do hot drinks help?

There are several reasons why hot drinks can help lower cholesterol, one of which being how the temperature creates stimulation. Hot drinks can help stimulate the digestive tract and allow your body to break down food items while using less energy to do so. It also creates stimulation of the blood circulation in your body, and since cholesterol has so much to do with what is found in the bloodstream and arteries, that can be a huge help.

The temperature of hot drinks can also help flush toxins out of the body through the bloodstream, flush the toxins out through the digestive system and cause a body temperature increase which can help flush toxins out through the pores. This also helps the body break down any build up in the bloodstream or elsewhere that may impact your cholesterol levels.

What types of hot drinks?

There are so many different herbal teas that can be of assistance in lowering cholesterol. There are also fresh juices that can be heated up as a way of flushing the body. However, the magic juice, the secret sauce, the golden wine that has always and will forever fuel the body still remains – WATER!

Hot water

A cup of hot water every morning is a great way to jumpstart your day with a cleansing substance. However, you don’t have to drink it plain to get the maximum effect. There are natural items that contribute to cholesterol levels and can easily be added to the water that you drink, so you might as well load that cup full of them!

Ginger

Ginger is a natural combatant of high cholesterol and can be added to warm water in the mornings. You may have heard about “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol but may not know exactly what that means. HDL is the healthy cholesterol that you want to build those healthy cells and LDL is that bad cholesterol that causes heart disease and other major problems. Ginger has been known to improve the levels of HDL in the body while simultaneously lowering LDL, so it is the perfect companion to a cup of hot water in the morning.

The same diet and exercise issues that cause high cholesterol can cause diabetes and obesity, so we suggest making the most out of that daily cup of hot water by adding a couple of extra items.

Lemon juice

Lemon juice has also been known to stimulate the digestive tract and improve your metabolism. We highly recommend adding a lot of lemon juice, try squeezing either half or one entire lemon into the cup and if you drink it first thing in the morning before your breakfast, you will see a major shift in your body!

Peppermint leaves

Lastly, add a few peppermint leaves to make your cup of hot water into a full-on tea. Peppermint leaves have been known to lower glucose levels in the body. Although diabetes is more impacted by genetics than cholesterol is, those same diet and exercise decisions that impact your cholesterol can exacerbate your chances of contracting diabetes.

Hot water with lemon, ginger and peppermint

Green tea

Try with green tea. A Chinese study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that antioxidants in green tea have a significant effect on reducing harmful LDL cholesterol, consequently reducing the risk of heart attack by 11%. Always make sure of the origin and quality of green tea as it may contain high levels of fluoride, lead and aluminum. You definitely want to avoid these substances.

Final thoughts: Hot drinks to lower cholesterol

Yes, diet and exercise is the reoccurring theme for your overall health and wellness goals and that is not changing any time soon. However, there are all kinds of tips and tricks to improve your chances of reaching those goals and hot drinks are just one option.

Spend the next 30 days drinking one cup of hot water with ginger, lemon juice and peppermint leaves and share how you feel with us! Be an inspiration to those who are looking for a hot drink that can lower their cholesterol and improve their overall health.

How to Stop Being an Alcoholic

No thanks, I don’t drink

The answer to the question “How to stop being an alcoholic?” lies within yourself. The first step to quitting alcohol is to admit you have a problem, the old mantra is true. Once you can acknowledge and identify that problem then the next step is to take full accountability for it.

You cannot blame anyone else, not your stressful job or family drama or trauma in your past. Yes, addiction is a disease but it is a disease that causes you to make choices and those choices are what you need to take accountability for.

Developing a personal action plan for alcohol addiction recovery

Once you are ready to get better, the next step is developing a plan of action. Most people will go straight to the extremes of rehabilitation centers or Alcoholics Anonymous, and these are very valid and helpful options. However, not everyone can speak openly in a group like that and not everyone can afford a full-time in-house rehab facility. They can cost thousands of dollars and state-run facilities can have year-long waiting lists or even more.

