Thursday, February 25, 2016

Solving the Riddle of Prosperity

Do you sometimes feel like the road to prosperity is filled with pot holes and booby traps? Every time you start to get ahead, does something really unexpected and costly crop up in your life? Does prosperity seem like a riddle that you just can't crack?

If so then take heart! Prosperity isn't really a mystery at all. It's more of a simple formula. There are two sides to prosperity: thinking and feeling. Most of us are good at one side or the other, and the truly prosperous and wealthy in life are good at both. Let's take a look at what each side entails.

Thinking Side of Prosperity
The thinking side of prosperity has to do with planning for and taking actions to achieve prosperity. The thinking part engages your mind and intellect. It involves asking yourself questions such as:
  • What's my definition of prosperity? How much money will I need? What other conditions will I need?
     
  • How do I plan for that level of prosperity? What action steps do I need to take? Who do I need to involve in my plan? What kinds of emergency plans do I need to have?
     
  • How can I remember my plan and stick to it? How do I teach myself to have financial discipline? Who can help me learn to spend less and save more on a daily basis?
In other words, the thinking side of prosperity involves defining, planning, and taking action. It's the logical part of the process. If you've been on the path to wealth and prosperity for any length of time, then you've probably read plenty of books that detail how to think about it. If you haven't read any of these books, Suze Orman's books are a great place to start.

Feeling Side of Prosperity
While the thinking part of prosperity is logical, the feeling part is anything but. The feeling side involves your feelings, emotions, daydreams, and visions. It's the part where you hunker down in comfy clothes with a big blank sheet of paper in front of you and start to dream. It's where you ask yourself questions like:
  • How does prosperity feel to me?
     
  • What does prosperity look like in my dreams?
     
  • How would I recognize prosperity? What frames of reference will I use? Will I be prosperous when I travel 6 weeks a year without thinking twice about it? Which of my dreams can I fulfill when I am prosperous?
Feeling what prosperity feels like to you means creating an emotional connection to what you want. Once you've found that place, the trick is to bring up those prosperous feelings as often as possible during the day. Feel what it feels like to have already achieved the prosperity you seek!

If you're having a bad day, then your dreams of prosperity can be a quick escape, a bit of relief from the daily grind. If you're having a good day, then your prosperous feelings are an affirmation of, "Yes, I am getting there." To get a jump start on the feeling side of prosperity, check out tapes by teachers Abraham-Hicks at http://www.abraham-hicks.com.

The most prosperous people in the world tell us that you need both your mind and emotions to create lasting prosperity. When your road to prosperity gets a little bumpy check in to find out whether you're still running on both thinking and feeling tracks. Chances are that you've gotten sidetracked on one and forgotten about the other. If you take a moment to get rebalanced, you'll find that the road will get smooth and straight again. Most of all enjoy the journey! And if you're looking to add to your financial prosperity with a passive income stream check out our business opportunity.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Back Pain: Natural Solutions for Back Support

The American Chiropractic Association has some shocking statistics about back pain. Did you know that:
  • 31 million Americans experience back pain at any given moment
  • Half of all working Americans state they have back pain
  • Back pain is the most common reason for missed work
Yowza ... that's a lot of people in pain! Luckily for people who don't want to pop pain pills to suppress back pain, there are a number of natural solutions that support the back.

What Back Pain Means
Before we dive into some great natural methods you can use to support your back, let's first look at back pain from an emotional or spiritual point of view. According to Louise Hay, back pain can be a signal that we are uncomfortable with life. Pain in the upper, middle, and lower sections of the back each has a separate meaning (from Louise Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life"):
  • Lower: Fear of money. Lack of financial support.
  • Middle: Guilt. Stuck in all the stuff back there. "Get off my back."
  • Upper: Lack of emotional support. Feeling unloved. Holding back love.
You can say the affirmations recommended by Louise Hay associated with the affected section of the back as a mantra during the day to support yourself:
  • Lower: "I trust the process of life. All I need is always taken care of. I am safe."
  • Middle: "I release the past. I am free to move forward with love in my heart."
  • Upper: "I love and approve of myself. Life supports and loves me."
Natural Solutions for Back Support
On a physical level, you can also take simple steps to support back health. We list three of the most effective solutions here:

