Natural Solutions for Better Hair

Having better hair doesn't have to mean hours at a salon or wrecking your wallet with expensive hair treatments. The fact of the matter is that many salon treatments may help your hair look better temporarily, but many of these treatments actually damage your hair. For instance, excessive coloring, perming, and highlighting actually stresses your tresses.

If you want better hair and you don't want to stress your tresses, try some of the natural solutions we discuss in this article. Most of these solutions are simple, practical, and can be achieved with ingredients in your kitchen cabinet.

Natural Solutions for Better Hair from the Outside In
Changing just a few aspects of your daily hair care regimen can give you better hair. You just have to know a little bit about how hair grows and is nourished. Consider a few of these natural solutions that can help your hair look and grow better:

Sun Protection: Like your skin, your hair can suffer from sunburn. Mild sun exposure can give your hair some great highlights, and won't do much damage. However, prolonged sun exposure, especially in the hours between 10 AM and 3 PM, can damage your hair. The results can be split ends, dry hair, and a general lack of health. Wear hats or use specially-formulated shampoos or conditioners that include sunscreen.

Comb Rather Than Brush: Depending on your hair type and fullness, try combing your hair rather than brushing your hair. The bristles on brushes can damage hair shafts, while broad-toothed combs don't. Obviously, people with super thick or curly hair may not be able to use a comb. If you have this kind of hair, choose a brush that has bristles with rounded tips to limit damage.

Treat Your Scalp at the Right Time: If you are going to use any kind of scalp treatment, timing is important. Scalp treatments are more effective when the pores are open, so the perfect time to apply any scalp therapy is just before you step into a warm bath. The pores in your scalp will be open and dilated, and thus more able to respond to any kind of applied treatment. After you have rinsed out your scalp treatment, consider rinsing your hair with cold water. The cold water re-tightens pores and has the tendency of leaving your hair shinier.

Natural Solutions for Better Hair from the Inside Out
The above tips help support hair health from the outside in. You can get better hair by supporting your hair from the inside out. Your lifestyle often has a big influence on the health of your hair. For instance, check out these simple natural solutions for better hair from the inside out:

• drink enough water
• get plenty of sleep
• eat plenty of healthy fresh foods
• exercise regularly (enough to sweat and open your pores)
• avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake

These lifestyle solutions are pretty much "no-brainers" because they support your body's general health as well as hair health.

Supplements are another way to get better hair. When it comes to healthy hair, most people immediately think of biotin. While taking oral supplements of biotin may help you have better hair, your body's ability to absorb nutrients plays a big factor in this supplement's effectiveness.

What often seems to work better is to support your liver as well as your body's level of probiotics. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver governs the head hair. If your liver is healthy, your hair will also be healthy. Eating foods that support the liver, such as leafy greens and sprouted greens, will help you have better hair. If you can't slow down enough to prepare fresh foods, consider adding to your diet a powdered supplement of sprouted greens that gently supports your liver health. Just mix the powder with any veggie juice and drink it down. Voila... mission accomplished!

Another way to support hair health from the inside out is to ensure that the probiotics that live in your gut are healthy and happy. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut, and provide a variety of health benefits. These benefits include assisting with digestion, preventing harmful bacteria from taking up residence, and providing a first line defense against foreign invaders.

But when it comes to having better hair, probiotics are important for a different reason: they produce a variety of vitamins, including biotin. Probiotics also produce vitamin K, folic acid, and a variety of B vitamins. All of these support general health. Biotin helps with healthy hair growth. As always, the body seems to accept and assimilate the vitamins produced by its own systems rather than synthetic or other forms of vitamins not ingested in natural or whole foods. At the end of the day, it seems a better idea to take probiotics, such acidophilus and bifidus, orally rather than taking a single biotin supplement.

Better Hair from the Outside or Inside
Are you getting the message that natural solutions that produce better hair are simple, practical, and plain common sense? That's what we have discovered. No matter what "type" of hair you have, these natural solutions are equally applicable. More importantly, by boosting your hair's health using these solutions, you also support your body's overall health.

Now that's a no-brainer, right?

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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Do I Have the Flu or Do I Have a Cold? It Matters How You Treat It

A lot of people confuse colds and flus, which may not matter if you treat both with natural solutions that support your immune system. However, if you have the flu and you treat it like a bacteria-based cold with allopathic (or Western) medicine, you can expect to feel worse rather than better. Before we dive into the topic of why this occurs, just take a quick look at the difference between colds and flus:

There are several major symptoms that indicate you probably have the flu. These include:

• fever
• muscles aches and soreness
• rapid onset of symptoms
• severe symptoms
• overall fatigue that lasts for one to three weeks

Symptoms that are unique to colds include:

• often starts with a sore throat
• stuffy or runny nose without fever or fatigue
• milder symptoms
• slower onset of symptoms
• few lingering side effects once major symptoms have resolved

For more on the difference between colds and flus, check out this article.

Do I Have the Flu or Do I Have a Cold? Treat the Right Condition
Treating for the flu or cold gets complicated when it comes to Western medicine. Why? Because both colds and flus can come from viruses, while certain colds can be bacterial in nature. It just depends. The tricky part is if you think that you have a bacteria-based cold and treat it with antibiotics, you may think you will get better. However, if you have a virally-caused cold or flu, the antibiotics are only going to make you feel worse. Why? Because viruses do not respond to antibiotics. The antibiotics will not harm the virus causing your discomfort, but they will kill off most if not all of the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut, such as acidophilus and bifidus. This is bad news because 70% of our immunity comes from these beneficial bacteria (also known as probiotics). Kill these off, and the virus that is causing you to feel crummy has a free license to run rampant in your body.

The better solution may be to support your body's natural immune response with natural solutions. In addition to getting enough rest, hydration, and chicken soup, you can also add supplemental probiotics into your regimen. For more natural solutions on supporting your body's immune response to colds and flus, read this article.

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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Health Tips: 3 Easy Ways to Save $$ on Supplements

When it comes to buying supplements, the bill can be downright scary, especially people who are trying to cut costs and live frugally. Luckily, there are simple ways that you can cut costs related to your supplements--and that's exactly what we are going to cover in the health tips offered in this article. Just because you cut costs does not mean you have to cut quality when it comes to your supplements. Just read through the 3 following health tips and see if they don't seem quite logical (and cost-saving) to you!

Cut Costs Tip #1 - Skip the Weekend
Many people think that they need to take all their supplements all the time. As a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and health counselor, one of the most frequent health tips I offer is that the body needs a rest from supplements from time to time. Depending on the supplement, of course, the body can need a break every weekend, one week out of the month, one week every several months, or one month a year. This "taking a break" approach does not, of course, apply to allopathic or Western medications--you need to check with your physician about these. I am referring to wholefood supplements like slippery elm or aloe, blue-green algae, probiotics, etc.

