Natural Healing and Healthy Living

What's in a smile? Well a happy, positive attitiude is good for your immune system, your blood pressure and your general well being. But smiling and other facial movements have another positive affect.

Who doesn't want to maintain a youthful appearance into your 30's, 40's and beyond? Plastic surgery is a multi-million dollar industry. The new government health care reform may recommend a new tax on these procedures. But you don't have to have surgery to get rid of sagging chins and fallen cheeks.

The face is a maze of muscles, and they need exercise just like the rest of your body. Look at this illustration on www.shapeyourface.com. This is also a great site showing facial exercises. Just as exercise can flatten a tummy or tone your thighs, it can tone and lift the muscles on your face.

I have been doing them for years after seeing a guest on a talk show demonstrate a few. I have made it a morning routine as I wash my face and put on makeup. You should see results in a few weeks but you will also get immediate results from the blood rushing to your face. It adds a natural glow right away.

Give it a try. You may experience sore muscles at first just like starting any exercise. If this is too bothersome, back off some until your muscles strengthen.

Check out this video on www.YouTube.com for a quick lesson on neck exercises. For many more exercises, just Google "facial exercise videos". There are lots of good ones.

For my first module I must give credit to my Mom who has influenced me so much in making healthy choices. It's true when I was younger I often poo poo'd some of her ideas, diet and remedies and even today she is much more diligent than I about diet.

But as I grew older and afflictions added up I was more inclined to listen to her advice. I have suffered with indigestion and what I thought was acid reflux for many years. I started with the over the counter antacids which sometimes helped. I had frequent stomach aches after eating, some which would last for hours. The antacids gave me little relief.

My mother suggested I take Papaya Enzymes after each meal. They helped me immensely. I have tried many brands and the one which works best is Chewable Super Papaya Enzyme Plus by American Health. These have some of the highest dose of the natural ingredients Papain and Bromelain. Other varieties and brands did not offer as much relief.

These in themselves were not my only helps. I learned what foods to avoid such as greasy meals or too much meat at any given meal. The number one rule is to eat small meals, chew every bite thouroughly and take two to four Papaya tablets after meals, especially meals with fat and proteins. I will have other tummy remedies coming soon.

What are probiotics? They are the good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. To maintain optimum health, having a healthy balance of the good bacteria is imperative for two reasons. Number one is that 70% of your immune system is in your intestinal track and you must have enough of the good guys in there for it to function properly. Number two is that they are necessary for proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

As stated in my last article I have suffered from indigestion, acid reflux and gastritis for years. One day while I was in the local health food store to purchase the Papaya Enzymes the store keeper asked me if I was on probiotics. I said that I eat yogurt every day and take acidophilus if I have been on antibiotics. She told me if I have stomach problems I should be on a good probiotics every day and not just any probiotic.

You see the good bacteria in yogurt and many probiotic supplements never make it past the stomach into the small intestines where they do their work due to the harsh environment in the stomach. Most are destroyed by the stomach acid. She recommended Dr. Ohhira Probiotics because of its potency and ability to survive past the stomach and flourish in the intestinal track. I did not buy any right away but went home and did all the research I could about probiotics and Dr. Ohhira. I was truly impressed with what I have learned and now take them every day. I take Dr. Ohhira if I have had a bad flare up but for my daily regimen I take Sustenex. They also have been formulated to withstand the stomach acid and thus colonize the digestive track. I am sure there are others out there but before you buy be sure they claim and are proven to actually make it into the intestines.

Did they help you may ask? Absolutely! I have been drug free for over a year. That includes prescription and over the counter antacids. As an added benefit I feel great and have not suffered a cold, flu or any other illness in the same time period. But don't take my word for it, research it for yourself at www.Mayo Clinic.com and www.Dr Ohhira Info.com

As with many of the natural remedies I have found, I was introduced to this one by a friend. I had never heard of colloidal silver until my son came home with a bottle and some paper work explaining what it was and it's uses. He is friends with and sometimes works for a retired Pharmacist Dr. Richard E. Harris, P.D. who makes this solution.