Castor Oil Packs: Apply a section of wool flannel soaked in castor oil and lightly heated. Keep the pack warm with a heating pad, and enjoy the warming heat for 1.5 hours. This Edgar Cayce remedy is a powerful way to restore your back to healthy ease. To do a pack, you will need specific directions which you can find HERE

Natural Anti-Inflammatories: Two excellent natural whole food supplements with ingredients considered to be anti-inflammatories are this algae and proteolytic enzyme supplement and this combination of AFA, wheatgrass juice, cordyceps mushrooms, bee pollen, turmeric, noni, and green tea. Taken on a regular basis, either of these natural herbal formulations support back health and reduce inflammation.

Diet: Eliminate foods that are processed, full of refined carbohydrates and sugars, artificial sweeteners and hydrogenated fats from your diet and add in foods with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, fruits, vegetables and other whole foods that can help in fighting chronic inflammation. Quercetin found in onions, garlic, and shallots and curcumin in the spice turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties and have been found effective in dealing with pain. Ginger is also known for having anti-inflammatory properties.

Rebuild with Stem Cells: If your back has been injured or damaged in any way, your body can use stem cells (undifferentiated cells that your body can use anywhere in your body) for healing. This stem cell support supplement is a natural supplement feeds your body with nutrition found to support stem cell production in a healthy way.

The Good News
Back pain isn't fun, but the good news is that there are natural solutions that really work to support back health. Plus, there are no side effects with these natural solutions, unlike pain pills which have many side effects.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Natural Ways to Combat Fatigue

Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Read on...

Most Common Causes of Fatigue
Theodore Friedman, MD, PhD emphasizes sleep, diet and exercise as the three musts for good health which lead to feeling good and being energetic. A lack in any of these three foundations of good health can leave you dragging and open to illness. If you find yourself sick and tired a lot of the time, then first of all your immune system needs a boost to help you fight off illness. If your main complaint is a lack of energy then there may be other culprits ranging from short-term causes to more serious ones causing your chronic fatigue. Some of these are:

Poor nutrition – Body doesn't get enough healthy nutrients to produce energy and excess free radical damage affects body cells and energy stores
Jet lag – crossing time zones interrupts the internal clock and throws off circadian rhythms
Overdoing physical activity – Uses up energy stores and leads to exhaustion
Menopause – Hormone changes causing night sweats and hot flashes interfere with sleep
Anemia – a lack of iron and oxygen circulating through the bloodstream leaves you feeling tired
Diabetes – Changing blood sugar levels use up energy
Depression – Interferes with the production of serotonin that regulates internal clock
Alcohol or drug abuse or some medications used to treat medical conditions – Can lead to anemia, depression, or heart disease. Drinking alcohol in excess interrupts the sleep cycle and interferes with getting good quality sleep. Medications such as antihistamines, cough medicines, steroids, statin drugs or drugs used to treat conditions such as inflammation, heart disease, thyroid disorders, depression, anxiety and many others also interrupt the sleep cycle
Underactive Thyroid – Lack of hormones being produced for controlling how energy is used
Sleep Apnea – Lack of oxygen when sleeping interferes with REM and quality of sleep according to Lisa Shives, MD, director of the Sleep Medicine Center at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Heart Disease – Heart not pumping enough blood or oxygen to body

What You Can Do
Tackling the entire list of causes of fatigue is probably too much, even for a New Year's Resolution. But you can tackle two simple aspects: sleep and proper nutrition.