To cut costs and give their bodies a break, many people will skip a portion of their supplements one to two days per week. Whether you can use this health tip to cut costs on supplements depends on your general health, and the reasons you take the supplements that you take. For instance, some people take an energy-supporting supplement like AFA blue-green algae. Since many of these people tend to be less stressed and more rested on the weekends, they feel they can skip a day or two of taking this supplement on the weekend (or at least reduce the amount that they take). On the other hand, I never recommend that people who tend to suffer from digestive ailments skip taking supplemental enzymes on the weekends. As you can see, this health tip to cut costs on supplements is entirely dependent on your overall health, health needs, and health goals. Often, you will know what you can and can't skip in terms of supplements. If you are not sure, check with your healthcare providers. This approach also works very well for animals and certain whole food supplements that we add to their diets.

Cut Costs Tip #2 - Buy Quality
When you start out with quality supplements, you need to take less to get more benefit. This is best demonstrated with a supplement like probiotics, which are the beneficial bacteria (such as acidophilus and bifidius) that live in your gut and support your digestion and immune response. If you look at price, the least-expensive probiotics are often the ones that are not stored in the refrigerator. Many probiotic capsules are not even "active"--meaning there are no live strains of bacteria in each capsule--when tested in a lab. Other probiotic strains are not strong enough to pass through the acidic environment of the stomach. Finally, still other strains are easily destroyed by stress, chlorinated water, and other lifestyle habits. So when you go to by probiotics, buy the best quality you can get. My two favorite forms are acidophilus and bifidus, both lab-tested and quality approved by experience!

Cut Costs Tip #3 - Common Sense
You know what they say about common sense--it's the least common item around! Well, when it comes to health tips that cut cost, using your own common sense is one of the best action steps you can take. What do I mean by common sense? I mean the simple stuff. Get some regular exercise, even if you just walk around the block a few times. Eat right--shop for good food and cook it at home. Keep the gut bombs to a minimum. Have fun and laugh a lot--laughter truly is good medicine. Get enough restful sleep so your body can recover and rejuvenate. These are all common health tips that you have no doubt read somewhere and already know. So just put one or two into action, and your body will thank you!

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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What Causes Allergy in Spring and How to Avoid Feeling Muddled

When spring springs forth, do you enjoy the beautiful flowers or do you wonder, "What causes allergy?" because you are so tired of all the sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose ...?

If those symptoms match what happens to you every spring, then you suffer from seasonal allergies, what is commonly called "hay fever." If you have hay fever, you are not alone. Did you know that 35 million Americans get hay fever every spring? That's a lot of runny noses and muddled brains. Luckily, you don't have to spend this spring in misery. In this article we offer three simple natural solutions that address the causes of allergy.

What Causes Allergy in Your Body During the Spring?
What causes allergy during the spring is pollen--those tiny grains that plants like trees and grasses release by the trillions. For many people, pollen isn't a big deal, but for people with hay fever, pollen causes a major immune overreaction. If you have hay fever, when pollen enters your nasal passages or lungs, your body mistakenly believes that the pollen is a foreign invader (normally bacteria and viruses) and goes on the attack. Your body releases antibodies to attack the pollen, and in the process, chemicals called histamines are released into the bloodstream. Histamines are responsible for hay fever symptoms, such as runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, and other symptoms of allergies.

Digestively, something else happens to your body when you suffer from allergies. Specifically, when you have an allergic reaction, your body releases an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Research indicates that the levels of the good bacteria that live in your gut, called probiotics, can affect how much IgE your body produces, and how severe your allergy symptoms.

3 Natural Solutions That Address the Causes of Allergy
Now that you know what happens inside your body that causes all those miserable allergy symptoms, let's take a look at some natural solutions that actually address the causes of allergy.

Natural Solution #1: Eat Well
Research indicates that what you eat can really affect how badly hay fever will affect you. For instance, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can support your body's immune response so that it doesn't go overboard in response to pollen. Fresh fruits and vitamins provide plenty of vitamins (such as C and D) and antioxidants to help your body distinguish the real foreign invaders (bacteria and viruses) from pollen. In addition, drinking clear soups can help thin mucous and clear nasal passages. While we can't detail a full menu plan in an article of this length, just know that if you skip the "gut bombs" and eat fresh and healthy meals, your body will thank you. In turn, you will feel less muddled by hay fever symptoms!

Natural Solution #2: Take Acidophilus and Enzymes
Studies show that having a healthy population of acidophilus in your small intestine can reduce the amount of IgE that your body produces in response to pollen. Participants who took extra acidophilus during spring allergy season showed lower levels of IgE in blood tests. In addition, taking supplemental enzymes between meals can support your body's immune response. It turns out that your body uses the extra enzymes to englobe and remove pollen grains from your system, reducing the amount of overreaction from your body's native immune system.

Natural Solution #3: Add Antioxidants and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Medical and dietary experts indicate that foods high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may help ease inflammation that are the result of hay fever. Both of these nutrients can be found in colored fruits, leafy greens, AFA blue-green algae, deep water fish, and nuts and seeds. Again, all of these foods are found in a healthy diet plan. If you are "on the run" and don't have time to cook and eat healthy, try taking AFA blue-green algae or fruits and veggies in a capsule. Both can support your body's immune system and general health.

The good news about these natural solutions is that they not only support your body so that you don't get so muddled during allergy season, but these solutions are also good for heart health and overall immune health. That's a pretty good return for a few natural solutions that are simple to integrate into your life, right?

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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Being Mad as a Hatter is No Joke When it Comes to Mercury Poisoning

Do you know where the phrase "mad as a hatter" came from? It is not just a phrase, it has an actual meaning. Back in Britain, between 1600 and 1800, makers of felt hats used quicksilver, which is mercury nitrate, to make hats. It was a carefully guarded trade secret.

The only problem, of course, is that people who wore these hats became, well, mad as hatters. They developed poor memories, inappropriate behaviors, and even tremors that became know as "the hatter's shakes."

Wow! Talk about being mad as a hatter! Can you say heavy metal poisoning? So much for the "trade secret."

Before We Knew About Mercury Poisoning and Its Effects
Unfortunately, many people were negatively affected by mercury poisoning before scientists discovered that this heavy metal caused many health issues. Back in the day, mercury was used in many medications, especially those used to treat syphilis. Doctors even directly injected people with mercury and applied direct mercury ointments.

Worse, many dentists continue to use mercury amalgam fillings today, even though negative effects of mercury are well documented. What does mercury do to the body? Here's a short list:

• generates free radical cell damage and cell death
• inhibits many antioxidants, including super oxide dismutase (SOD)
• retards brain development
• speeds the development of diabetes, hypertension, strokes, and cardiovascular disease
• causes muscle weakness, include chronic fatigue syndrome

... and that's only the short list! Mercury poisoning can also lead to arthritis, depression, dermatitis, dizziness, gum disease, hair loss, and insomnia.

What to Do if You Suspect You Have Mercury Poisoning
If you are concerned about mercury poisoning, whether because of dental fillings, eating a lot of seafood, or external sources of contamination, luckily there are steps you can take to help your body get rid of mercury.