So, if you have found yourself in this circumstance, what should you do? You’ve admitted that you’re an alcoholic, you know that you cannot afford or take the time off for an in-house rehabilitation center and the idea of sitting with a group of strangers to divulge the deepest parts of your journey makes you cringe.

This is the time for something that experts call “spontaneous sobriety” in the sense that people spontaneously decide to quit without having professional help and aren’t sure of what they are in for.

Studies have shown that those who spontaneously decide to quit are actually between four and seven times more likely to remain sober. This could be because they are truly ready to stop and are deciding it out of their own desires to quit without influence from others.

This is part of why the prep work is so important so that you can be certain that you can quit on your own and stick to your plan. So how to stop being an alcoholic? There is a commonly used process that many people find effective called CORE: Commit, Objectify, Respond, and Enjoy. Keep reading and find out how this technique can help you put the bottle down for good!

How to stop being an alcoholic – the Prep Work

Admitting the problem and accepting responsibility are two parts of the preparation that you need to do before you can start implementing CORE. The next step is to get an understanding of the problem that you have. You need to do some self-reflecting to get to what drove you to drink in the first place, what triggers in your daily life make you want to drink, why have any other attempts in your past failed and what do you need to do this time to make it stick.

Part of why addiction is hard to shake is because the chemical imbalance that substances cause in our brains becomes normalized. This tricks your brain into a survival instinct that allows it to think that the chemical substance is a necessity to its function. That means that the more dependent your body becomes on a substance, the more your brain tells your body that it needs that substance to survive.

Getting to the root of why you began drinking can help give you the foundation to rewire your brain to run interference when it starts telling you that you crave alcohol. It will also help you to develop a plan of action for each step of the CORE recovery process.

Getting to the CORE of Addiction

Now it’s time to get started on the first step of CORE – Commit.

You need to make a commitment mentally to your goal, no more “Well, I’ll quite this weekend” or “I’ll just stick to beer”. You need to say it out loud to yourself, “I will never drink again”. You have to acknowledge this from an honest place and that comes from the prep work.

You know that there are withdrawal symptoms with weening off of any substance in your life, so alcohol will not be an exception to that rule. When you make the commitment to stop drinking then you also need to commit to going through the physical pain and discomfort that the detox process is. You need to make a commitment to having a support system around you, the type of meal plan that you will use, ensuring that you have a sufficient supply of drinking water or herbal teas that will help you flush your system out.

The detox experience will depend on how heavily dependent you have been on the substance and for how long. Alcohol is a depressant but dependency on it destabilizes your emotions. As a result, you can get depressed while your body is detoxing from alcohol and you can become very melancholy. If you have a higher dependency on alcohol, your experience could be more extreme than others.

If you are concerned about being on the higher end of this spectrum, then you should consult your doctor prior to detoxing. Remember that the detox process is not curing your alcoholism, it is simply allowing your body to start over without physically interacting with the substance. If you are severely dependent then the withdrawal process can cause tremors, seizures or hallucinations and all of that can cause other medical concerns if they are not monitored correctly.

Let’s get to step two in the CORE process – Objectify.

This part may sound a little silly, but it is rooted in psychology that rewires your brain so it really does work! If you objectify the part of your brain that is dependent on alcohol as something outside of yourself, it can help your ability to cope. This helps your brain view the craving as something that “it” wants rather than something that “you” want and that will help you feel like you are in more control.

The process of objectifying the part of your brain that craves alcohol is intended to teach your brain that the need for alcohol is unnatural. It is not a part of how your body actually operates in a healthy way so that craving in itself is like an invader. That invader needs to be controlled and kept in check and that part is done by the healthy part of your brain, which is seen as a part of you. So, start thinking to yourself that “it” wants you to drink but “you” want to go to a yoga class instead!

The third step in the CORE process is to Respond.