For tips on getting better sleep check out these resources on our blog:
Sleep Like a Baby Again so Sleep Deprivation Doesn't Getcha!
How to Reboot Your Sleep Cycle
5 Natural Solutions for Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Algae to the Rescue For Good Nutrition
For proper nutrition, make sure you are getting all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids and phytochemicals your body needs to function properly and produce energy. Eating a diet of whole foods with lean protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats will help give you the nutrients needed to feed you on a cellular level. Mitochondria that exist in our cells produce the energy our bodies need to function. Mitochondria need calories, oxygen and certain nutrients such as B vitamins, magnesium, lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine, and coenzyme Q10 to produce ATP or cellular energy. Coenzyme Q10 is crucial to producing energy and a lack if CoQ10 not only means less energy being produced, but also an increase in free radicals that damage body cells. Sufficient CoQ10 gives you the ability to produce the energy you need and the antioxidant power to destroy free radicals. The body does produce some CoQ10 on its own, but as we age the amount produced decreases and some medications can interfere with the amount produced. If you are not getting enough Coenzyme Q10, this could be a contributing factor to your fatigue and supplementation may be necessary. This ubiquinol algae supplement gives you a combination of pure ubiquinol which is the active and bioavailable form of Coenzyme Q10, reishi and oyster mushrooms, polyphenols from olives, and AFA bluegreen algae, for nourishing cells and supporting energy production. The added bonus of this supplement is AFA bluegreen algae, particularly this form with the cell wall intact. The cell wall of most plants are made from cellulose, glucose molecules tightly bonded, which we don't have the enzymes to be able to digest and therefore cannot access those glucose molecules for energy production. AFA bluegreen algae has a cell wall made of polypeptide chains of four amino acids and is very digestible by humans. This process along with the full spectrum of nutrients that comes from AFA makes it an ideal whole food for supporting the body's energy production. It also has a wide array of antioxidants to protect against free radical damage and protect cell membranes which supports strengthening of the immune system, DNA, and body organs. For an additional antioxidant punch, this antioxidant algae supplement has ingredients to provide even more antioxidant power.

When you are sick and tired enough of being sick and tired and decide to do something about it, visit your healthcare provider and see if there is a medical cause for your chronic fatigue, make sure you are getting adequate amounts of good quality sleep and exercise, and make the dietary changes you need to in order to insure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to produce enough energy. Taking control of your energy level will leave you with a happier, healthier and more productive life.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.


Sources:
http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/articles/q10_boosts_energy_nerves_muscles_metabolism/
http://www.drsinatra.com/improved-energy-one-of-the-top-benefits-of-coq10/
http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/why-so-tired-10-causes-fatigue
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/fatigue/basics/causes/sym-20050894
Abrams, Karl J., Algae to the Rescue

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

How to Boost Your Immunity Naturally

How many people do you know who have received the flu shot and ended up with the worst case of the flu? Unfortunately, the flu shot represents the health industry's best guess as to the most likely strain of the flu that will appear. But Mother Nature always seems to have some tricks up her sleeve, and very often the flu virus ends up either protecting your body against a strain of flu virus that does not end up appearing in the population, or your body's immune system is in some ways immune-compromised so that you end up getting the flu from the vaccination.

Neither option sounds appealing, right? Luckily there are natural ways to boost your body's own immune system so that you never again have to face the dilemma of whether or not to get a flu shot.

Need Immunity? Your Gut to the Rescue!
Get this: according to many scientists, "It has been estimated that around 80-85% of our immunity is located in the gut wall"? The reason that the gut plays such an important role in health is because the whole digestive tract is covered with a thick bacterial layer (and in some places a thick mucous layer). While this doesn't sound at all nifty, much less healthy, the truth of the matter is that these beneficial bacteria, along with the layer of mucous, acts as a first line defense against invading virus and harmful bacteria, undigested food, and parasites. The reason it is so important to protect the rest of the body from undigested food is because if that food were to enter the blood stream, the body would automatically consider it a foreign invader, and begin to attack that undigested food. This is the process by which food allergies begin for many people.

Clearly, then, it is important to keep one's gut healthy. There are two simple and natural ways to do this: eat healthy and take the right supplement.

Eating healthy should be a no-brainer, since most of us know that eating a burger and fries for lunch each day is no good for our bodies, not to mention our waistlines. But there are special foods that are excellent for gut health. These include:

Bananas – also have lots of magnesium and potassium and have been found to reduce inflammation.

Polenta – high in fiber and has some fermentation in it.

Fermented foods – include yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha tea, unpasteurized miso, fermented pickles, kimchi, tempeh, pickled ginger, cured Greek olives, kefir, buttermilk, raw apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and any kind of vegetables, grains or beans that have been fermented and that have live micro-organisms.

