Treatments

Don’t Argue with Donkeys

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

When you avoid these “donkey like” people, your mood can be more positive which results in less stress and in turn your pH to increase.

The donkey said to the tiger:

“The grass is blue”

The tiger replied:

“No, the grass is green”

The discussion heated up, and the two decided to submit it to arbitration, and for this they went before the lion, the King of the Jungle.

Already before reaching the forest clearing, where the lion was sitting on his throne, the donkey began to shout:

“His Highness, is it true that the grass is blue?”

The lion replied:

“True, the grass is blue”

The donkey hurried and continued:

“The tiger disagrees with me and contradicts and annoys me, please punish him”

The king then declared:

“The tiger will be punished with 5 years of silence”

The donkey jumped cheerfully and went on his way, content and repeating:

“The Grass Is Blue”

The tiger accepted his punishment, but before he asked the lion:

“Your Majesty, why have you punished me? After all, the grass is green”

The lion replied:

“In fact, the grass is green”

The tiger asked:

“So why are you punishing me?”

The lion replied:

“That has nothing to do with the question of whether the grass is blue or green. The punishment is because it is not possible for a brave and intelligent creature like you to waste time arguing with a donkey, and on top of that come and bother me with that question”

The worst waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who does not care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on arguments that don’t make sense. There are people who, no matter how much proof and evidence we present to them, are not in the capacity to understand, and others are blinded by ego, hatred and resentment, and all they want is to be right even if they are not.

When ignorance screams, intelligence is silent. Your peace and tranquility are worth more.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Desire is a strong emotion that can uplift your mood as well as your pH level.

You need to have a burning desire to become healthy, wealthy, successful and happy. Whatever your desires are, these protocols will help you achieve your goals — you just have to set them.

You need to define your GOALS!

What are your GOALS? On a piece of paper, write down your GOALS!

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Forgiveness is a strong emotion that can uplift your mood as well as your pH level.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean you accept what they did. It means what happened doesn’t control you anymore.

Forgiving a person who has wronged you is never easy, but dwelling on those events and reliving them over and over can fill your mind with negative thoughts and suppressed anger. Yet, when you learn to forgive, you are no longer trapped by the past actions of others and can finally feel free and concentrate on your healthy future.

Forgiveness means giving up the suffering of the past and being willing to forge ahead with far greater potential for inner freedom. Besides the reward of letting go of a painful past, there are powerful health benefits that go hand-in-hand with the practice of forgiveness.

The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness transforms anger and hurt into healing and peace. Forgiveness can help you overcome feelings of depression, anxiety, and rage, as well as personal and relational conflicts. It is about making the conscious decision to let go of a grudge. It is not about letting someone off the hook for a wrongdoing, or forgetting about the past or the pain. It certainly does not mean that you stick around for future maltreatment from a boss, a partner, parent, or friend. It is about setting yourself free so that you can move forward in your own life.

Besides the reward of letting go of a painful past, there are powerful health benefits that go hand-in-hand with the practice of forgiveness. In the physical domain, forgiveness is associated with lower heart rate and blood pressure as well as overall stress relief. It is also associated with improving physical symptoms, reducing fatigue in some patient populations, and improving sleep quality. In the psychological domain, forgiveness has been shown to diminish the experience of stress and inner conflict while simultaneously restoring positive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

The problem for many of us is that sometimes we can choose to forgive another, but still in our heart of hearts, the anger or resentment lingers. However, it is in fact possible to forgive and truly let go of past disappointments, hurts, or blatant acts of abuse. Although at times this may seem implausible, forgiveness is a teachable and learnable skill that can dramatically improve with practice over time.

The following strategy for learning forgiveness is derived from an amalgam of work by several researchers:

1. Inquire deeply about the root of your anger or grudge. Look at the situation honestly, without embellishing or rearranging the details. Pay attention to how this anger is holding you back and keeping you hostage in your own day-to-day existence.
2. Review your grievance story and reengineer that story so you see yourself in a more empowered way — as the survivor and hero of your own story. Look at the strengths that you developed as a result of this situation.
3. Develop your capacity for empathy and compassion for yourself for landing in a painful situation. Without accepting hostile behaviors, try to understand the pain and suffering of the person who hurt you. You can understand and forgive without accepting bad or abusive behavior.
4. Create new associations with your old story of neglect or abuse. Perhaps practice a ritual that signifies the end of things as they were, and welcome the good, the support, and the love that you now invite into your life.

Remember that you cannot control others, but you can control your own choices. As you continue to reshape your grievance story — becoming the hero of that story, developing empathy and compassion for the abuser, and celebrating your strengths — you will undoubtedly begin to notice a shift in your consciousness. Your feelings of anger and sadness are likely to quiet down and your self-esteem is likely to blossom, as will your relationships.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

What is prayer?

Prayer has a very personal meaning arising from an individual’s religious background or spiritual practice. For some, prayer will mean specific sacred words; for others, it may be a more informal talking or listening to God or a higher power.

The word “prayer” comes from the Latin precarius, meaning “obtained by begging, to entreat.” Prayer is rooted in the belief that there is a power greater than oneself that can influence one’s life.

There is no one set way to pray. Forms include spoken prayers, silent prayers, and prayers of the mind, the heart, and union with God. Prayers may be directed (e.g., prayers for specific things) or non-directed, with no specific outcome in mind.

Types of prayers

• Intercessory prayer — praying for someone else
• Distant healing prayer — praying for the healing of someone or something at a distance
• Petition prayer — asking God or a higher power for something
• Centering prayer — centering on a word or phrase for a minimum of 20 minutes in silence, usually to open to the sacred
• Contemplative prayer — opening to union with God or the sacred
• Meditation — in Christianity, the goal is often union with God; in Buddhism, the goal is to expand awareness and gain insight into the nature of passing phenomena. Meditation may be practiced by sitting in silence (often while following one’s breath), intentional movement, visualization, imagination, or using a specific object or mantra as a focus.

How might prayer benefit your health and wellbeing?

Prayer is important in a healthcare context simply because it is used so widely. According to Dr. Wayne Jonas, nearly 90% of patients with serious illness engage in prayer for the alleviation of their suffering or disease. Among all forms of complementary medicine, prayer is the single most widely-practiced healing modality, and research shows it is the second most common method of pain management overall (after oral pain medication) and the most common non-drug method.

The following explanations have been offered as to how prayer helps improve health:

• The relaxation response — prayer elicits the relaxation response, lowering blood pressure and other factors heightened by stress.
• Secondary control — prayer releases control to something greater than oneself, reducing the stress of needing to be in charge.
• The placebo response — prayer can enhance a person’s hopes and expectations, which can positively impact health.
• Healing presence — prayer can bring a sense of a spiritual or loving presence and alignment with a higher power.
• Positive feelings — prayer can elicit gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, and hope, all associated with healing and wellness.
• Mind-body-spirit connection — when prayer uplifts or calms, it inhibits the release of cortisol and other stress hormones, reducing the negative impact of stress on the immune system and promoting healing.

Is there evidence for benefits of prayer?

There is not a simple answer, in large part because prayer is part of a larger religious or spiritual practice for many people, so any observed benefits may come from any aspect of that practice, including faith itself. It is well documented that hope, belief, and faith positively influence health outcomes. Research by Harold Koenig notes that people who are more religious or spiritual tend to have better mental health and adapt more quickly to health problems, with physiological consequences that impact physical health, disease risk, and response to treatment.

Prayer and the relaxation response

A well-cited study by Dr. Herbert Benson, a cardiovascular medicine specialist at Harvard Medical School, documented the potential healing benefits of spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation (as well as hypnosis and other relaxation techniques). Benson demonstrated that the body responds to these practices with a “relaxation response” — a lowering of heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate, reduced need for oxygen, and less carbon dioxide production. The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response and can be consciously used to modulate the impact of stress.

Where can I find a practitioner?

In a healthcare setting, there are several sanctioned roles for a spiritual adviser, including chaplain, ordained clergy, rabbi, priest, minister, and spiritual director. Chaplains attend to the spiritual needs of patients in hospital and usually require certified Clinical Pastoral Education. Spiritual directors are trained to help support and nurture patients’ faith, often working with patients of all faiths. Patients are also welcome to invite their own priest, minister, rabbi, or cleric to address their spiritual needs.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

What Is Spirituality?

Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience — something that touches us all. People may describe a spiritual experience as sacred or transcendent, or simply a deep sense of aliveness and interconnectedness.

Some may find that their spiritual life is intricately linked with their association with a church, temple, mosque, or synagogue. Others may pray or find comfort in a personal relationship with God or a higher power. Still others seek meaning through their connections to nature or art. Like your sense of purpose, your personal definition of spirituality may change throughout your life, adapting to your own experiences and relationships.

Spiritual questions

For many, spirituality is connected to large questions about life and identity, such as:

1. Am I a good person?
2. What is the meaning of my suffering?
3. What is my connection to the world around me?
4. Do things happen for a reason?
5. How can I live my life in the best way possible?

Relationship between religion and spirituality

While spirituality may incorporate elements of religion, it is generally a broader concept. Religion and spirituality are not the same thing, nor are they entirely distinct from one another.

• In spirituality, the questions are: where do I personally find meaning, connection, and value?
• In religion, the questions are: what is true and right?

Spirituality versus emotional health

Many practices recommended for cultivating spirituality are similar to those recommended for improving emotional wellbeing — emotional and spiritual wellbeing influence one another and overlap, as do all aspects of wellbeing.

1. Spirituality is about seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself, which can result in positive emotions such as peace, awe, contentment, gratitude, and acceptance.
2. Emotional health is about cultivating a positive state of mind, which can broaden your outlook to recognize and incorporate a connection to something larger than yourself.

Thus, emotions and spirituality are distinct but linked, deeply integrated with one another.