To help your body rid itself of mercury, you need to ingest foods and supplements high in:

• chlorophyll
• enzymes
• antioxidants

All of these will support the cleansing process, especially at the cellular level as well as from the liver and kidneys. Research shows that the food richest in all of these substances is AFA blue-green algae. According to Dr. Jeffrey Bruno,

"The use of algae has stimulated the excretion of some contaminants ... lead and mercury are also excreted without detrimental effects associated with conventional chelation therapy."

Other herbs that support detoxification of mercury include cilantro, yellow dock, milk thistle, dandelion, red clover, burdock, cleavers, marshmallow, and licorice.

I have successfully helped myself and other people I advise on nutrition to successfully detoxify their bodies of mercury. Of course, the first step is to remove any possible sources of mercury poisoning, including excess seafood and dental fillings made of mercury amalgam.

Then I usually suggest people take these daily packs of supplements that include AFA blue-green algae, enzymes, acidophilus, and bifidus. For an extra boost, I also suggest this wheat sprout and algae supplement from the same company, as the concentrated wheat sprouts have a very strong antioxidant effect in the body. Alternatively, Dragon River Herbals also has a powerful herbal detoxification program, including detailed instructions on how to use it. Both of these approaches have worked well for many people.

So ... consider trying either of these approaches if you are feeling the negative effects of mercury poisoning, or just feeling a tad mad as a hatter!

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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Your Immune System: 5 Natural Solutions to Avoid Catching Every Cold and Flu This Season

If you haven't thought about your immune system this year, you might want to. Why? Because the U.S. is being hit hard by the flu this year according to the Centers for Disease Control (http://on.webmd.com/WgniPB). As of the first week of January, 47 states reported widespread flu activity, and Northeastern states have seen a flood of patients in the emergency room with flu-type symptoms. And those statistics don't even consider the common cold!

Yuck! No one likes suffering through the symptoms of the cold or flu. Luckily, you can take steps to strengthen your immune system so that you don't catch every cold or flu making the rounds. Check out these 5 simple natural solutions that can boost your immunity ... and generally keep you healthier and happier!

5 Natural Solutions to Strengthen Your Immune System
Notice that these tips for strengthening your immune system are "natural solutions." The reason we focus on solutions that work with your body's natural immune responses is because this approach can help you avoid colds and flus rather than trying to quell symptoms after you get sick. In addition, research now shows that the use of antibiotics to treat colds and flus is not only ineffective (since colds and flus are viral and antibiotics only help with illnesses caused by bacteria) but can actually cause future resistance to antibiotics (http://on.webmd.com/UhiKeO). So focus on prevention rather than easing symptoms after you catch a cold or flu.

#1 - Help Your Immune System by Cutting Down on Smoking and Drinking
Did you know that heavy smokers catch colds more often, and suffer more severe symptoms? What's worse, even hanging around a smoker can reduce your immunity. Smoke paralyzes the delicate hairs (cilia) that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs. These hairs "wave around" as you breathe, and literally "sweep" cold and flu viruses out of your body. Experts estimate that the smoke from a single cigarette can paralyze these cilia hairs in your body for as long as 30 to 40 minutes! So don't smoke and avoid smokers.

Similarly, avoid heavy drinking, which can suppress the immune system. Studies show that heavy drinkers are more likely to develop both initial symptoms of colds and flus, plus secondary complications. In addition, alcohol consumption dehydrates your body, increasing your chances of catching a cold or flu.

#2 - Boost Your Immune System with Natural Supplements
If you know that you are going to be stressed or in contact with people who have a cold or the flu, you can strengthen your immune system by adding a few natural supplements to your daily regimen. For instance, instead of taking antibiotics, take probiotics. Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that live in your gut, and are a first line of defense against illnesses of all kinds. Acidophilus is one of the most important forms of probiotics because it produces B-vitamins and acidophilin for immune system support. In fact, you can take acidophilus to support your immune system so you don't get sick, or take acidophilus if you do end up with a cold or flu. We have found that taking therapeutic doses of acidophilus during an illness can help support the immune system so the body can more easily recover.

Another useful supplement is one made from  WGP beta glucan, an ingredient found in baker's yeast. This specially processed supplement has been shown to support the production and activity of beneficial white blood cells. Overall, WGP beta glucan also provides generalized immune support.

#3 - Get a Pet
No kidding. Pets can be good for your health! Studies show that having a pet can provide multiple health benefits, including supporting your immune system, reducing blood pressure, improving heart health, and even reducing cholesterol levels. Pets can provide companionship, exercise, and loving attention through their presence ... and your body will respond!

#4 - Add Antioxidant Foods to Your Diet
Antioxidants are those molecular substances that your body needs to protect your cells from damage, which in turn supports your immune system. To ensure that you get enough antioxidants, focus on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables of multiple colors. For instance, mix the following into your diet: dark leafy greens, oranges and lemons, berries of all kinds, broccoli, red peppers, and papayas. Can't slow down to make a salad or smoothie? No worries ... try these fruits and veggies in a capsule!

#5 - Sweat, Hydrate, and then Relax!
You probably already know the immune benefits of exercise and hydration, but they still bear mentioning here. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, increases circulation and oxygenation in your body, both of which can support and strengthen your immune system. Studies also show that aerobic exercise increases the number of virus-killing cells in your body, which reduces your chances of catching a cold or the flu.

Drinking plenty of water helps your body flush toxins, plus keeps your circulation going at top efficiency. Be sure to replace all the water you sweat away during exercise.

Finally, relax and reduce stress as much as possible to strengthen your immune system. Studies indicate that people who consciously relax, whether through meditation or other methods, have a better immune response. When the body relaxes, interleukins (a first-line response against cold and flu viruses) increase in the bloodstream. So train yourself to relax on a regular basis ... and we do mean relax because people who are just bored rather than relaxed don't get the same beneficial change in their blood chemicals!

So there you have it ... 5 simple natural solutions to strengthen your immune system. Doesn't sound too difficult, right? For instance, if you already have a dog, how difficult is it to take a few moments to pet your pet? Or eat a piece of fruit? Or go for a walk? It's all about slowing down and thinking about your actions before you get sick.

An ounce of prevention is really worth a pound of cure!



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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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Graceful Aging: Foods for Healthy Skin

Is your skin not participating in your program for graceful aging?

Is it perhaps aging faster than the rest of you? Few things are more demoralizing than looking in the mirror and realizing that your skin makes you look older than your actual age! The good news is this: just as it is never too late to have a happy childhood, it is never too late to give your skin a boost to keep it looking and healthy. In this article, we will give you tips on foods for healthy skin at any age!

Risk Factors for Aging Skin
Before we dive into the menu of great foods for healthy skin, let's first take a look at the risk factors that age our skin over time.