Beans – have lots of fiber, protein, folate, and B vitamins and strengthen the wall of the intestines.

Jerusalem artichokes – full of the insoluble fiber inulin that acts as a prebiotic to feed probiotics (healthy bacteria). Other good prebiotic foods include almonds, onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, asparagus, beets, cabbage, jicama, kiwi, beans, lentils, soybeans, whole wheat, oats and mushrooms.

Then there are supplements that can help give you extra nutrition known to boost your immunity:

Acidophilus - a form of friendly bacteria that lives in our small intestine and is necessary for proper digestion and a healthy immune system, often called "nature's antibiotic" because it plays such a vital role in the immune system. Acidophilus and other forms of probiotics also secrete antibacterial acids that are harmful to pathogenic bacteria and enhance our bodies' mucosal immunity, preventing the spread of the harmful bacteria and decreasing the risk of infection.

Bifidus - supports the health and balance of the large intestine, promotes the growth of good intestinal flora in the large intestine, which not only promotes efficient digestion and assimilation of nutrients, but also helps inhibit gas and bloating, lowers the pH of the intestine, manufactures specific B-vitamins, and promotes immune function

Enzymes – help the body break down fats, carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, and enhance the digestive process to get more nourishment from foods and supplements, takes stress off the pancreas, liver and spleen by supplying enzymes that they won't have to produce when we don't get enough in our diets allowing more energy to be devoted to immune system function. Get your enzymes along with probiotics and AFA bluegreen algae the easy way in these ready to go convenient packets.

Beta glucan – is a soluble fiber that comes from yeast, bacteria, fungi, and cereals such as oats, barley, and rye, which studies have shown has the ability to activate macrophages, a type of white blood cell that circulates throughout the body destroying foreign antigens. This whole food supplement has the power of beta glucan combined with six of the most extensively researched mushrooms that show positive immune system support: reishi, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, Turkey Tail, and Agaricus blazei, along with astragalus, and AFA bluegreen algae.

Like the Arabian proverb quoted by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says, "He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything!" In that sense, giving your immune system the boost it needs to keep you healthy is one of the best ways to insure your health, hope, and happiness.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.

Sources:
http://www.pcrm.org/media/online/sept2014/seven-foods-to-supercharge-your-gut-bacteria
http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/johannah-sakimura-nutrition-sleuth/eat-these-foods-healthy-gut/
http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/diets/best-foods-healthy-gut-bacteria
http://www.doctor-natasha.com/

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Allergy Shiners: Most Commonly Missed Signs of Allergy

If you are an allergy sufferer you are more than familiar with the symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, watery or itchy eyes or a scratchy throat that cause you misery, but there are other symptoms you may not be aware of related to allergies. If untreated, allergies can lead to sinusitis, ear infections or stopped up ears, sleep apnea and possibly asthma. They also interfere with your lifestyle by making you tired, unable to focus, irritable, and cause you to sleep poorly. Getting some relief from your allergy symptoms is possible if you know a few natural solutions that can help you relieve your allergy symptoms.

Allergy Symptoms and The Cause
Allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever or seasonal allergy, results from coming into contact with an allergen such as pollen, dust, mold, or animal dander. Your immune system initially treats these allergens as foreign invaders and creates antibodies to fight it off. When further exposure to these allergens occurs the antibodies then react, triggering the release of histamine which creates inflammation causing tissues around blood vessels to tighten and fluid to escape. The escaping fluid becomes the symptoms you experience such as a runny nose, itchy watery eyes, and sneezing. Symptoms you may not be aware of as being connected to allergies include allergy shiners which are dark circles under the eyes that Dr. Marc Meth explains happen when blood pools under the eyes from nasal and sinus congestion, mouth breathing when a stuffy nose prevents breathing through it, rubbing the nose, a chronic cough, eye sensitivity to light, and ear pressure or trouble hearing.