“You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.” — Thomas Merton

A reflective tool for exploring spirituality

Like other reflective practices, mindfulness can be a tool to discover how spirituality manifests in your life. Mindfulness teaches you to be aware of what is happening in your body and mind in the present moment and open to it with curiosity and kindness. This allows you to explore beliefs, perspectives, and experiences in a new way that might lead to new insights around spiritual questions.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Our emotions have a deep and harsh impact on our lives.

Our stress levels are directly related to our emotional wellbeing, which in turn have a detrimental impact on our bodies and its pH levels.

By managing our emotions, we can relieve stress and its impact on our bodies.

Everybody and everything has frequencies that it vibrates to. Our bodies have their own unique range of frequencies that impact wellbeing. Our emotions can alter these frequencies to such an extent that it impacts our health and physical wellbeing.

Different emotions trigger different frequencies. The higher the frequency, the better it is for our bodies and the lower the stress levels.

Emotions like gratitude, love, and forgiveness are all high-frequency emotions and are good for our health and wellbeing.

This is the reason why we need to incorporate loving emotional exercises into our protocols. Without it we will struggle to get rid of disease.

High vibrational frequencies lower stress levels, which in turn raise pH levels in our bodies.

Gratitude — How It Can Help You Heal Faster

Gratitude is a powerful emotion. When you are in a state of gratitude, the energy your body is vibrating is one of the highest forms of vibration on the vibration scale.

The Art of Practicing Gratitude

How do you get started? Just start by saying “Thank You.”

If the only prayer you ever said was “Thank You” that would be enough. — Eckhart Tolle

Why “Thank You”? Because you are thanking God (your higher power) for all the blessings that you already have in your life. Either write down what you are grateful for, or speak it out loud.

Learn To Make Gratitude A Habit

If you can make gratitude a daily habit, you will start to see fast changes. Find something that you already do that you can use as a trigger to remind you to say what you are grateful for or write it down — for example:

• Making your coffee in the morning
• While taking a shower
• Putting your makeup on
• Driving to work
• Cooking breakfast
• Before or after meditation
• When you receive an insult

Put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror to remind you to do your gratitudes.

Example: Responding to an insult with gratitude

Someone insults you by saying you are ugly and selfish. Your immediate reaction will be either to run away or to defend yourself and get into a confrontation. Instead, react with gratitude: “Thank you for being honest by sharing your true feeling. Every day when I look in the mirror, I see myself as a beautiful, generous, happy and loving person — the person I am meant to be. I can help you see the same when you look in the mirror.”

Personal insecurities bring out the worst in people, and they act towards others the way they feel about themselves. Remember — if someone insults you, it is because they are feeling insecure about themselves. Keep your calm, repeat your response, and always be willing to help. Eventually the other person will back off because they are not ready to face their own problems, or they will allow you to help them balance their life.

How Can You Start Being More Grateful Today?

Start a gratitude journal. Write down every day what you are grateful for. Take 5 minutes a day and think about all the things in your life that you are truly grateful for — and watch how it changes your life. Not only that, but you will start to attract more things to be grateful for.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Exercise vs. pH

Exercise increases oxygen intake in your body, which in return raises your pH.

How to Start Exercising

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. You’ll begin to see and feel the benefits of consistent physical activity on your body and well-being quickly. However, working exercise into your routine takes determination, and sticking to it long-term requires discipline.

Why exercise?

Regular exercise has been shown to improve your health significantly. Its primary benefits include helping you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and muscle mass and reducing your risk for chronic diseases. Research has also shown that exercise can lift your mood, boost mental health, help you sleep better, enhance your sex life, and maintain good energy levels.

Summary: Exercise can help improve mental function, reduce your risk for chronic disease, and manage your weight.

Common types of exercise

• Aerobic — the core of any fitness program. Examples: swimming, running, dancing.
• Strength — helps increase muscle power and strength. Examples: resistance training, plyometrics, weightlifting, sprinting.
• Calisthenics — usually performed without gym equipment, using large muscle groups at a medium aerobic pace. Examples: lunges, sit-ups, pushups, pullups.
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) — repetitions of short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by low-intensity exercise or rest.
• Boot camps — timed, high-intensity circuits combining aerobic and resistance exercises.
• Balance or stability — strengthens muscles and improves coordination. Examples: Pilates, tai chi, core-strengthening exercises.
• Flexibility — helps muscle recovery, maintains range of motion, prevents injuries. Examples: yoga, individual muscle-stretch movements.

These activities can be done individually or combined. The important thing is to do what works best for you and have fun with it.

How to get started

1. Check your health

Consult your healthcare provider and get a physical medical examination before starting an exercise routine, particularly if you’re new to strenuous activity. An early check-up can detect any health problems that could put you at risk for injury, and help tailor an exercise plan to your needs.

2. Make a plan and set realistic goals

Create a plan with attainable steps and goals. Start with easy steps and build on it as your fitness level improves — for example, build up to a 5km run with shorter runs first. Starting with small achievable goals increases your chances of success and keeps you motivated.

3. Make it a habit

Stick to your routine — it’s easier to maintain in the long term if you make it a habit and do it regularly, ideally at the same time each day. The minimum recommendation for exercise is at least 150 minutes per week, but start slowly and let your body rest from time to time.

1-week sample exercise program

An easy-to-follow, 1-week program requiring no equipment, taking 30–45 minutes a day:

• Monday: 40-minute moderate-pace jog or brisk walk
• Tuesday: Rest day
• Wednesday: 10-minute brisk walk, then circuits (resting 1 minute after each set):
  • Circuit 1: 3 sets — 10 lunges per leg, 10 pushups, 10 sit-ups
  • Circuit 2: 3 sets — 10 chair-dips, 10 jumping jacks, 10 air squats

  Stretch afterward.

• Thursday: Rest day
• Friday: 30-minute bike ride or moderate-pace jog
• Saturday: Rest day
• Sunday: Run, jog, or long walk for 40 minutes

A few tips for beginners

1. Stay hydrated

Drinking fluids throughout the day is essential. Replenish fluids during exercise, especially in hot temperatures, and hydrate afterward to help recovery.

2. Optimize your nutrition

Consume a balanced diet. Carbs fuel your muscles before exercise and replenish glycogen after; protein helps muscle recovery and repair; healthy fats help burn body fat and preserve fuel during workouts.

3. Warm up

Warming up helps prevent injuries, improves athletic performance and flexibility, and reduces post-workout soreness. Start with aerobic movements like arm swings, leg kicks, and walking lunges.

4. Cool down

Cooling down helps your body return to its normal state, restoring breathing patterns and reducing muscle soreness — e.g. light walking after aerobic exercise or stretching after resistance training.

5. Listen to your body

If you feel pain or discomfort while exercising, stop and rest before continuing. Pushing through pain can cause injuries; progressing gradually helps you maintain your routine long-term.

How to stay motivated

The key to staying motivated is to have fun while exercising. Mix up activities, join a gym or virtual fitness class, hire a personal trainer, do team sports, or work out with a friend for accountability. Tracking your progress — logging weights or running times — helps keep you motivated to improve.

The bottom line

Starting a new exercise routine can be challenging, but having real objectives helps you maintain it long-term. Find a few activities that work for you, vary them occasionally, start slowly, build up your fitness level, and let your body rest from time to time to prevent injuries. Eat a healthy diet, hydrate regularly, and check in with your healthcare provider to monitor your health. So what are you waiting for? Start exercising today!

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

What Is the Law of Attraction?

The law of attraction is a philosophy suggesting that positive thoughts bring positive results into a person’s life, while negative thoughts bring negative outcomes. It is based on the belief that thoughts are a form of energy and that positive energy attracts success in all areas of life, including health, finances, and relationships.

While the Law of Attraction has generated attention in recent years due to books like “The Secret,” it lacks scientific evidence for its claims and is generally viewed as a pseudoscience.

The Laws of Attraction

Advocates suggest there are central universal principles that make up the law of attraction:

• Like attracts like: similar things are attracted to one another — negative thinking is believed to attract negative experiences, while positive thinking is believed to produce desirable experiences.
• Nature abhors a vacuum: removing negative things from your life can make space for more positive things to take their place.
• The present is always perfect: rather than feeling dread or unhappiness about the present, focus your energy on making the present moment the best it can be.

How to Practice

According to the law of attraction, you create your own reality — what you focus on is what you draw into your life. Some practices to incorporate it:

• Be grateful
• Visualize your goals
• Look for the positives in a situation
• Learn how to identify negative thinking
• Use positive affirmations
• Reframe negative events in a more positive way

Impact

Spiritual Effects

The law of attraction may produce results because it taps into people’s spirituality, which is itself connected to a variety of health benefits including reduced stress, better health, lower depression, and better overall well-being. By using grateful, positive thoughts and focusing on our dreams rather than our frustrations, we can change the frequency of our energy — and the law of attraction brings positive things into our lives.

Better Well-Being

By focusing on attaining a new reality and believing it’s possible, we tend to take more risks, notice more opportunities, and open ourselves up to new possibilities. Research on optimism shows that optimists enjoy better health, greater happiness, and more success in life — they focus their thoughts on their successes and mentally minimize their failures. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the idea that identifying and changing automatic negative thoughts can produce positive effects and help people achieve better mental well-being.

Tips / Tricks

• Journaling: helps you recognize your habitual thought patterns and learn about changing negative patterns of thought.
• Make a mood board: a visual reminder that helps you maintain a positive mindset and focus on your goals.
• Practice acceptance: work on accepting things as they are, without getting bogged down by wishing for things to be different right now.
• Practice positive self-talk: set a goal to engage in positive self-talk each day — over time it becomes harder to maintain a negative mindset.