These include:

• sun exposure
• smoking
• drinking alcohol
• sleep position
• genetics
• loss of fat under the skin (causing wrinkles)
• gravity
• poor diet (more on this in the next section)

Most people know that exposing skin to the sun's harmful rays, especially between 10 am and 3 pm, can cause a lot of damage (called photo-aging). Sun exposure in early childhood often shows up more prominently as we age. Smoking and alcohol are also common "no-no's" when it comes to the graceful aging of skin. Smokers develop lines and wrinkles much faster than non-smokers, mostly because smoke contains so many damaging ingredients, not to mention the constant drying effect of smoking wafting over the skin. Alcohol dehydrates the body, which can contribute to dry skin and wrinkles. In addition, alcohol dilates the blood vessels, contributing to broken veins and redness in the skin.

The first three items on the list of risk factors above may be no surprise. What can be a surprise is that sleep position is a risk factor for aging facial skin. If you sleep in the same position for years--and your face comes in contact with the pillow while in that position--you might end up with a permanent "sag" plus wrinkles wherever your face touches your pillow. Experts now suggest sleeping on your back to avoid this problem. Genetics, loss of fat under the skin, and gravity are three other factors that can prevent graceful aging of the skin.

Finally, diet is a big deal when it comes to having healthy young-looking skin. What you eat literally shows up on your face. Who knows? You might have egg on your face. That's why the next section is dedicated to foods for healthy skin!

Foods for Healthy Skin
Foods for healthy skin are generally foods that are healthy for our bodies. The state of our skin is a reflection of the state of our general health, so some doctors can literally tell the quality of your diet based on the condition of your skin. Luckily, integrating foods for healthy skin into your diet isn't difficult at all. Here we list a few simple dietary additions that can have a big impact on the health of your skin.

Water
True, technically water is not truly considered a food. However, dehydration is one of the major causes of aging skin. If you want healthy skin, drink plenty of water. In addition to keeping skin healthy and rejuvenated, drinking enough water also supports the body in flushing toxins, preventing water retention, and keeping our internal organs functioning at top efficiency. How much water should you drink to keep your skin healthy? Most medical experts suggest using this formula:

• calculate 75% of your body weight. If you weigh 150 pounds, this would be 112.5 pounds
• convert that figure to ounces (112.5 ounces, or about 14 glasses of water, 8 ounces each)
• add 16 ounces each for a dry climate or strenuous exercise to get your total suggested water intake

Foods High in Probiotics
Foods high in probiotics equal foods for healthy skin, not to mention a super-healthy body. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines. They not only help us digest our food properly, but also play a major role in skin health. For instance recent studies indicate that adding daily probiotic-rich foods may reduce the incidence of eczema in children by more than 55%! This shows the correlation between probiotics and healthy skin, since eczema is a major skin problem. Eczema is also a sign of immune dysfunction, so adding probiotics to your diet can also support your overall immune health. Foods rich in probiotics include most fermented foods, such high-quality yogurt (such as low-fat and low-sugar Greek yogurt) or kefir. If you are not a fan of fermented foods, you can supplement your diet with probiotic capsules. We have found these strains of acidophilus and bifidus to be effective supplements for healthy skin, not to mention overall health.

Foods High in Essential Fatty Acids (mostly Omega-3)
Skin looks young when it has a lot of elasticity, and foods rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) play a big role in helping your skin stay elastic rather than sag. Since saggy and wrinkly skin definitely has no place in a regimen of graceful aging, we suggest adding foods high in EFAs to your diet. There are two major types of EFAs: omega-3 and omega-6. To have healthy skin, you need foods that have 3 to 4 times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids. Most Americans get just the opposite--eating foods that give them 10 to 20 times as much omega-6 fatty acids (the wrong type!) as omega-3 fatty acids!

You can solve this problem by eating foods that have the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs. These types of foods include: seafood (especially deep-water fish like salmon and tuna), fresh fruit, dark-green leafy greens, micro-algae, seeds and nuts, and flax and olive oil. Adding just a little of each of these foods to your diet can make a significant difference to the appearance of your skin.

If your diet is just plain SAD (the Standard American Diet) and you don't have time to fix it, try supplementing your diet with this strain of AFA blue-green algae, which has the exact ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making it one of Earth's perfect foods for healthy skin!

Foods High in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are those great molecular warriors that roam around our bodies, preventing damage from oxidative damage and boosting the body's immune response. Antioxidants prevent damage to the body, including our skin, making them among the top foods for healthy skin. What foods are high in antioxidants? Try these: fresh and dried fruits (especially berries), vegetables (including broccoli, spinach, carrots, sprouted greens, and kale), nuts, and even green tea or black coffee (both taken in moderation). For people with hectic schedules, fruits and veggies are now available in condensed capsule form --no kidding! These are handy ways to get your antioxidants when you are on the run!

At the End of the Day
If you haven't realized it by now, eating foods for healthy skin is also greatly beneficial for your entire body's health and immunity. Educating yourself about healthy foods is the first step toward younger-looking healthy skin. Actually eating those foods is the second step. One way to ensure that you eat healthy is to pick one day a week to prepare nutritious meals for the entire week. Just cook up a big batch of the foods suggested in this article, package them into meal-sized containers, and stick them in your fridge. That way, when you're on the run, you don't have to stop and think about what to do. You can just grab a container, eat, and go! Another alternative is to add supplements, including fruit-and-vegetable capsules plus probiotics and microalgae, to your diet. After all, if astronauts can eat healthy (kind of) in space, there's nothing wrong with getting your healthy food in capsules, right?

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

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How to Slim Down: Why You Should Focus on Your Abs and Waist

New Year's has passed and, as usual, weight loss tops the list of resolutions that people have made for 2013. That's not surprising. What IS surprising is how little people know about how to slim down in healthy and easy ways. Of course, most people know the usual formula for slimming down: eat less, exercise more, drink more water, and eat healthier. But these days the art of how to slim down has become more of a science. That's why this article is dedicated to the fact that you should focus on your abs and your waist if you want to lose weight this year.

How to Slim Down: Why Focus on Abs and Waist?
If you want to slim down, take a look at your profile in the mirror. Chances are that your mid-section, meaning your abdominal area and your waist, are areas where you would love to lose weight. There might also be other areas in your body where you would like to drop a few pounds, but health-wise, slimming down your waist is much more beneficial than, say, losing that double chin.

When it comes to slimming down, why should you focus on your waistline? Here's what medical experts (WebMD) want you to know:

• waist-size is a good measure of overall health (women should not exceed 35 inches, men 40 inches)
• an excessively large waist increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure
• abdominal fat is worse than other kinds of fat because it wraps around internal organs, increasing your health risks
• your waist is one area you can focus on and specifically lose weight, called spot-toning (as opposed to other areas, like saggy underarms)

That should give you plenty of medical reasons for focusing on your waist when you think about how to slim down this year. There are also some pretty nice benefits when it comes to the "looks" department. Slimming down your waist might get you back into those skinny jeans or allow you to wear that body-hugging wrap that you have hidden in the back of the closet!