Relieving Allergy Symptoms
Of course in an ideal world avoiding allergens in the first place would be the perfect natural solution to dealing with allergy symptoms, but this isn't always possible. You can try to avoid them as much as you can by checking pollen counts and scheduling you outdoor activities accordingly though. Keeping windows closed and air ducts, air filters, furniture, curtains and sheets clean can also help you avoid some exposure. If you do have to go outside, using a saline solution rinse to wash out nasal cavities with a Netipot or bulb syringe can help wash out allergens and unblock thickened mucous from the nose and sinuses. The most common mixture to use is a teaspoon of salt that is non-iodized and a little baking soda mixed in a cup of barely warmed distilled water. This is then poured into each nostril one at a time while leaning over the sink with head tilted to the side so the water can run out the opposite nostril. You can also help relieve allergy symptoms by getting regular exercise, boosting your immune system, and adding foods with certain vitamins and phytochemicals to your diet.

Nutrition for Allergy Relief
Vitamins – B vitamins such as folate or folic acid and vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid are two important vitamins for maintaining a healthy immune system. Studies on folic acid report that high levels of folic acid result in fewer allergy symptoms. Good food sources for folate include cereals, breads, rice, pasta, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, avocados, peanuts, and bananas. Vitamin B5 has also been linked to immune system health and is known to provide support to the adrenal glands which can reduce asthma and allergy symptoms. Food sources for this B vitamin include eggs, fish, chicken, cheese, milk, nuts, whole grains and potatoes. Foods with vitamin C can help reduce the production of histamine that results in allergy symptoms and can help trigger hormones from the adrenal glands that fight off allergies. Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, bell pepper, leafy green vegetables and tomatoes. Adequate amounts of vitamin D has also been found through research to play a role in reducing allergy and asthma symptoms. We get most of our vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, but there are some foods that also contain vitamin D such as fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, egg yolks, milk fortified with vitamin D, and cod liver oil. There are also other foods that have been fortified with vitamin D such as cereals, orange juice, and yogurt. Vitamin E can also help in reducing allergy symptoms as it helps reduce the number of cells that release histamine. Good vitamin E food sources include dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, eggs, milk and soybeans.

Antioxidants – Resveratrol found in red wine, grapes, berries, grape juice and peanuts is known to reduce stress responses that bring on allergic reactions. Tea, especially green, according to Los Angeles ENT, Murray Grossan, MD, has natural antihistamines that can help alleviate allergy symptoms. Drinking hot tea can also give some relief in unblocking the nose from its steam. Quercetin is a flavonoid that attaches to histamine producing cells thus reducing the amount released. Foods like apples, citrus, onions, parsley, olive oil and dark cherries and berries are all good sources for quercetin.

Essential fatty acids – Omega-3 fatty acids in particular can help control the inflammation that results from the body's reaction to allergens and has been reported in research studies to help reduce asthma symptoms. Olive oil, nuts, flaxseeds, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel are all good sources of omega-3 as is AFA bluegreen algae. Research with blue green algae has shown it may help interfere with histamine producing cells which would reduce allergy symptoms and can help with increasing IgA antibodies to fight off allergens. One study in 1996 from the National Center for Health Statistics found algae eaters to have less allergies, less problems with skin conditions and with asthma. In addition to AFA bluegreen algae, your immunity can benefit from the blend of marine and freshwater algae, tonic mushrooms, sprouted grasses and grains, probiotics and digestive enzymes found all together in these convenient packets. Many varieties of mushrooms have been found to help in boosting immune system function, sprouted grasses and grains are a great source of antioxidant protection for an immune system boost, and probiotics help support the friendly bacteria in the intestines that are part of a strong immune system.

Don't let allergy symptoms keep you down, miserable, and in control of your life. It's great to avoid allergens when you can and take some precautions against them, but that isn't always practical. Get in your exercise and add some immune boosting foods to your diet that can help you reduce your allergy symptoms and get back to enjoying all the things you want to do in life.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.

Image courtesy of stockimages  /  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sources:
http://www.thedoctorstv.com/articles/574-allergic-shiners
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/tc/allergic-rhinitis-symptoms
http://acaai.org/resources/connect/ask-allergist/nasal-allergies
http://www.neilmed.com/neilmedblog/2011/06/nutrition-for-allergies/
http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy-photos/allergies-and-food.aspx
Bruno, Jeffrey, PhD, Edible Microalgae