Potential Pitfalls

A problem with “The Secret” and similar interpretations is the suggestion that belief alone, without any action, will bring us what we desire. It is the optimistic viewpoint that drives proactive behaviors that, in turn, bring great results — it’s the behavior the attitudes inspire that creates real change. For beliefs to affect behavior, it’s important to also have goals, mindfulness, commitment, motivation, timelines, challenges, and support.

Critics also point out the very real concern that people may start to blame themselves for negative events outside their control, such as accidents, layoffs, or major illnesses. We can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control our responses to them — the law of attraction can provide optimism and a proactive attitude associated with resilience, but it must not be used as a tool of self-blame.

The History of the Law of Attraction

While the law of attraction has received a lot of attention in recent years, the concept is not new — its philosophical roots date back to the early 19th-century “New Thought” movement. There was a resurgence of interest during the 20th century, particularly with the 2006 film “The Secret,” later developed into the best-selling book of the same title and its 2010 sequel “The Power.”

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Share your experience about your disease with others who also suffer from the disease and encourage them with love, and be their role model with your journey to become disease free.

Social connectedness, generosity, and gratitude are central to our well-being.

Human connection is the key to our health and happiness. A wide range of recent studies have found that prosocial behaviors such as generosity, altruism, compassion, and empathy foster the well-being of all parties involved. Even from a purely self-interested standpoint, “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you” is in your own best interest.

Homo sapiens are social creatures who have evolved so successfully because of our ability to cooperate and work together. Through conscious efforts and daily mindfulness exercises that foster “loving thy neighbor as thyself,” we can reduce the current levels of hatred and violence between “in-groups” and “out-groups.”

Living By the Golden Rule Is the Key to Creating Peace on Earth

A 2015 study from the University of Zurich, “How Learning Shapes the Empathic Brain,” found that just a few small acts of generosity by a stranger from an outside group created neurobiological changes in the brain that made individuals more empathetic to all members of the outside group — the stronger the positive experience with the stranger, the greater the increase in neuronal empathy.

A 2012 New Zealand study, “A 32-Year Longitudinal Study of Child and Adolescent Pathways to Well-Being in Adulthood,” analyzed health and happiness data for 804 people over 32 years and found that positive social relationships in childhood and adolescence are key to adult well-being — demonstrated through social attachments (parents, peers, school, confidant) and participation in extracurricular youth groups and sporting clubs.

A 2012 study, “A Collective Theory of Happiness: Words Related to the Word ‘Happiness’ in Swedish Online Newspapers,” found that human relationships bring people much more happiness than material possessions — words like “grandmother” and personal pronouns (you/me, us/them) often appeared alongside happiness-related words, while words like “iPhone,” “millions,” and “Google” almost never did. As lead author Danilo Garcia put it: “Just as the Beatles sang, most people understand that money can’t buy you happiness or love.”

Here’s What it Really Means to Love Thy Neighbor

Before you can love your neighbor, you have to love yourself. To love yourself, you first have to be compassionate, kind, generous, forgiving, and a service to yourself. Self-loving is a lifestyle, as is healthy living. There’s a saying — “fake it until you make it.” I say: “Practice it, until you’ve perfected it!”

Loving your neighbors is not a simple task — it requires your entire self to be selfless, showing compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and service. To honestly love your neighbors, you must give:

• Compassion: Compassion is an action, not simply a sympathetic feeling. When you are compassionate, you are there for your neighbors regardless of what they are going through — you lend a hand, offer an embrace, and an open ear.
• Kindness: You never know what is going on in someone else’s life. Be kind — go above and beyond what is expected to show love. The person you think doesn’t need it may need your kindness most of all.
• Sharing: As quickly as we receive something, it can be taken away. Our blessings are not ours to hoard. If you have something and someone else doesn’t, share — including your faith.
• Forgiving: Who are we to not forgive others? It is hard — that is why forgiveness is so great and powerful. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be as meaningful.
• Service: Serve your neighbors. Let them know you are there for them if they need anything — then truly be there, whether it’s babysitting, a car ride, cleaning, or a simple cup of sugar.

Who Are Your Neighbors?

The first thing that comes to mind for most of us is the next-door neighbor or the family across the street — and they sure are your neighbors. But loving your neighbors means loving those you are in community with and those you aren’t — those who live in your neighborhood and those who don’t, those who work with you, go to school with you, or even serve you at your local coffee shop. Loving thy neighbor does not stop at your residence. Your neighbor is everyone, including the least of these.

Conclusion: Learning to Love Yourself Is Central to Loving Thy Neighbor

Madonna once said, “Until you learn to love yourself, it’s impossible to love someone else.” Learning to let go of the grudge you hold against yourself is a fundamental first step toward having the ability to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” If you hate yourself, odds are it will be easier to hate your neighbor too.

Go on, spread some love.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

We often hear about the risks of getting too much sun. While it’s true that sunburns and skin cancer are very real threats and that SPF is essential, there are also positive effects of sun exposure. The sun is much more than its potential pitfalls and can do plenty of good things for your body — soaking up some sunlight can do wonders for your mind, bones, and more.

When you give your skin access to a healthy dose of the sun’s rays, you are likely to experience some tangible benefits immediately. Here are ten ways the sun can affect your mental and physical health.

Top 10 Benefits Of Sunshine

1. Vitamin D3: Fighting pathogens, viruses, bacteria and more.
2. Boosts Nitric Oxide: A gaseous molecule that improves circulation and heart health.
3. Bone Density: Vitamin D3 helps keep bones strong and stable.
4. Creates the 4th Phase Of Water: Dr. Gerald Pollack discovered the sun creates the 4th phase of water in our body.
5. Detoxifying Agent: Sunshine induces sweat, which removes toxins from the body — especially the groin and armpits.
6. Improves Energy Levels: Water fasting reveals you can get direct energy from the sun.
7. Improves Circadian Rhythm: Your internal clock that regulates sleep/wake cycles — morning sunshine is important.
8. Improves Serotonin & Melatonin: Serotonin (the “happy hormone”) and melatonin (the sleep hormone) help you feel and sleep well.
9. Improves Eye Health: Sunshine helps keep eyes young and healthy.
10. Modulates Insulin Levels: Sunshine helps monitor blood sugar levels and modulate insulin.

Light is quite literally a nutrient. Sunshine creates so many nutrients, such as antioxidants in plants through photosynthesis. We need healthy light to be healthy. The 4th phase of water, which helps move, hydrate and detoxify our lymphatic system, is crucial — aim for more than 15 minutes a day in the sun.

Nutrients To Protect Against UV/Sun Damage

1. Lycopene: Reduces sunburn by 25%. Found in cooked tomatoes, watermelon, guava, grapefruit, papaya, red bell peppers, persimmons, asparagus, red cabbage, raspberries, and mangoes.
2. Astaxanthin: A high enough dose can replace sunscreen entirely. Found in salmon, lobster, red trout, crab, red sea bream, and shrimp — also benefits joint health.
3. Hydration & Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Sun damage and sunburn involve a lot of heat absorbed by the body. Foods rich in antioxidants and water — blueberries, watermelon, cucumbers, melons, green tea — help heal, soothe, and prevent skin damage from the inside out.

What About Topical Sun Protection?

Red raspberry oil is a great moisturizer, containing high levels of omega 3 and omega 6 EFAs. Paired with antioxidants and natural vitamin E, it does a great job protecting skin externally as a topical oil, with a natural SPF of roughly 28–50 and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ditch the toxic sunscreen — even “natural” sunscreens often contain propylene glycol and other preservatives that dry out and wrinkle the skin. The natural way nature intended: get outside, get some sun, and pair it with antioxidants.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Grounding, also called earthing, is a therapeutic technique that involves activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth. This practice relies on earthing science and grounding physics to explain how electrical charges from the earth can have positive effects on your body.

What the science says

Grounding is currently an under-researched topic, but recent studies have explored it for inflammation, cardiovascular disease, muscle damage, chronic pain, and mood. The central theory is that grounding affects the “living matrix” — the central connector between living cells — restoring the body’s natural electrical/antioxidant defenses.

In a small study, 10 healthy participants were grounded using patches on the palms and soles. Blood measurements showed significantly less red blood cell clumping after grounding, suggesting cardiovascular benefits. Another study on post-exercise muscle damage found grounding reduced creatine kinase, white blood cell markers, and pain levels. A third study on 16 massage therapists found that grounding reduced pain, stress, depression, and fatigue.

Most studies are small and rely partly on subjective measures, so more research is needed.

Types of grounding

• Walking barefoot — on grass, sand, or mud, allowing skin-to-earth contact.
• Lying on the ground — in grass or on sand, taking proper safety precautions.
• Submersing in water — wading in a clear lake or swimming in the ocean, with normal water-safety precautions.
• Using grounding equipment — a metal rod connected to the ground and to your body via a wire, or commercial grounding mats, sheets, blankets, socks, bands and patches.

Why use grounding?

• Chronic fatigue — massage therapists reported decreased fatigue after 4 weeks of grounding mats.
• Chronic pain — grounding patches were linked to lower pain levels during exercise recovery.
• Anxiety and depression — even 1 hour of grounding therapy significantly improved mood in one study.
• Sleep disorders — improved sleep length and reduced disturbances.
• Cardiovascular disease — long-term self-administered grounding helped reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension.

Risks of grounding

Outdoor grounding techniques like walking through grass or swimming are relatively safe. However, conditions like chronic fatigue, pain, and anxiety may have underlying medical causes that should be addressed by a doctor first — don’t rely on grounding as the sole treatment.

How to practice grounding

• Outdoors: let the soles of your feet, palms, or your whole body touch the earth — walk in the grass, lie in the sand, or swim in the sea.
• Indoors: use grounding sheets or socks while sleeping, or a grounding mat at your desk.