How to Slim Down Your Waist: 3 Tips You Can Use
Knowing you need to trim your waist size and actually getting it done are two different things. In this section we offer you 3 simple tips that should make it simple to slim down your waist. These tips are based on a simple principle: a bulky waistline is composed mostly of fat and undigested food.

Tip #1: How to Fight Fat to Lose Belly Weight
As we talked about above, belly fat is more detrimental to your overall health than any other kind of fat in your body. For instance, fat on your hips and thighs rests just under the skin, and doesn't interfere with the function of your vital organs. Belly fat, on the other hand, can wrap around vital organs like your liver, kidneys, and intestines, decreasing their function and increasing all kinds of health risks. So knowing how to fight fat, especially in your belly, is important. Here's what you might not know about fat:

 ** Each pound of fat contains 3,500 calories! **

Yup, that's right. We said three thousand five hundred calories. That is a lot of calories. So to fight fat, you have definitely got to watch what you eat and get more active. That's a general rule when it comes to how to slim down. In addition, when it comes to how to fight fat, you can also:

• eat more fiber and protein
• decrease your intake of carbohydrates and simple sugars
• add cinnamon and hot chili spices to your food
• eat fat-fighting foods like grapefruit (your body uses more calories digesting grapefruit than the fruit has)
• drink coffee and green tea in limited amounts to increase metabolism

If these sound like good methods for how to fight fat, read this post for more details.

Tip #2: How to Slim Down by Getting Rid of Undigested Food
We don't mean to gross you out, but a large portion of what people call a "beer belly" is really not at all related to beer. Instead, it's undigested food that is basically rotting in the intestines, creating a lot of bulk around your waistline. What's the reason for this? The foods we eat don't have enough digestive enzymes that our bodies can fully digest our meals. In addition, our bodies don't produce enough digestive enzymes to process our foods--that's just a factor of aging and the modern environment. That's the bad, icky news.

The good news is that there is a really simple natural solution to take care of the problem. This natural solution is to add probiotics to your daily regimen. Probiotics, such as acidophilus and bifidus, are the friendly bacteria that naturally live in your small and large intestines. These bacteria help your body process and digest the foods you eat, moving them through the digestive system so that they don't become stuck there, adding bulk to your waistline. While these bacteria are natural to our intestines, many factors in life can kill off these friendly bacteria. These factors include drinking chlorinated water, stress, antibiotics, environmental pollutants, taking any of a variety of medications ... and those are only a few of the examples.

To remedy this problem, we suggest taking 2-4 capsules of potent acidophilus in the morning, and 2-4 capsules of bifidus at night. Separating these probiotics between morning and night gives each type of bacteria to reach its natural place in the gut (acidophilus lives in the small intestine while bifidus lives in the large intestine). To get the most bang for your buck, it is important to choose a probiotic that is guaranteed live, is stored in the refrigerator for preservation, and can survive the acidity of the stomach. Our favorites are this form of acidophilus and this form of bifidus.

Tip #3: Add Enzymes to Prevent Undigested Food
The tip above helps you get rid of the undigested food (also called intestinal plaque) that is rotting in your gut. This tip helps you prevent the problem altogether by helping your body fully digest your food the first time around. With enough digestive enzymes, your body can easily digest whatever food you eat so that there's nothing left to sit around in your intestines. Choose a  full-spectrum enzyme that digests carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, plus can withstand the stomach's acidic environment. Taking 1-2 enzymes with each meal (and chlorine-free water, of course!) will not only help your body fully digest your food, but will also prevent you from getting the "after lunch sleepies." That sleepy feeling that you get after lunch is a sign that your body is working really hard to digest the meal you just ate ... and that your body isn't doing a very good job since it is lacking the necessary digestive enzymes. So take enzymes with meals.

If you really want to focus on how to slim down your profile, another way to use enzymes is to take enzymes between meals. When there is no food to digest in your stomach, your body will use digestive enzymes as scavengers, sending them around to clean up any trashy cells, unwanted and undigested food, and clearing up the blood. This general cleaning process applies to your body in general, as well as to your abdominal area.

Our favorite full-spectrum enzyme that has been fully-tested to survive the acidic stomach environment and to digest food is here. If you're not sure about the power of the enzymes you take, just try the oatmeal test. Cook up a small bowl of oatmeal. Open and sprinkle a capsule of enzymes on the oatmeal. Within 15 minutes or so, if your enzyme is up to snuff your oatmeal will turn into a soupy-substance that you could drink. That tells you that your enzymes are actually live, active, and working. We've tried the oatmeal test over and over with our favorite enzyme, and it works every time. Plus, it's fun!

How to Slim Down Your Waist: Not Too Hard, Right?
Adding a few supplements to your daily regimen and really focusing on fighting fat doesn't seem too hard, right? These tips on how to slim down are really pretty simple to incorporate into your daily life, and the results are very beneficial. If you are not convinced, go back to the top and read the list of negative impacts that belly fat has on your life. Then weigh it against the simple steps given here to trim your profile and fight belly fat. Sounds like you don't give up too much (except fat) and you get a lot, right?


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 at wholesale prices on our website.

Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/ayushveda/

Fat Fighters: 7 Ways to Fight Fat

Fat fighters ... that's what this blog is all about today, and it's a topic that is hot on everyone's mind. The holidays are over, New Year's Resolutions have been made ... and guess what? The most common resolution is to LOSE WEIGHT!

No big surprise there. Here is a big surprise: only 8% of people will be able to keep that resolution. But don't worry. The tips in this article will help you keep your resolution to slim down and fight fat all year long. It's simple if you break it down into itty-bitty little chunks. In fact, we give you 7 little knowledge nuggets about fighting fat that are, well, easy to digest!


Fight Fat Tip #1: Eat Fat Fighting Foods
Fat fighting foods? Yup, there are actually foods that you can eat that will help you fight fat. It doesn't get much better than that! Most fat fighting foods are high in protein and fiber, low in carbohydrates. For instance, Greek yogurt is one of the best fat fighting foods because it is so high in protein. Protein stays in your stomach longer, so you feel full longer when you eat high-protein foods. Plus, your body burns more energy digesting protein than carbohydrates, making Greek yogurt (especially non-fat and sugar free varieties) a definite fat fighting food. For high-fiber foods, look at whole grains and fruits like grapefruit, which is low in calories and high in fiber. Eat these foods, feel full, and fight fat.

Fight Fat Tip #2: Take Enzymes with Meals
Do you know what happens when you eat fat but your body can't digest it? It goes rancid and literally clogs up your intestines, leading to that unattractive muffin top or beer belly. While our bodies should produce enough digestive enzymes to process and fight fat (you need the specific enzyme called lipase to process fats), most of us are short on the necessary enzymes. As we age, our bodies decrease their production of digestive enzymes, which is why we tend to gain weight as we age. For instance, the average 70 year old produces only half the digestive enzymes as the average 20 year old! To fight fat and counteract this problem, take digestive enzymes with each meal. Be sure to take enzymes that contain a full variety to digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. My favorite fat fighting power enzyme is THIS ONE, which comes with extra cayenne for an extra digestive kick! I take 1-2 capsules per meal and have stayed slim throughout my life (plus I don't suffer from any of those embarrassing signs of indigestion, like bad breath, heartburn, or gas).