Colloidal silver or CS is defined as a liquid suspension of microscopic particles of silver. A colloid is technically defined as particles which remain suspended without forming an ionic, or dissolved solution.

The commercial alternative medicine product includes solutions that contain various concentrations of ionic silver compounds, silver colloids or silver compounds bound to proteins in water. Such products with concentrations of 30 parts per million (ppm) or less are typically manufactured using an electrolysis process, whereas those with higher concentrations of 50 ppm or more are usually silver compounds that have been bound with a protein.

Silver has been used in the health field for centuries.
It was used in times of antiquity for fighting germs and healing tissue, and those uses have continued to this day. Ancient Greeks used silver vessels for water purification. American pioneers trekking westward used silver to keep their water safe and to prevent dysentery, colds, and flu.

What is it used for today? The uses for this product are endless. Anywhere you would use a disinfectant, CS can be used. It can be used as an antiseptic for cuts, scrapes, as a mouthwash, a gargle for sore throats and even nose drops to fight the common cold. I have personally used it to heal cold sores. It cuts the usual healing time in half. We even apply it to our cats if they get a wound. It does not sting so they don't mind the application. Our son has used it many times on cuts and scrapes and they heal quickly.

There are many producers of CS and they are not all created equal so I invite you to investigate CS for yourself. Below are links to sites I believe are good sources of information and if interested, purchasing CS.

www.Dr Harris Blog and www.Dr Harris.com

www.What is Colloidal Silver.com

www.Silver Facts.com

www.Slver Sol.com

One again I tried this supplement as a means to put out the fire in my stomach. It was a strange series of events that led me to this food. At a routine eye exam, the Doctor asked me if I was on any medications. I said yes and mentioned Zantac.

He then proceeded to tell me that many people's heart burn in due to a PH imbalance. Your body has to have a balanced PH just like a swimming pool. He recommended I try a Barley grass product like Barley Green or Barley Life because it has very strong alkalizing effects on the body.

My mother has been taking Barley Powder for years. She takes it for its nutritional values. She agreed with the eye doctor so I tried it and it does help my indigestion. The Barley works in conjunction with the Apple Cider Vinegar.

However after researching the health benefits and nutritional value of adding Barley Powder to your diet, I would continue to take it even if I did not have the digestive issues. Barley is one of the few foods to be called a "whole food" because of the number of vitamins and minerals it contains.

I must confess as a working mom and wife that sometimes I don't eat all the fresh fruits and veggies I should. There are also many fresh fruits and vegetables that aggrivate my indigestion. I can only eat apples and many fruits if I peel the skins off which of course if where most of the vitamins and minerals are. I feel adding Barley Powder to my diet makes up for some of these losses. I feel great and rarely get sick. I take Barley Life sold by the AIM Company but there are many different brands and most good health food stores carry some variety of Barley Power.

So if you are like many Americans who don't always eat a proper diet, you may want to consider adding Barley Powder to your diet.

For more information on Barley Grass visit:

www.all4naturalhealth.com

www.Article Base.com

Many people have heard of the healing properties of aloe.
We always keep several plants in our garden. There is nothing better for a minor burn, scrape or bug bite. I have had minor kitchen burns that I just knew would blister and hurt for days, all but disappear after applying aloe. First immerse the burn in cold water, next break off a piece of aloe opening it up and totally cover the burn. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes or as long as you can. It is almost miraculous. For insect bites follow the same instructions, rinse and cover with aloe. This is the only remedy we have found to stop the pain of fire ant bites in their tracks.

Then of course living in the Sunshine state, who has not had a sunburn? Here comes Aloe to the rescue. Many over the counter sunburn gels contain aloe but I find the direct plant source works better.