The bottom line

Grounding/earthing focuses on realigning your electrical energy by reconnecting to the earth. Research is limited but smaller studies report benefits for inflammation, pain, and mood. It can be done indoors or outdoors, with or without equipment — always stay aware of your surroundings and use equipment safely.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, is a form of energy work which combines acupressure and neuro-linguistic programming. By using specific phrases, ideas, and affirmations, we are able to reprogram the way one thinks and relates to unpleasant experiences or thoughts. At the same time, we gently stimulate certain points along the meridians of the body. This stimulation (“tapping”) helps release blockages in the energy system that cause or contribute to spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical imbalances.

EFT is a treatment method that offers healing from physical and emotional pain and disease. Without needles, this form of acupuncture uses the fingertips to stimulate energy points on the body. Developed by Gary Craig, it’s an easily mastered technique that can be performed virtually anywhere, based on the idea that “the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”

What is EFT like?

EFT works by tapping on acupressure meridians to release blockages, allowing the problem feeling to be released and move through the body. The process starts with a statement acknowledging the problem, e.g., “Even though I have this (fear) about (the time I was criticized for being clumsy), I completely accept myself anyway.” If that doesn’t feel true, it can be modified to “I am willing to learn to accept myself” or “I want to accept myself.” The client repeats the statement three times while tapping on the karate-chop point.

Next, the client focuses on the feeling in the body and rates its intensity from 1–10, then taps on points around the face while saying “this fear.” Several rounds are done until the feeling rates at zero. Once that feeling is gone, the practitioner guides the client to explore other related feelings that may emerge from different aspects of the same situation.

Effectiveness of EFT

EFT is a very effective way of clearing out feelings, and when an unwanted feeling is gone, the limiting beliefs the client held are released, allowing new, more positive beliefs to emerge. Learning EFT also empowers the client to take charge of their emotional state, because they can tap on a feeling any time they want to move out of a painful feeling.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

What’s the big deal?

Water makes up a majority of your body weight and is involved in many important functions, including flushing out waste, regulating body temperature, and helping your brain function. Most water comes from drinking beverages, with a smaller amount from food.

Ways water helps your body

• Creates saliva — essential for breaking down food and keeping your mouth healthy.
• Regulates body temperature — through sweat, especially during exercise or in hot environments.
• Protects tissues, spinal cord, and joints — lubricates and cushions them, easing conditions like arthritis.
• Helps excrete waste — through sweat, urine, and bowel movements; supports healthy kidney function and helps prevent kidney stones.
• Maximizes physical performance — athletes can lose 6–10% of body weight in sweat during activity; dehydration affects strength, power, and endurance and can cause dangerous drops in blood pressure.
• Prevents constipation — alongside fiber and magnesium intake.
• Aids digestion — drinking water before, during, and after meals helps break down food.
• Helps nutrient absorption — dissolves vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for delivery throughout the body.
• Helps with weight loss — studies link drinking water with body fat and weight loss.
• Improves blood oxygen circulation — carries nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.
• Helps fight off illness — constipation, kidney stones, exercise-induced asthma, UTIs, and hypertension.
• Boosts energy — one study found drinking 500ml of water boosted metabolic rate by 30% for over an hour.
• Aids cognitive function — dehydration can negatively impact focus, alertness, and short-term memory.
• Improves mood — dehydration can cause fatigue, confusion, and anxiety.
• Keeps skin bright — supports hydration and collagen production (alongside genetics and sun protection).
• Prevents overall dehydration — severe dehydration can cause brain swelling, kidney failure, and seizures.

How much should you drink?

General intake guidelines (from all beverages and food) are about 15.5 cups (125 oz / 3.7L) per day for men and 11.5 cups (91 oz / 2.7L) for women. About 20% of daily water intake comes from food. Ideally, men should consume about 100 oz (3.0L) from beverages, of which at least 70 oz (2.0L) should be pure clean water; women about 73 oz (2.12L), of which at least 50 oz (1.5L) should be pure clean water.

You wouldn’t wash your laundry in orange juice — so why do that to your body? Drink pure clean water daily to wash out the inside of your body and stay healthy. Increase intake when exercising or in hot climates. Thirst and urine color are useful hydration indicators — dark urine signals dehydration, pale or clear urine indicates proper hydration.

The bottom line

Water is important to nearly every part of your body. Hitting your daily recommended intake helps maintain — and may improve — your overall health. Tips: carry a water bottle with you, track your intake (aim for at least half your body weight in ounces), and pace yourself to reach about half your goal by midday, finishing roughly an hour before bed.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

The Budwig diet is a diet plan that supports the treatment of cancer. Standard medical treatments for cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy — some people also look for complementary therapies to support the treatment process. One such therapy is the Budwig diet, which involves consuming a flaxseed oil and cottage cheese mixture while avoiding processed foods and animal fats.

Flaxseed contains omega-3, a healthful fat that may reduce levels of certain chemicals that contribute to cancer. It also contains lignans and phytoestrogens, which have anti-cancer effects.

What to eat on the Budwig diet

Followers eat a mixture of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese. According to Dr. Johanna Budwig, who developed the diet in the 1950s, eating a lot of polyunsaturated fat from these specific sources helps prevent cancer cells from spreading. The plan also focuses heavily on:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Foods high in fiber

Dr. Budwig also recommended spending 20 minutes a day outdoors to increase sun exposure and vitamin D levels, help balance blood pressure, and manage cholesterol and pH levels. She recommended following the diet strictly and consistently for at least 5 years.

Foods to avoid

• Pork
• Cold and processed meats
• Sugar
• Refined grains and cereals
• Shellfish
• Butter and most other dairy products
• Margarine and other refined and hydrogenated oils
• Tea and coffee

Why follow the Budwig diet?

Dr. Budwig designed this diet to support cancer treatment, but proponents claim it can also help with arteriosclerosis, stroke, heart attack, stomach ulcers, prostate problems, eczema, arthritis, and immune deficiencies.

Making the mixture

The basis of the Budwig diet is a mixture of flaxseed oil and either cottage cheese or quark (or low-fat milk/yogurt). Combine and mix well until the oil is no longer visible:

• 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil
• 4 tablespoons of 1% cottage cheese or low-fat quark

Aim for 2 helpings of this mixture per day, at different times, always blended together. Mixing flaxseed oil with cottage cheese makes the oil more water-soluble so your body can absorb its goodness faster and more easily.

What the research says

A 2017 study found that mice with lung cancer that consumed flaxseed had fewer new lung tumors than mice without flaxseed in their diet. Other research with hens with ovarian cancer found those fed flaxseed had fewer late-stage tumors and better outcomes after a year. However, there isn’t much recent human research. In a small 2001 trial of 25 men with prostate cancer, enriching the diet with flaxseed appeared to lower testosterone levels, which may help reduce tumor size.

One case study followed a person with breast cancer who used the Budwig diet alongside conventional treatments including chemotherapy; her cancer went into remission, though it’s unclear whether the Budwig diet or the conventional therapies (or both) were responsible. Still, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and limiting animal products — especially processed meats — is likely to benefit overall health and may support recovery and well-being.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Juicing: Good or Bad?

Fruits and vegetables are good for your health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Juicing — extracting nutritious juices from fresh produce — has become popular for detoxing or adding nutrients to the diet. Supporters claim juicing improves nutrient absorption, while others say it strips away important nutrients like fiber.

What is juicing?

Juicing extracts the juices from fresh fruits and vegetables, stripping away most solid matter including seeds and pulp. The resulting liquid contains most of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants present in the whole produce.

Juicing methods

• Centrifugal — grinds produce into pulp via high-speed spinning with a cutting blade, separating juice from solids.
• Cold-press (masticating) — crushes and presses produce slowly to extract as much juice as possible. Nutritional quality is similar between the two methods.

Purpose of juicing

• Cleansing/detoxification — consuming only juice for days to weeks; no strong evidence supports detox claims (the body removes toxins via the liver and kidneys).
• Supplementing a normal diet — a handy way to increase intake of fruits and vegetables you might not otherwise eat.

Juice and nutrient levels

Many people don’t get enough nutrients from diet alone, partly due to processing methods and time from field to supermarket, plus pollution and stress increasing nutrient needs. One study found mixed fruit/vegetable juice over 14 weeks improved levels of beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and folate. A review of 22 studies found similar improvements in folate and antioxidant levels.

Does fruit juice protect against disease?

Whole fruits and vegetables are linked to reduced disease risk, but evidence for juice specifically is more limited. Apple and pomegranate juices have been linked to reduced blood pressure and cholesterol. One large study found a reduced Alzheimer’s risk among people who drank fruit/vegetable juices 3+ times per week, possibly due to polyphenols. More research is needed.

Whole fruits and veggies vs. juice

Juicing advocates claim removing fiber makes nutrients easier to absorb, but there’s no strong evidence for this. Up to 90% of fiber is removed during juicing, depending on the juicer. Higher fiber intake is linked to lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes; soluble fiber helps blood sugar and cholesterol. One study found drinking apple juice raised LDL cholesterol by 6.9% compared to eating whole apples. Whole fruits are linked to reduced diabetes risk, while fruit juice consumption is linked to increased risk. People also feel fuller eating whole fruit than drinking its juice equivalent. Blending (which retains fiber) was found to yield higher levels of beneficial plant compounds than juicing in one grapefruit study.

Juicing for weight loss

Most juice diets involve 600–1,000 calories/day from juice only — a severe calorie deficit that’s hard to sustain and can slow metabolism long-term, while leading to nutrient deficiencies.

Juices should not replace meals

Juice alone isn’t nutritionally balanced — it lacks sufficient protein and fat, both important for muscle maintenance, sustained energy, hormone balance, and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). Replacing one meal a day with juice is unlikely to cause harm if the rest of your diet is balanced; add protein and healthy fats (whey protein, almond milk, avocado, Greek yogurt, peanut butter) to make juice more balanced.