Fight Fat Tip #3: Add Cinnamon
While cinnamon isn't a specific fat fighting food, this additive does stabilize the body's blood sugar, which can reduce cravings for food, especially sweet, salty, and oily foods. When you talk about fighting fat, these are definitely the types of food that you want to stay away from!

Fight Fat Tip #4: Spice Up Your Food
Are you a fan of hot chilis and other spicy foods? Then you are already on your way to fighting fat. Adding spicy foods like hot peppers gives your body an extra digestive kick (which I why I choose an enzyme supplement that has cayenne). The main ingredient in hot peppers that helps digestion is called capsaicin. Studies show that capsaicin tends to speed up your body's metabolism for a short period of time and improve digestion. As an added bonus, people tend to eat less when the food is spicy. So go for the hot stuff and fight fat while you're at it!

Fight Fat Tip #5: Take the Probiotic Acidophilus
Another simple way to fight fat and aid digestion is to add the probiotic (or beneficial bacteria) Acidophilus into your daily regimen. This beneficial bacteria lives in your small intestine, and aids your body in digestion. Since fats are digested in the small intestine, having enough beneficial bacteria can really help with fat breakdown. Specifically, fats are broken down in the small intestine by bile from the liver and the digestive enzyme lipase. The Acidophilus helps your small intestine keep everything moving smoothly, and helps the body distribute the resulting glycerol and fatty acids. Since the word "probiotic" literally means "for life," this is definitely one of the simpler and better ways to fight fat and improve your overall health. When choosing a strain of Acidophilus, be sure and pick one that can survive the acidity of the stomach and is certified live at the time of purchase.

Fight Fat Tip #6: The Caffeine Fix
Take this tip with a bit of caution. In the battle to fight fat, caffeine does actually have a very beneficial effect. The caffeine found in green tea or black coffee does boost your metabolism for a short period of time, and can help you lose weight. However, most people cancel out the effects of this benefit by ordering coffee with too many fatty additives, like cream and sugar. If you can't stop ordering the mocha lattes, a better choice may be green tea. Studies show that green tea can often help the body burn abdominal fat and can stimulate the metabolism for a brief period of time. To get the most benefit out of green tea, drink several cups per day, hot.

Fight Fat Tip #7: Add Vinegar
Studies show that vinegar, a no-calorie substance, can aid the body in breaking down fats. While some old-time home remedies call for drinking apple cider vinegar straight on a daily basis, this can have adverse effects for people with certain health conditions. Instead, focus on using vinegar in salad dressings and other types of food flavorings. The good news is that vinegar is tasty by itself, so you don't need to dress it up much. Use vinegar as a seasoning to fight fat, add taste to your food, and enjoy a no-calorie goodie!

Hopefully these 7 fat fighting tips will give you some ideas on how you can slim down and stay slim in the New Year. All of these tips are simple and easy to implement, even if you are the busiest person in the world. As an added bonus, most of these tips make your food taste better while helping you fight fat. Whoo-hoo!


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What Supplements Should I Take?

"What supplements should I take?" is one of the most common questions we get on our website. Most people know that the foods we eat no longer provide all the nutrition we need to stay healthy, but have no idea what supplements they should take to boost their diet.

In actuality, the question that people should be asking is, "What supplements should I take FIRST?" Obviously, the supplements that you choose should be tailored to your unique health and lifestyle requirements. For instance, if you have a particular health goal, such as to develop your stamina or flexibility, you would choose one group of supplements. If, on the other hand, your goal is to boost your immune system so that you don't catch every cold and flu this winter, then your supplement choices would look different.

But, and this is a big but, no matter which supplements you choose to take, you need to look at choosing some foundational supplements first. These foundational supplements will help you maximize the benefits from the other supplements you choose specifically for your health goals.

What Supplements Should I Take First?
This is the real question to ask yourself before hunting for goal-specific supplements at your health food store. So, what supplements should you take first? The answer is simple. You should take supplements that improve your digestion and assimilation of nutrients. These supplements are mostly probiotics and enzymes.

Probiotics
Let's take a look at probiotics first. You may have heard this term on recent commercials for yogurt or digestive supplements. Simply stated, probiotics is the term used to describe organisms such as "friendly bacteria" that inhabit a healthy intestinal tract. Literally the term means "for life"!

There are two forms of probiotics that are important for helping your body get the most out of the food you eat and the supplements you take: acidophilus and bifidus.

Acidophilus plays a key role in supporting the health of the small intestine. Specifically, the strain of acidophilus we recommend the most (the Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 strain) is uniquely designed to help the body process food efficiently and eliminate waste from the small intestine. So acidophilus helps enhance the body's ability to absorb nutrients. In addition, this strain of acidophilus produces B-vitamins and acidophilin for immune system support--what you could call Nature's form of antibiotics (only they are PRObiotics!) That's a lot of bang for your buck!

Then there is bifidus, which supports the health and balance of the large intestine. The large intestine performs a number of important digestive functions, including the absorption of water from food that is consumed and the passage from the body of remaining waste products. Bifidus 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. Now that will really help a lot of people rest easier after a big meal! Finally, bifidus lowers the pH of the intestine, manufactures specific B-vitamins, and promotes immune function and overall health.

Enzymes
In addition to probiotics, the third foundational supplement that helps you get the most out of your food and other supplements is enzymes. We recommend Simplexity's SBG Zymes, which contain natural food enzymes to help the body break down fats, carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, and to help enhance the digestive process. When you take enzymes, your body is able to get more nourishment from foods and supplements.

In addition, this formulation of enzymes contains MycoPepsin, the first enzyme on the market that works in a low pH environment. As food digests, the stomach becomes more acidic. The addition of MycoPepsin makes this product even more effective because, unlike other enzymes, MycoPepsin remains active in a highly acidic environment.

 Got It?
So when it comes to answering the question, "What supplements should I take first?" you should be good to go. Just follow this simple three-ingredient recipe--acidophilus, bifidus, and enzymes--and you'll be good to go. Then you can go about building a supplement regimen that will specifically support any health goals you may have.

Confused? Still not sure what to take? Don't worry. If you need a little nutritional guidance, just request a product consult. One of our nutritional coaches will be happy to provide some suggestions. Check out the product consult.


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Photo Credit: http://ow.ly/gvMzS
 

How to Take Supplements and Have Fun with Them!

How to take supplements is a tricky question because everyone has an opinion. Should you follow the latest fad in the health magazine, listen to Dr. Oz, or go with what your doctor recommends? Or should you listen to your own body?

More importantly, how to take supplements so it's not a chore. Taking supplements can actually be both fun and healthy if you are open to a few innovative techniques.