You can also purchase aloe drinks to aid in digestion and for relief of heartburn. Aloe heals the esophagus and soothes the stomach just like it does on the skin. And here's a tip. If you keep the aloe juice in the fridge and do get sunburn, nothing feels better than apply the cold juice on the burn.

Natural Aloe skin creams are a natural healthy alternative to the traditional petroleum based moisturizers. It has even been suggested that aloe can help skin look and feel younger.

If you like to garden and don't have any aloe, go to your favorite garden center and plant some today. If not there are plenty of good aloe products on the market. Check it out for yourself at this, www.Benifits of Aloe.com and many other web sites.

Like honey, it's been around forever. I used to keep it around just for cooking. For years my mother has been taking small doses every morning with water. I used to think she was crazy but she has long suffered bladder infections and inflammations and her Doctor years ago put her on the vinegar and Cranberry juice. She swears by it.

I however did not start taking it until, while searching for relief from acid reflux, I stumbled upon articles touting Apple Cider Vinegar as a natural help for this condition. It did not make much sense until I researched more. One theory is that the acetic acid in vinegar lowers stomach acidity which increases its pH. In this milder acidic environment, the stomach can still digest food but it causes less problems with the esophagus and thus less heartburn. I don't know whether it can be proven that it is effective but it works for me. With the honey and vinegar together I have a powerful natural weapon against heartburn.

Of course some people have serious problems where their bodies make far too much acid. Don't stop taking any medications and talk to your Doctor before trying the honey and vinegar. There are so many other health benefits and natural uses for ACV that I cannot go into them all. I found much of this information and an enormous amount of other benefits on this web site www.Apple Cider Vinegar.com. Check it out. Once again, between the Papaya, Honey and ACV I am drug free! Oh and organic cold pressed ACV is best.

Honey is one of nature's super foods. In this day and age of processed sugar and artificial sweeteners, you unfortunately won't find it in many people's kitchen cabinets. One of the first sweeteners ever to be used by man, it has almost been forgotten in modern times. For those of you who do keep honey on hand for tea or biscuits, have you ever noticed that it never goes bad? This is because honey has natural antibiotic properties. In the days before modern medicines honey was widely used in home remedies for coughs and sore throats. It's time for a honey to make a comeback!

Let's look at just a few of its uses. Of course you can use it as a natural sweetener in your tea or coffee but did you know that it also can be used to soothe an upset stomach? It works to quiet acid reflux faster than any antacid. Honey is my number one remedy if I do have a flare up of acid reflux. It has even been suggested that honey can help heal inflammation in the stomach and esophagus.

Honey has been used as a home remedy for centuries to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with the common cold. Consuming honey on a regular basis can also help allergy sufferers. But it's best to buy local honey. The local honey will have trace amounts of local pollen and help your body's immune system to become accustomed to it, thus reducing the allergic reactions. So find some local honey and be on your way to a healthier you.

Important Note: Do not give honey to infants under 12 months. See the facts at www.Mayo Clinic.com.

Yes mother. But really, did you know good posture not only helps you look better, it has health benefits too. I have struggled with my posture all my life. Not too sure why, perhaps because I was a tall child and did not like being taller than my peers. For whatever reason, I heard it all the time from my mother, "stand up straight".

You can try all the diets, hairstyles, make up and even plastic surgery but if you don't have good posture, you will not look your best. It's not easy learning to have good posture after so many years of slouching. But it can be done and nothing will take years off your appearance like good posture. It will make your bust line appear larger and your tummy flatter.

Even knowing all this, it took a back injury and physical therapy for me to finally realize that my posture can affect my health. Good posture along with exercise (especially abdominal ones) strengthens you back muscles and you are less likely to re-injure your back. My back used to "go out" all the time but if I practice good posture, exercise and am careful about lifting things, I can maintain a healthy back.

Another health benefit is to the digestive system. I find that when I slouch my food does not seem to digest well. It makes sense really. Slouching compresses the stomach and intestines while standing or sitting erect gives you stomach plenty of room to do its work.

So, stand up straight. You will look and feel better.