Juice cleanses: unnecessary and potentially harmful

Regularly consuming high amounts of fruit juice is associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome and obesity. There’s no evidence the body needs “detoxifying” by eliminating solid food — the liver and kidneys do this naturally. Non-organic produce can introduce pesticides via juice, and people with kidney problems should be cautious of high-oxalate juices. Extreme juice cleanses are linked to diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue.

Fruit juice and sugar

Fruits contain much more sugar than vegetables. Too much fructose is linked to high blood sugar, weight gain, and increased type 2 diabetes risk. About 3.9oz (114ml) of 100% apple juice has almost no fiber but 13g of sugar and 60 calories; the same amount of 100% grape juice has 20g of sugar. To keep sugar low, juice mostly vegetables and add a small amount of fruit for sweetness.

Juicing vs. Blending

The juice and smoothie industry brings in about $2 billion annually in the US. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables daily, which may reduce heart disease, stroke, and cancer risk and help manage weight — yet most Americans fall short, which is part of the appeal of juicing and blending.

The key difference: juicing removes fibrous material, leaving only liquid; blending retains the pulp and fiber.

• Juicing: more concentrated, more easily-absorbed nutrients; some juices contain more sugar than sodas; lacks fiber important for digestion, blood sugar control, and heart health.
• Blending: retains all fiber for healthy digestion; the fibrous parts fill you up and contain antioxidants.

Nutrient concentration and antioxidants

Juicing concentrates the vitamins and minerals typically found in the juice rather than the pulp. However, a 2012 study found blended grapefruit had a higher concentration of certain beneficial phytochemicals than juiced grapefruit, because those compounds are primarily in the fibrous membranes.

Ease of digestion

Juicing advocates suggest removing fiber gives the body a break from digestion and enhances nutrient absorption — one analysis found juiced produce gave higher blood levels of beta-carotene than whole-food forms, as soluble fiber reduces beta-carotene absorption by 30–50%. But blending also breaks down cell walls, improving absorption while retaining fiber. In some malabsorptive conditions, low-fiber/low-residue diets (and therefore juicing) are appropriate.

Sugar

Sugar is a major downside of both juicing and blending — both can raise blood sugar, but the effect is faster and more dramatic with juice. With blended drinks, the pulp and fiber fill you up and limit total intake; with juice, you can consume far more produce without feeling satisfied. Some commercial fresh juices contain as much or more sugar than sodas — research found fruit juices average 45.5g of fructose per liter (sodas average about 50g/L), and Minute Maid apple juice was found to contain 66g of fructose per liter, higher than Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper.

The takeaway

Juicing offers a greater concentration of nutrients per ounce, increased fruit/veg consumption, and enhanced absorption of some nutrients, but misses out on fiber and certain compounds in the pulp and membranes. Blending retains everything the produce offers, though the texture may be less appealing to some. In both cases, watch the sugar — especially if weight loss is a goal. Adding fiber, protein, or fat (avocado, chia seeds, protein powder, unsweetened Greek yogurt) can help moderate the blood sugar response. For weight loss, eating whole fruits and vegetables is generally preferred over drinking them.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

As all things in the universe, including sound, are a frequency that influences our lives in very specific ways. It is, like most things, our choice whether sound is a positive or a negative influence. We are what we listen to.

The 4 ways sound affects us

Sound affects every aspect of our lives — even in our communication. The human voice is one of the most powerful sounds on the planet; it’s the only sound that can say “I love you” or even start a war.

• Physiologically — your body is 70% water and sound travels well in water, so you’re a very good conductor of sound. A sudden sound starts a fight-or-flight process: cortisol is released, heart rate increases, breathing changes.
• Psychologically — sound changes our emotions and moods. Birdsong, for example, makes us feel relaxed and reassured.
• Cognitively — how well you work depends on the sound around you. The most distracting sound of all is the human voice; we have no “earlids” so distracting conversation hugely impedes productivity.
• Behaviourally — we move away from unpleasant sound and toward pleasant sound. A noisy environment makes us less sociable, less helpful and less approachable.

We feel what we hear

The barrage of sounds we’re exposed to each day — including ambient noise most people don’t notice — can have a big impact on well-being. “Hearing is primal. There is no way to turn it off,” says Julian Treasure, founder of The Sound Agency. Productivity can drop by up to 65% in noisy open-plan offices.

Research connects exposure to the sounds of wind, water and birdsong to decreased stress. Listening to new types of music forms new neural connections and has been shown to lower blood pressure. As one audiologist puts it: “Use sound as your friend.”

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Taking time to relax isn’t just about peace of mind — it helps reduce the stress that has been linked to many health complications, from heart problems to dementia. Here are ten ways relaxation benefits your health:

• Improves concentration — gives your mind a chance to clear when stress overpowers focus.
• Improves digestion — lessens pain and irritability for those with gastrointestinal disorders.
• Increases blood flow — arteries widen slightly, increasing oxygen reaching body tissues.
• Lessens anger and frustration — relaxation techniques loosen tense muscles.
• Lowers blood pressure — slower breathing slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure.
• Lowers risk of stroke — people who cope best with stressful events had a 24% lower stroke risk in one study.
• Promotes emotional well-being — chronic stress and elevated cortisol are linked to reduced serotonin and dopamine, and depression.
• Reduces fatigue — combined with consistent sleep schedules and less caffeine/alcohol, leads to better rest.
• Reduces inflammation — stress weakens immune response and increases inflammation.
• Slows heart rate — protects the heart by reducing the strain of elevated heart rate.

Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques aim to produce the body’s natural relaxation response — slower breathing and lower blood pressure. Five common techniques:

• Biofeedback-assisted relaxation — uses electronic technology to measure body functions so you can learn to control them.
• Deep breathing — slow, deep, even breaths steady the mind and calm the body.
• Guided imagery — focusing on pleasant images, alone or with a practitioner, to feel more relaxed.
• Progressive relaxation — tightening and relaxing muscle groups, often combined with imagery and deep breathing.
• Self-hypnosis — learning to produce the relaxation response on cue.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Why sleep is so important to your health

Sleep is an altered state of consciousness in which we have limited interaction with our surroundings and are relatively quiet and still. Despite this quiet physical state, the brain is very active during sleep, carrying out functions essential to physical and mental functioning, immunity, metabolism and chronic disease risk.

How does what we eat impact our sleep?

Caffeine can negatively affect the onset of sleep. On the other hand, foods like tart cherries, kiwi, fatty fish (salmon, tuna) and malted milk may have beneficial effects on sleep. Healthy dietary patterns overall — not just specific foods — are associated with longer sleep duration and shorter time to fall asleep.

Why is sleep so important for young children?

Sleep is especially important during development. Lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep in young children is associated with difficult behaviours, lower capacity to learn and retain information, and a propensity for poor eating patterns and weight gain.

What about adolescents?

Adolescents need 8–10 hours per night, but most don’t get it — biological changes affect when they feel sleepy, so even sleep-deprived teens often can’t fall asleep earlier. Schools with later start times see students get more sleep, with fewer accidents, better grades and improved mental health.

How important is sleep for mental health?

Sleep and mental health go hand in hand. One night of sleep deprivation can dramatically affect mood the next day. Chronic poor sleep quality is associated with depression and anxiety — and the relationship runs both ways.

How does alcohol impact sleep?

Alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly but hinders sleep quality, often causing fragmented sleep. It’s best consumed several hours before bedtime so it’s fully out of the system before sleep.

Does screen time affect sleep?

Blue light from screens can affect melatonin secretion, the hormone that signals it’s time to sleep. Anxiety-producing content before bed can also impact your ability to fall asleep. Sleep clinicians recommend putting away screens at least one hour before bed in favour of light reading or another relaxing activity.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

What are whole foods?

Trying to eat healthier but confused by mixed messages about the best foods for your health? Start by following a simple guideline that has stood the test of time: eat more whole foods.

The term “whole food” is normally applied to vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains with minimal processing, but it can apply to animal foods too. Most foods undergo some degree of processing — washing, chopping, drying, freezing or canning — and that’s not always a bad thing. But there’s a big difference between “ultra-processed” and “minimally processed” foods close to their natural state.

Whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables come loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and other essential nutrients. As the degree of processing and refining increases, nutritional value decreases, and the likelihood of added fat, salt and sugar goes up — 90% of the added sugar in the Western diet comes from ultra-processed foods.

A 2014 Yale University analysis found that claims of health benefits for many popular diets (low glycaemic, Paleo, vegan) were exaggerated — the one consistent finding was that “a diet of minimally processed foods close to nature, predominantly plants, is decisively associated with health promotion and disease prevention.” Benefits of a whole-food diet include lower rates of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Whole foods such as fruits and vegetables are packed with phytochemicals that can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. Eating mostly whole foods also makes it easier to cut unhealthy trans and saturated fats while boosting healthier fats — omega-3 from fish and linseed, monounsaturated fat from avocado and nuts.

Eating more whole foods doesn’t mean cutting out all processed foods. Try replacing:

• sugary breakfast cereal with a bowl of porridge with banana or berries
• a muesli bar with a handful of mixed nuts
• white bread with wholemeal or wholegrain bread
• fruit juice with whole fruit
• ham or other deli meats with roast chicken or pork

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Today, manufactured medicines and prescriptions prevail — but many people are turning back to the medicinal plants that started it all: herbal remedies with the ability to heal and boost physical and mental well-being.

Herbs are the leaf part of a plant used in cooking, fresh or dried. Other dried plant parts — bark (cinnamon), berries (peppercorns), seeds (cumin), roots (turmeric), flowers (chamomile), buds (cloves), stigma (saffron) — are referred to as spices. Herbs add flavour and colour without fat, salt or sugar, and each tends to have its own health-promoting properties.