How to Take Supplements and Have Fun!
If the idea of swallowing a ton of pills each day isn't your idea how to take supplements in a fun way, then you feel the same way as the majority of people. Luckily, there are ways to take supplements in a way that is wise and honors your body ... and can be kind of fun! Here are three suggestions on how to take supplements that might perk you up:

1. Take What Falls Out of the Bottle: Sometimes taking supplements in a highly regimented way is boring, not to mention unwise. Sometimes your body needs more of one supplement and less of another. One way to "figure out" what you need and when is to simply open the bottle and tip some supplements into your hand. If the number seems reasonable, then take it. Obviously, you would only want to use this approach with nutritional supplements that can't hurt you. For instance, you can do this with probiotics like acidophilius or bifidus. The same goes for enzymes. You would NOT want to do this with over the counter pain pills or any substance for which intake needs to be carefully contained. However, if you are feeling sore, don't be surprised if a large number of antioxidant supplements tip out of the bottle. That's your body telling you that you need some extra antioxidant support.

2. Take a Day Off: Taking a day off from your supplement regimen can be one way to give your body a little break. When you consider how to take supplements, consider the fact that your body may need a day to "process" all the supplements you take on a regular basis. Some people even take a whole weekend off, every weekend. Play around with this and see what feels best to you.

3. Change Your Routine Seasonally: Tribally, people have always changed their diet and actions according to the seasons. In more modern times, when it comes to how to take supplements, a lot of us just pick a regimen and follow it. But that's not always wise. You may need more cooling foods and supplements during the summer months, and more invigorating foods and supplements during the colder months. Take a look at your supplement program and maybe choose a different program for each season.

Most of all, listen to your body. It will tell you how to take supplements. Your body has a lot of native wisdom and all you have to do is hear what it is telling you!

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

Weak Immune System? Boost It!

Do you have a weak immune system, and catch every cold and flu that gets passed around? Or do you have other signs of a low immune system, such as skin disorders, allergies, or digestive problems?

If so, the good news is that there is a natural solution for boosting your weak immune system. Ready? Here it is ...

... go with your gut!

Your Gut and a Weak Immune System
What does your gut, or your gastrointestinal system have to do with your immune system? A lot! It turns out that your gut is the largest immune organ in your body, according to Len Saputo, M.D.

About 80% of our body's protective immunoglobulins are produced in the gut. That's a big word, but don't worry. Immunoglobulin is a substance the body uses to protect itself. For instance, one type of this substance is immunoglobulin A, or IgA. IgA can be found in mucous membranes throughout the body, including the nose, throat, bladder, breathing passages, and the gut. IgA is also in mother's milk, sweat, tears, and saliva.

IgA protects mucous membranes by killing off foreign invaders, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. And IgA is just one example of a protective substance produced in your gut.

So what should you take away from all of these big words? It's simple: If you want to stay healthy, keep your gut healthy and balanced.

 Prevent a Weak Immune System
One of the simplest and most natural ways to keep your gut balanced and healthy is to take probiotics. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut. When these "good" bacteria are thriving in your gut, they help keep the production of protective substances like IgA high.

However, life tends to kill off the probiotics in our guts. Stress, chlorinated water, environmental toxins, drugs, and a poor diet all decrease the number of probiotics. To ensure that your gut stays healthy and balanced, just add probiotic supplements to your daily regimen. The three forms of probiotic from Simplexity Health are especially potent, allowing them to pass through stomach acid unharmed and reach your intestines in good shape.

• Acidophilus: This probiotic supplement supports the health of the small intestine, and also acts as a first defense against colds, flus, and other airborne contagions.
   
• Bifidus: This probiotic supports the health of the large intestine, and is also useful in cases of diarrhea. Bifidus has also been known to help those with low self-esteem regain their sense of self.
   
• Spectrabiotic: This supplement contains 8 different strains of probiotic and supports the entire gut. Spectrabiotic can also help those who suffer from constipation.

Preventing a weak immune system is not difficult. Just take the probiotics of your choice with natural spring water. We recommend taking 2-4 capsules of Acidophilus in the morning, 2-4 capsules of Bifidus in the evening, and Spectrabiotic as needed.  Your gut and your immune system will thank you!

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 at wholesale prices on our website.
 

Acidophilus: Fact or Fiction?

"Acidophilus is good for you."

Is that statement fact or fiction?

In actuality, the statement can be both fact and fiction, depending on which strain of acidophilus you choose. For instance, if you use a high-quality strain of acidophilus, then this beneficial bacteria, which occurs naturally in your gut, is good for you.

Why? Because it helps you digest your food, produces B-vitamins (very relaxing), and acts as a natural antibiotic, which keeps you healthy. Acidophilus also helps those who are lactose-intolerant, since acidophilus produces lactase, the enzyme that specifically digests lactose. Finally, superior strains of acidophilus have been shown, in peer-reviewed studies, to enhance and augment the body's natural immune functions.

Sounds pretty good, right? Right, but only if you take the RIGHT strain of acidophilus.

The Murky World of Probiotics and Acidophilus

The good news is that acidophilus can really support your health and well-being. The bad news is that there are so many acidophilus products on the market that it can be difficult to choose a product that truly performs all of the above health-supporting functions. So let's run through a short list of questions about probiotics, specifically acidophilus products. See if you can answer them!

Do all types of acidophilus products support your immune and digestive systems?

No. The truth of the matter is that some strains of acidophilus don't even make it through your digestive system alive, much less support your digestive and immune systems. Consider these facts:

- some strains of acidophilus cannot even survive human stomach fluids

- 70-80% of the products on the market don't measure up to their numerical claims (of the number of live probiotic cells)

- half the products don't have even 10% of their claimed number of live microorganisms

- some products have bacterial products not included on the labels

So even reading labels won't help you because not all labels are truthful. They may have been truthful at the time of manufacture, but not after a long shelf life.

Should you take acidophilus during antibiotic treatment?

Maybe. Certain strains of acidophilus, such as DDS-1 L. acidophilus, have been reported to highly resistant to common antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin, and aureomycin. On the other hand, other acidophilus products can actually be harmful to you during antibiotic treatment. Because they have no live acidophilus after the manufacturing and packaging process, they don't repopulate your gut with acidophilus, and may actually help undesirable bacteria grow in your gut.

Does all acidophilus of the same name have the same benefit?

Sadly, no. Even known strains of acidophilus, like DDS-1 L. acidophilus, will not have the same properties or health benefits. This is because bacteria like L. acidophilus can be adversely affected by heat, moisture, light, or air. That's why the DDS-1 strain has to be manufactured using a specific freeze-dried process with a special stabilizer to protect the bacteria from these factors. DDS-1 L. acidophilus manufactured under these special circumstances has a special name: STABILITY DDS-1.

That means when you read labels, you have to look for not only the right strain of acidophilus, but also bacteria that has been processed under the right conditions.