This is where you start capitalizing on that commitment and the objectification of your cravings. Remember, that part of your brain is not a part of you, it is an invader and needs communication from you to be put in check so don’t be afraid to respond. Don’t respond with any hemming or hawing before giving a weak “no”, instead give a full-throated and determined “never” as your answer.

And keep bringing these conversations back to that initial commitment. Next time that your brain says that it wants a drink, respond to it by saying that you never want a drink again. Think of it as that annoying college buddy who always wants to relive the glory days and let that friend know that you have made a commitment to your sobriety. This will help you for when you are in social settings and providing a more polite response while in your head screaming “NEVER” at the top of your lungs.

The final step in the CORE process is the best part and this is the part that will set you up for years to come – Enjoy.

This is when you start to replace alcohol with things that make you happy but that are also good for you. Whether it’s joining a book club to exercise your brain or a cooking class to learn a healthier recipe to enjoy, you need to start filling your life with things that improve your health and are also fun.

They say that idle hands are the devil’s playground, and idle minds are that for addiction cravings. Do not be afraid of a relapse, because that is the addicted part of your brain trying to convince you that doing the work isn’t worth it or that you are not capable of quitting.

Keep working through these steps and over time you will see a world of difference, but try adding new tools every time that you relapse to see if there are natural supporters that you can work into these steps.

What Else Can Help?

Breathing techniques: We mentioned a yoga class earlier, and that was no accident. Part of the benefit of yoga is taking the time to learn about your own body. The positions being held and being able to move from one to the next all the while focusing on your breathing forces you to listen to your body and feel more in control. This process of becoming more in tune with your body can help you feel more in control of your addiction and recovery.
Acupuncture: There are also natural supplements and therapies that can assist you with the detox process as well as the lifestyle change that comes with recovery. Acupuncture is one that has been proven to support circulation and flow of the blood in your body. This is effective for repairing liver damage and making it function better after your detoxing. This also allows you to feel the positive effects of life without alcohol more deeply and feel healthier as you move into this new chapter of your life.
Light therapy: One of the side effects of alcoholism is the problem with sleeping. It is typical to develop insomnia as time moves forward. Light therapy is a great natural remedy for those who are struggling with this issue because not being able to sleep can be an easy trigger to give in to. Light therapy will help your brain fall asleep with more ease and consistency.
Cayenne pepper: There are foods that can assist the detox process as well, and yes they tend to be the standard healthy foods but they are even more important than normal when you decide to quit drinking. Cayenne pepper has been proven to suppress cravings so try adding it to your meals that first week. Many people will drink water infused with lemon and ginger as a cleansing version of regular water to drink throughout the day. If you are interested in the infused water, then add cayenne pepper to it and put it in your water bottle to have a handy tool against cravings throughout the day.
Low-fat proteins: While you are detoxing, part of the planning process when you make that commitment is to have healthy foods around that will give your body strength and maintain as healthy of a balance as possible. Make sure that you have a lot of low-fat proteins around the house like eggs or fish to keep your body strong.
Fruits and vegetables: Also be sure to have replacement sugars that are healthy for you like fruit. This will help curb the cravings for those sugar-laced cocktails or that glass of wine. The vegetables are also important in the detox process because the fiber will also support your body in the cleansing process.
Kudzu: If all else fails and you are still relapsing repeatedly or if you are struggling to be in social settings or are afraid to re-enter social settings then there is another natural product that can help you. There is a Chinese herb called kudzu that has been demonstrated to help people curb their drinking. It has been proven to increase blood flow to your brain and because of that, people who take it prior to drinking will drink significantly less quantities at a much slower pace.

This will help you stave off getting drunk or at least will cause you to feel the effects differently which can help you sip your drink rather than drinking the way that you used to.

Final thoughts: How to stop being an alcoholic?

At the end of the day, nothing works until you do. You have to be ready to make a change, to be healthier and to be happy in the truest sense of the word.

These remedies should help you succeed, but hopefully, the first step will come from within you because that is the only way to guarantee that success.