Health benefits of herbs

Consuming herbs may help prevent and manage heart disease, cancer and diabetes, reduce blood clots, and provide anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties:

• Garlic, linseed, fenugreek and lemongrass may help lower cholesterol.
• Garlic is useful for people with mildly elevated blood pressure.
• Fenugreek (and linseed, flaxseed, cinnamon) can help control blood sugar and insulin activity.
• Garlic, onions, chives, leeks, mint, basil, oregano and sage may help protect against cancer.
• Herbs are rich in antioxidants, especially cloves, cinnamon, sage, oregano and thyme, helping reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Fresh herbs often contain higher antioxidant levels than dried — add fresh herbs at the end of cooking or as a garnish to preserve their properties.

Good herb and food combinations

• Basil — pesto, tomato sauces, potato dishes, chicken, pasta, rice, eggs, strawberries
• Bay leaves — soups, stews, casseroles, marinades, stocks
• Garlic — soups, sauces, pasta, meat, shellfish, salad dressings, bread
• Ginger — cakes, biscuits, Asian dishes
• Mint — drinks, confectionery, meat, yoghurt, desserts, vegetable dishes
• Oregano — cheese, tomato sauce, pizza, meat, bread, pasta
• Rosemary — fish, poultry, meat, bread, sauces, soups
• Thyme — chowders, bread, poultry, soups, stocks, stews, butter, cheese

Tips for cooking with herbs

• Dried herbs are more strongly flavoured than fresh — 1 teaspoon dried equals about 4 teaspoons fresh.
• Create a “bouquet garni” by tying chopped mixed herbs in muslin bags, removed before serving.
• Hardier herbs (rosemary, parsley) retain flavour during cooking and can be added early.
• Some herbs — like bay leaves — flavour a dish but aren’t eaten.
• Discard dried herbs after 12 months as flavour fades.

The more herbs you try, the wider the variety of potential health benefits — and the more adventurous your cooking becomes.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Lavender, peppermint, sandalwood and more are often found in soaps, candles, oils, shower gels and room fresheners — valued not just for their soothing aromas but for their purported healing properties. Essential oils have been used for nearly 6,000 years to improve health and mood. This practice, aromatherapy, uses aromatic materials to support psychological and physical well-being.

Aromatherapy has grown significantly in popularity: one industry survey found 80% of customers worldwide are interested in or want to know more about aromatherapy (83% among women aged 35–44), and the aromatherapy market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of around 8% through 2028.

Aromatic essential oils have been used for thousands of years as traditional remedies to enhance health and well-being. Different cultures have used the aromatic plants available to them for spiritual rituals and personal care, and the appeal of essential oils endures — aromatherapy is now well established within natural health practices. Frankincense essential oil, for example, is therapeutically uplifting while helping to calm the mind, making it a popular choice for meditation.

As one industry voice summarises it: self-care looks different for everyone, and for many, taking time to rest and find joy in small things — including pleasant scents around the home — is uplifting and therapeutic.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Cannabis: good or bad?

Many people have heard of cancer patients using cannabis to alleviate nausea, stimulate appetite and promote deeper sleep — and the plant does all of this. A growing number of studies also suggest cannabis can do much more, with cannabinoids shown in laboratory studies to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) specifically in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected.

The endocannabinoid system

All living things have an endocannabinoid system — a regulatory network that helps maintain homeostasis across sleep, immune function, cell communication, hormone balance, pain and appetite. Cannabis contains at least 113 cannabinoids (notably THC, CBD, CBC, CBN, CBDa, THCa, THC-V and CBG) plus a wide variety of other vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that interact directly with this system.

THC & CBD

Cancer cells don’t undergo the natural cell-death cycle (apoptosis) the way healthy cells do, allowing them to divide indefinitely. CBD and THC are known to induce apoptosis specifically in cancer cells through several mechanisms — affecting the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, increasing “ceramide” (linked to growth suppression and cell death), disrupting calcium metabolism, and triggering a cell-death cascade called Caspase Cascade. THC and CBD also help trigger the immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells, and may inhibit tumour growth and metastasis through additional pathways.

FECO & RSO (Rick Simpson Oil)

FECO (full extract cannabis oil) and RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) are highly concentrated whole-plant extracts offering a full-spectrum cannabinoid and terpene profile.

• FECO — traditionally extracted with ethanol or CO2 at low temperatures, retaining more of the original cannabinoid profile.
• RSO — traditionally extracted with naphtha or alcohol at higher temperatures; loses more terpenes but retains higher levels of chlorophyll and cannabinoids.

Both are used for pain management, chronic ailments and inflammation, and are said to provide an “entourage effect” from the synergy of cannabis’s many compounds. The typical serving size is a rice-grain-sized dose, taken sublingually, in food or drink, or applied topically diluted in an ointment or lotion.

Why RSO?

Alcohol is the only solvent that extracts virtually the entire matrix of compounds in cannabis — cannabinoids, terpenes, amino acids, waxes and chlorophyll — and is one of the safest solvents to use, which matters for cancer patients. Making RSO goes a step further than a tincture: nearly all the alcohol is boiled off, concentrating the medicinal compounds to a much higher potency than flower, edibles or other concentrates.

Summary

FECO and RSO oils are considered helpful for people with severe conditions such as cancer, fibromyalgia, anxiety, PTSD and epilepsy — but they are not right for everyone, and both are stronger than other cannabis oils, so most people should start with a very small dose. CBD/THC oil products are a gentler alternative. RSO in particular is best made yourself — most commercially sold RSO products are of dubious quality, so home production from a trusted process is strongly preferred over purchasing pre-made RSO.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Healthy herbal teas worth trying

Despite their name, herbal teas aren’t true teas — true teas (green, black, oolong) come from the Camellia sinensis plant, while herbal teas are made from dried fruits, flowers, spices or herbs. Beyond being a tasty alternative to sugary drinks, many herbal teas have health-promoting properties supported by modern research.

• Essiac Tea — a blend of burdock root, slippery elm, sheep sorrel and Indian rhubarb, historically promoted as a natural cancer remedy and believed to enhance detoxification, boost immune function and reduce inflammation. Typically taken 1–12 fl oz daily.
• Chamomile Tea — well known as a calming sleep aid; studies found improved sleep quality and fewer depressive symptoms in postpartum women, and marginal improvements for insomnia. Also believed to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and liver-protecting effects, and may help with premenstrual symptoms and blood sugar/lipid levels.
• Peppermint Tea — widely used to support digestive health; peppermint oil preparations have been shown to relieve indigestion, nausea, stomach pain and spasms, and to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
• Ginger Tea — an effective remedy for nausea (including pregnancy-related and chemotherapy-related), may help prevent stomach ulcers, relieve indigestion and constipation, and ease menstrual pain as effectively as NSAIDs in some studies.
• Hibiscus Tea — antiviral properties in test-tube studies; multiple studies found it reduces high blood pressure and oxidative stress. Avoid combining with hydrochlorothiazide or taking close to aspirin.
• Echinacea Tea — commonly used to prevent or shorten the common cold and boost immune response, though evidence is mixed.
• Rooibos Tea — a South African herbal tea; preliminary evidence suggests benefits for bone health, lower inflammation markers, and improved cholesterol (lower LDL, higher HDL) with regular consumption.
• Sage Tea — studies show benefits for cognitive function and memory, including in Alzheimer’s patients, plus potential benefits for blood lipids and colon health.
• Lemon Balm Tea — linked to improved arterial and skin elasticity, increased natural antioxidant enzymes, improved mood, calmness, memory and reduced anxiety and heart palpitations.
• Rose Hip Tea — high in vitamin C and anti-inflammatory compounds; studies found reduced arthritis-related inflammation and pain, decreased BMI and belly fat, and reduced depth of facial wrinkles.
• Passionflower Tea — traditionally used to relieve anxiety and improve sleep; studies found improved sleep quality and anxiety reduction comparable to anxiety medication in some cases.

Herbal teas are naturally free of sugar and calories, come in a huge variety of flavours, and many offer real health-promoting effects backed by modern research.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

Nu pH’Alance is an essential-oil-and-herb-based nutritional supplement developed to help the body reach an optimum pH balance, support detoxification and boost the immune system. The formula draws on the principle — popularised by Nobel laureate Dr Otto Warburg — that disease struggles to thrive in an oxygen-rich, alkaline environment.

The product uses Nano Colloidal / Quantum Technology processing intended to help botanical extracts penetrate to the intracellular level more effectively than the raw ingredients alone, and is designed to be used without requiring dietary changes, ideally alongside the SMART Lifestyle Protocol.

Essential oils used

Nu pH’Alance combines a blend of essential oils, each historically used for specific properties:

• Frankincense Oil — studied for anti-infection and anti-cancer properties, and supporting concentration.
• Myrrh Oil — antioxidant, anti-tumoral, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, antiviral and pain-relieving properties; promotes healing.
• Oregano Oil — a powerful natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever studied for anti-cancer activity (colorectal, leukemia, breast, brain), also used for sore throats, congestion and insect bites.
• Coconut Oil — antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal and antibacterial; supports skin, hair, heart, digestion, immunity and weight management.
• Cinnamon Oil — antibacterial, anti-fungal and anticoagulant; supports circulation, blood sugar control and has shown anti-cancer activity against several cell lines in lab studies.
• Clove Oil — antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antiseptic and antiviral; widely used for dental pain, infections, respiratory issues and blood sugar support.
• Peppermint, Cedar Wood, Citronella, Geranium, Almond, Lemongrass, Lavender, Borage and Evening Primrose Oils — round out the blend, contributing further antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and calming properties.