Sorry to kill your buzz with all this technical information, but you, as the consumer, have every right to get an acidophilus product that does what it says on the label.

Don't you think?

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/horiavarlan/4273168957/

Home Recipes for Healthy Glowing Summer Skin

Are the heat, sun exposure, and dry summer air making your skin look like a piece of parchment? If so, then don't panic. You can take some simple steps at home to transform your skin from a piece of parchment to skin with a healthy glow. In this article we give you three simple recipes to exfoliate, cleanse, and nourish your skin.

Healthy Skin Recipe #1: Exfoliant
One of the keys to having glowing healthy skin is to remove all the dead or sun-damaged cells that have accumulated on your skin. You can make this simple skin scrub with ingredients you will find in your kitchen cupboard.

Mix 1 part cornmeal with 1 part organic oatmeal, and store in a sealed container. (If you have sensitive skin, mix 1 part cornmeal with 2 parts organic oatmeal for a softer scrub.)

To use this mix, dampen your face (or any part of your skin you want to exfoliate) with warm water. Pour a handful of the mixture in your palm and gently rub it your skin. If the mixture starts to feel too dry, just add more warm water. After you are done scrubbing, rinse the area with warm water, and then pat dry. Moisturize with an antioxidant lotion. NutraBeautiful is an amazing restorative lotion. Burt's Bees products are also wonderful.

Healthy Skin Recipe #2: Cleansing Mask
Another key to having glowing skin, especially on your face, is to cleanse and tighten your pores. A mask is the perfect way to do this. This simple recipe works well, and gives you that requisite salon "funny green face" look.

Mix 2 capsules of acidophilus, 2 capsules of enzymes, and 2 capsules of blue-green algae with spring water to form a paste.

To use this recipe, apply it evenly over your face, paying special attention to any problematic areas, such as the oily T-zone. Avoid putting this paste around your eyes. Allow the paste to dry, and then rinse with warm water. Pat dry and moisturize. The acidophilus and enzymes will pull toxins and other pore-cloggers out of your skin, while the blue-green algae provide direct nourishment to your skin cells. This formula also works well on skin problems elsewhere on the body, including feet that feel itchy foot fungus.

Healthy Skin Recipe #3: Moisturizing and Soothing Mask
If you have dry skin, this cooling mask is perfect for you. It will soothe and moisturize your face, and is simple to use.

Mix the whites from 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt. Be sure to mix well.

To use this mixture, apply it to your face and leave it on for 2-4 minutes. Rinse well afterwards with warm water, and then pat dry with a soft washcloth. Moisturize as needed.

Enjoy!

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 at wholesale prices on our website.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toob/46305922/

Dealing with Viruses: Go for the Big Guns of Natural Immunity

Have you noticed the amount of wiping, sanitizing, and germ and virus destruction that's going on all around us? Do you find it a bit mad that we have to wipe off every surface that's been touched before we can touch it, lest we catch the "deadly illness" from someone else?

I personally find it beyond ridiculous!

Working out at the gym has become more of a sprint to get away from germs and viruses than an exercise in cardio fitness. The way I see it, all that wiping and sanitizing might put your mind at ease, which is a good thing, but really doesn't do much to combat the actual germs and viruses.

Don't Be the Boy in the Bubble
We are surrounded by germs and viruses, and they don't just live on the hand grips of the grocery cart. They are flying through the air and we are breathing them in. In fact, if you read the book "Lives of a Cell," you'll discover that our cells are made of germs and viruses that have been incorporated into our genetic makeup over time. So what exactly are we running from? Ourselves? After all, we have germs and viruses in our cells, doing productive work.

So unless you are prepared to at least wear a face mask all the time, wipe down every surface, and refuse to shake hands (much in the fashion of Adrian Monk), I don't think that the "boy in the bubble" approach is really going to make life better for you. You won't necessarily be any healthier, and you might end up a whole lot crazier.

Instead of doing all this wiping and avoiding, I suggest you go for the big guns to fight harmful germs and viruses:

Your body's own immune system.

Your Body's Immune System is the Best Defense
The reason we get sick isn't because we come into contact with germs and viruses. Actually, we are in contact with germs, bacteria, viruses, and all sorts of unseen particulate beings all the time. We breathe them in. We touch them. We eat them.

Normally, despite being virtually bathed in a "germ bath" all the time, we don't get sick because our bodies have the ability to deal with them, escorting the harmful ones out before we become ill.

Nope, we get sick when our basic immune defenses become weakened by factors like excess stress, poor nutrition, poor digestion, and too little physical exercise. So if you truly want to fight viruses and other "germy" things with real firepower, focus on building up your body's immune system rather than wiping down every surface in site with an anti-bacterial wipe.

Boosting the Body's Innate Immunity: An Example
Here's an example of what I mean. A client I counsel about nutrition called me up one day asking for help. Her child had been catching every virus that came down the pike. She couldn't figure it out. They had tried antibiotics and numerous other medications, but to no avail. She asked me if I had any "big guns" in my arsenal to help kill off all these in viral infections.

After I questioned her about her son's diet, digestion, level of exercise, level of stress, and so forth, I realized that he was not getting enough basic nutrition to keep his body's immune system healthy. The many courses of antibiotics had killed off the healthy bacteria that were supposed to live in his gut. These healthy bacteria, like acidophilus and bifidus (also called probiotics), are the body's first line of defense against foreign invaders. They are also crucial for digestion, and produce B vitamins, which keep us calm and healthy.

In addition, her son had many food allergies, which meant it was difficult for her to get him to eat a well-rounded and healthy diet. He also had a number of environmental allergies, which made him more prone to being infected by viruses and other "germs."

I suggested that my friend immediately start her son on a daily regimen of oral acidophilus and bifidus to replenish the probiotics killed off by the antibiotics. I also suggested adding blue-green algae to his diet, as this would help cover any nutritional "gaps" created by his food allergies. To combat his environmental allergies and susceptibility to viruses, I added a nutritional supplement called ImmuSun, with WGP Beta Glucan, an known immune booster that has be lab-tested as strong enough to conquer even anthrax.

Within a few weeks on this nutritional regimen, the boy's allergies had subsided greatly, and he had not fallen victim to a single virus, despite a raging virus that was going through his school. In addition, his digestion vastly improved, thanks to the probiotics, which helped him feel a great deal more comfortable on a daily basis.

The Moral of the Story
The moral of the story is that when it comes to viruses, infections, bacteria, and other "germy stuff," we have the big guns to fight them off. Our bodies are built to withstand and handle all kinds of germy attacks, as long as we support our immune systems. The nutritional regimen discussed above actually boils down to a very simple formula of two products from Simplexity Health:

- 1 packet of Essentials (blue green algae, acidophilus, bifidus, and enzymes)

- 1 capsule of ImmuSun (WGP Beta Glucan)

This combination is simple to take and highly effective. If you are tired of constantly wiping, sanitizing, and otherwise de-germing your environment, you might want to give this formula a try!

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bratha/ / CC BY 2.0