Suggested use ranges from a daily immune-boosting dose to higher doses for detox or chronic conditions over 1–4 months, ideally combined with the SMART Lifestyle Protocol.

See also: Supplements, for full product and ordering details.

Disease will never overwhelm you if your determination to be healthy is strong enough.

What are vibrational frequencies?

Everything in the universe is energy, and all of this energy vibrates on different frequencies. Every person has their own vibration — you are an electromagnetic being emitting a frequency, measured in hertz (cycles per second). The higher the frequency, the better you feel.

Only things on the same frequency as the one you’re emitting can come into your experience. Every person, event and circumstance in your day reflects the frequency you’re on. Your thoughts and emotions create your life, so it matters what you think and feel: do things that make you happy, be brave in your choices, have fun, and be grateful for what you have.

What is bioresonance and does it work?

Bioresonance is a therapy used in holistic and complementary medicine. A machine measures the frequency of energy wavelengths from the body; those measurements are used to diagnose — and promoters claim to treat — disease by returning unhealthy frequencies to “normal.” There is no sound scientific evidence that bioresonance can diagnose or treat disease, though some small studies show mixed positive effects in specific areas:

• Smoking cessation — one 2014 study found higher quit rates with bioresonance versus placebo, both after one week and at one year.
• Stomach pain — one study found it useful for reducing non-specific stomach pain.
• Allergies, eczema, asthma — one of the most studied areas, but controlled studies have had mixed or negative results.
• Rheumatoid arthritis — some evidence it may help normalise antioxidant function, but no formal RA-specific studies exist.
• Cancer — no studies demonstrate effectiveness; most cancer-causing mutations cannot be reversed by this method.
• Fibromyalgia — one study found greater improvement in muscular pain when bioresonance was combined with manual therapy.
• Overtraining syndrome — one study found it helped normalise heart rate, blood pressure and the stress response in athletes.

Regulators in both the US (FTC) and UK (ASA) have found cancer-cure claims for bioresonance to be unsubstantiated. While it appears to carry no negative side effects, the main risk is that relying on it could delay evidence-based treatment. It should not be used as a first-line or sole treatment for any condition.

What Is Ozone Therapy?

Ozone therapy, sometimes called “ozonotherapy,” is a longstanding medical procedure in which a reactive form of oxygen — ozone, or O₃ — is administered to promote a therapeutic effect in the body. There is considerable debate in the medical community about the efficacy of this therapy, though it is known to be safe and produce minimal side effects.

Some evidence exists that ozone therapy can help boost immune responses to infectious diseases, ease the pain and effects of arthritis, and assist with a range of other conditions.

Conditions Treated

• Artery diseases — stroke, peripheral artery disease, and COPD have responded to prolonged ozone therapy.
• Cardiac events — some studies show ozone therapy can help promote heart health in coronary artery disease or after a heart attack.
• Orthopedic issues — direct injection into affected joints (such as knee or elbow osteoarthritis) has helped reduce pain over the long term.
• Chronic pain — back, neck, herniated disc, and fibromyalgia-related pain.
• Immune system disorders — chronic fatigue and other autoimmune disorders, and possibly HIV (mixed results).
• Gastrointestinal disorders — chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, and gastrointestinal ulcers.
• Tissue damage — diabetic foot ulcers and tissue affected by poor blood supply after surgery.
• Neurological disorders — research suggests ozone may help brain cells combat degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.
• Cancer — used outside the U.S. as a standard approach to help with the side effects of cancer drugs.

How It’s Delivered

• O₃ autohemotransfusion — the most popular method: a sample of blood is treated with ozone and reinjected into the bloodstream.
• Direct injection — ozone injected directly into a joint or affected area for localized pain.
• Insufflation — ozone is introduced into a body cavity (nose, mouth, rectum, or vagina) via a specialized device.
• Cutaneous delivery — the affected area (e.g. a diabetic foot ulcer) is enclosed in a sealed pouch flooded with ozone gas.
• Gas bathing — short periods in a chamber filled with gas for inhalation.

Side Effects and Contraindications

Ozone therapy is generally well tolerated. The main risk is over-exposure to the gas — prolonged inhalation can damage lung tissue, which is why gas bathing is used sparingly. The most common side effects are skin irritation, bruising, or pain at an injection site.

It should be avoided or used with caution during pregnancy, after alcohol intoxication, and in people with hyperthyroidism or thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).

Summary

Ozone therapy has a long history and remains widely used worldwide, even though the FDA does not formally recognize its therapeutic value. If considering this therapy, talk to your doctor, research multiple sources, and make an informed choice.

Surprising Health Benefits of Getting Fresh Air

Mold floating in the air is a major health risk and one of the biggest contributors to poor health — make sure your living and work spaces are free of mold.

Try this breathing exercise every hour: breathe in deeply for 4 seconds, filling your lungs completely. Hold for 4 seconds. Breathe out for 4 seconds, completely emptying your lungs. Repeat 5 times.

Stepping outside for a deep breath of fresh air does more than feel good — it has real, measurable health benefits. Here are five reasons to spend more time outdoors:

1. It helps clear your lungs

Indoor air often has a suboptimal balance of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, especially in poorly ventilated rooms. Fresh outdoor air generally has more oxygen and less pollution, which causes the blood vessels in your lungs to dilate — improving cleansing, tissue repair, and gas exchange.

2. It can give you more energy and mental focus

More fresh air means higher blood oxygen levels, more oxygen reaching the brain, and better concentration and memory. One study found subjects given extra oxygen performed up to 20% better on a memory test. Fresh air can also promote serotonin production, helping you feel happier and less anxious.

3. It lowers blood pressure and heart rate

Every cell needs oxygen. When oxygen is plentiful, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to deliver it — so heart rate slows and blood pressure drops.

4. It helps you heal faster

Healing from illness or injury increases the body’s demand for oxygen. Fresh air helps supply that demand, supporting faster recovery.

5. It can improve your digestion

Stepping away from your desk to breathe fresh air signals your body that it’s safe to direct blood flow back to the digestive system, rather than diverting it to the brain or muscles under stress.

If you’re feeling stressed, tired, sluggish, or bloated, step outside and take a few deep breaths of fresh air — your body and mind will thank you.

What is massage?

Massage is one of the oldest healing traditions — the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, and Indians all used it to treat a variety of ailments. Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing, and manipulating the skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, ranging from light stroking to deep pressure.

Common Types of Massage

• Swedish massage — gentle, using long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration, and tapping to relax and energize.
• Deep massage — slower, more forceful strokes targeting deeper muscle and connective tissue, often used for injury-related muscle damage.
• Trigger point massage — focuses on tight muscle fibers (“knots”) that form after injury or overuse.
• Myotherapy — assessment and treatment of soft tissue pain and dysfunction affecting movement and mobility.
• Remedial massage — treatment and rehabilitation of biomechanical dysfunction or injury using specific mobilisation techniques.
• Therapeutic massage — promotes relaxation and improves blood circulation.
• Lymphatic drainage — a gentle whole-body treatment that relaxes the nervous system and supports the immune system.
• Aromatherapy massage — essential oils added to massage oil for their therapeutic properties.
• Baby massage — can help with constipation, colic, and sleep, and may help premature babies gain weight faster.
• Reflexology — pressure applied to reflex points in the feet, hands, face, and ears that correspond to other parts of the body.
• Shiatsu — an oriental technique that aims to improve energy flow, similar in principle to acupuncture.
• Sports massage — a blend of techniques to enhance performance and help overworked muscles recover.

Benefits of Massage

• Reducing stress and increasing relaxation
• Reducing pain, muscle soreness, and tension
• Improving circulation, energy, and alertness
• Lowering heart rate and blood pressure
• Improving immune function

Some studies also suggest massage may help with anxiety, digestive disorders, fibromyalgia, headaches, stress-related insomnia, low back pain, myofascial pain, nerve pain, soft tissue strains, sports injuries, and upper back and neck pain.

Risks

Massage may not be appropriate if you have bleeding disorders, take blood-thinning medication, have burns or healing wounds, deep vein thrombosis, infections, fractures, severe osteoporosis, or a very low platelet count. Discuss the pros and cons with your doctor, especially if pregnant or if you have cancer or unexplained pain.

What to Expect

Your therapist will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and goals before starting. Sessions typically last 10–90 minutes. You should feel calm and relaxed during and after — if anything feels painful, speak up.

Summary

Massage is far more than a feel-good indulgence — it can be a powerful tool for taking charge of your health and well-being, whether for a specific condition or simply as a stress reliever.

Types and Benefits of Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy is the use of water — internally and externally, at varying temperatures — for health purposes. Also known as water therapy or “water cures,” it includes treatments such as saunas, steam baths, foot baths, contrast therapy, sitz baths, and colonic cleansing. Some forms are commonly used in traditional medical practice, while others border on pseudoscience.

A Brief History

Father Sebastian Kneipp, a 19th-century Bavarian monk, is widely regarded as the father of modern hydrotherapy — his alternating hot-and-cold contrast hydrotherapy is still used today. Vincent Preissnitz founded the first hydrotherapy clinic in Gräfenberg, Germany, and the practice later spread to the U.S., where John Harvey Kellogg studied its effects (and had a particular fascination with colonic cleansing) at Battle Creek Sanitarium.

How It’s Thought to Work

• Hot water dilates superficial blood vessels, activates sweat glands, loosens joints, and helps remove wastes from tissues.
• Cold water constricts superficial blood vessels, moving blood flow away from an affected area to relieve inflammation.
• Immersion in water can relieve joint pain and muscle injury by counteracting gravity and reducing pressure on joints.

Common Types

• Aquatic exercise — exercising in warm or cool water reduces resistance and joint pressure; helpful for back pain, arthritis, obesity, and limited mobility.
• Balneotherapy — soaking in mineral-rich waters or hot springs, said to help arthritis, low back pain, immune dysfunction, and fibromyalgia.
• Colonic hydrotherapy — rinsing the colon to clear toxins (controversial; can disrupt normal gut flora and electrolyte balance if overused).
• Compresses — warm or cool wet towels applied to a body part to increase circulation or reduce inflammation.
• Contrast hydrotherapy — alternating hot and cold immersion to treat chronic pain or promote lymphatic drainage.
• Floatation tanks — floating on saltwater in a sealed, darkened tank to relieve stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and relax muscles.
• Foot baths — reduce swelling and pain and can help circulation.
• Hot fomentation — warm compresses applied to the chest to relieve cold or bronchitis symptoms.
• Ice baths / cold water immersion — soaking in cold water (45–65°F) to speed recovery after injury or intense exercise.
• Sauna — dry, warm air induces sweating to help release toxins, burn calories, relax muscles, and improve skin.
• Sitz bath — sitting in water to treat anal, rectal, or genital conditions such as hemorrhoids or PMS.
• Steam baths — warm humid air, said to amplify sauna benefits.
• Therapeutic baths — warm-water soaks (often with Epsom salt, essential oils, or mud) for skin, joint, or emotional issues.
• Watsu — massage performed while you float in warm water.
• Whirlpool hydrotherapy — moving water for increased circulation and tissue repair after burns, ulcers, or skin injuries.

What Research Shows

Aquatic exercise has been shown in studies to reduce pain and improve joint function in knee osteoarthritis, and may improve pain, disability, and quality of life in knee or hip osteoarthritis (though benefits are often short-lived). In rheumatoid arthritis, hydrotherapy combined with medication has been linked to reduced oxidative stress. Cold water immersion and contrast water therapy may improve recovery after intense exercise, though they don’t necessarily change how recovered athletes feel.

Precautions

Hydrotherapy may need to be avoided or used with caution by people with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, respiratory infections, high fever, incontinence, kidney disease, thrombosis, skin infections, cancer, or during pregnancy. Prolonged soaking can cause skin maceration and infection, and colonic cleansing can disrupt gut bacteria and electrolyte balance if overused.

Summary

Hydrotherapy covers a broad range of techniques, some well supported by research and others not. It can be therapeutic but has never been shown to cure any medical condition and should not replace standard medical care.

What is light therapy?

Light therapy is exposure to light that is brighter than typical indoor lighting but not as bright as direct sunlight. It does not involve ultraviolet light, full-spectrum light, heat lamps, or tanning lamps.

Light therapy may help with depression, jet lag, and sleep disorders by helping to reset the body’s circadian rhythm (biological clock), which controls sleeping and waking.

What is light therapy used for?

Light therapy is most commonly used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — depression linked to shorter days and reduced sunlight in fall and winter. Most people with SAD feel better after using light therapy, likely because it replaces lost sunlight exposure and resets the body’s internal clock.

When should it be used?

Light therapy may be most effective first thing in the morning. Response usually occurs within 2 to 4 days, but it can take up to 3 weeks of regular use before symptoms of SAD improve. Some people may also benefit from 1–2 hours of light therapy in the evening, stopping at least an hour before bed.

Is it safe?

Light therapy is generally safe and can be used alongside other treatments. Common side effects include eye strain or visual disturbances, headaches, agitation or feeling “wired,” nausea, and sweating — these can usually be reduced by spending less time under the light.

People with sensitive eyes or skin should consult a doctor before using light therapy. As with any alternative therapy, always tell your doctor what you’re using, and don’t stop conventional treatment without medical guidance.

What is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal has been used medicinally for its detoxifying and anti-poison properties since the 1500s BC. It is a fine, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic substance made from coal, wood, or other natural materials (such as coconut shells) that has been heated to high temperatures.

When ingested, activated charcoal traps and absorbs toxins, poisons, chemicals, and drugs. It shouldn’t be taken within two hours of vitamins or medications, as it can prevent your body from absorbing them. It’s available in capsule, powder, and solid forms.

10 Uses for Activated Charcoal

1. Teeth whitening — absorbs plaque and stains from tea, coffee, and wine; can help prevent cavities, bad breath, and gum disease.
2. Eases upset stomachs — can help settle the stomach after food poisoning or a stomach bug.
3. Absorbs poison — used in hospitals after stomach pumping to absorb leftover toxic substances (note: it does not help with alcohol, cyanide, lithium, or iron poisoning).
4. Hangover relief — taken before or during drinking, it can reduce blood alcohol concentration and help prevent headaches and hangovers (though it does not treat alcohol poisoning).
5. Lowers cholesterol — in one study, four weeks of use reduced total cholesterol by 25% and LDL by 41%, while increasing HDL by 8%.
6. Reduces gas and bloating — binds to gas-causing byproducts in food.
7. Water filtration — traps impurities, pesticides, and chemicals, including some fluoride, for cleaner drinking water.
8. Topical skin treatment — combined with coconut oil, can help soothe acne, body odor, insect bites, and rashes.
9. Detoxification — helps flush toxins that can damage the kidneys, liver, and adrenal glands, supporting healthy aging and reducing brain fog.
10. Digestive cleanse — regular use alongside a whole-foods diet may help remove toxins linked to allergies, joint pain, and oxidative stress.

Activated charcoal is an inexpensive and versatile addition to a health, wellness, and beauty routine.

Laughter Truly Is the Best Medicine

No one knows for certain why we laugh, but mid-laughter the human body undergoes some remarkable changes — from lowering blood pressure to fortifying the immune system. Here’s what happens to your body when you laugh.

1. You burn calories

Laughter won’t give you six-pack abs, but one study found that laughing for just 15 minutes a day can burn up to 40 calories.

2. Your brain kicks into high gear

Laughter sends a wave of activity across the cerebral cortex — one side processes the language of a joke while the rest makes sense of its absurdity.

3. You may cry

Crying while laughing can result from a heightened emotional state or the physical reflex of shaking, contracting muscles.

4. You get an endorphin boost

The physical act of laughing releases endorphins, creating a feeling of happiness.

5. You lose control of your body

The H-reflex — a neurological pathway causing muscle contraction — can disappear during intense laughter, leaving muscles feeling weak.

6. You relax

The relaxed feeling after a fit of laughter is similar to the one after a workout, and can last up to an hour.

7. Your immune system gets a boost

Laughing increases production of antibodies and T-cells that fight disease and strengthen immunity.

8. Your pain tolerance jumps

Watching comedy has been shown to raise pain thresholds, attributed to the release of endorphins.

9. Your fight-or-flight response is diminished

Laughing together in groups can make people feel more comfortable and less anxious about immediate threats.

10. Your stress levels plummet

People with a strong sense of humor tend to be less depressed and anxious.

11. Your throat closes up briefly

During intense laughter, the epiglottis half-closes the larynx, causing irregular air intake — which is also why your face can go red.

12. You reinforce relationships

Laughing in a group forms strong social bonds and heightens feelings of safety and togetherness.

13–14. Effects during pregnancy

Some research has linked positive emotional states like laughter to fertility outcomes, and a fetus can feel the physical effects of a mother’s laughter from around 32 weeks of gestation.

15. Caution for some conditions

People with hernias or heart problems should be aware that intense laughter can cause blood pressure changes; rarely, it can cause fainting.

16. Your blood pressure drops

Laughter has been linked to healthier blood vessel function, which can lower the risk of heart attack.

17–20. Other effects

Laughter is contagious, can defuse embarrassment and tension, engages around 15 facial muscles, and — in rare cases of very intense laughter — can even cause involuntary bladder release.

Source: bestlifeonline.com

Is Crying Good for You?

The rumor: crying has health benefits. Many adults try to hold back tears, especially at work or in public, believing crying is a sign of weakness. But is shedding tears actually healthy?

The verdict: shedding tears can be good for your health — especially in the right setting.

“Crying activates the body in a healthy way,” says Stephen Sideroff, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at UCLA. “Letting down one’s guard and one’s defenses and crying is a very positive, healthy thing… that process of opening into yourself… it’s like a lock and key.”

Crying Clubs

The Japanese have taken this idea further with “crying clubs” called rui-katsu (literally “tear-seeking”), where people gather to watch tearjerkers and cry together. The premise: crying releases stress and supports mental health.

Research backs this up — emotional tears contain higher levels of stress hormones than basal (lubricating) or reflex tears, as well as more mood-regulating manganese. Stress tightens muscles and heightens tension, “so when you cry you release some of that,” says Sideroff. Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps restore the body to balance.

Crying clubs can also provide a supportive, safe space for people who find it hard to express emotion for cultural or personal reasons.

Finding a Safe Space to Cry

Judith Orloff, MD, a clinical psychiatry professor at UCLA, notes: “It’s very primal to cry in a group… but I don’t advise my patients to cry in a business meeting or at work — that could be perceived as weakness.” Instead, she suggests finding a private space, such as an empty office or bathroom, where you can cry without fear of judgment and reap the physical and emotional rewards.

Source: webmd.com

Chlorine Dioxide Solution (CDS)

Chlorine Dioxide Solution (CDS) is discussed in various videos covering what it is, how it is made, and how it is used.

How to Take CDS

Add 10 milliliters of 0.3% Chlorine Dioxide Solution (CDS) to every 1 liter of water you drink. Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water with CDS during the day, at a rate of about 100ml every hour.

Making Your Own CDS

To make your own Chlorine Dioxide Solution, a 25% Sodium Chlorite solution and 5% Hydrochloric Acid are required.

For full video demonstrations on how CDS is made and used, including a documentary on the topic, see the Activities section of this site.

What is the Rife Resonator?

The Rife Resonator is a device that generates electro-magnetic frequencies intended to target a wide range of pathogens — including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites — relayed through the body via hand or foot electrodes.

History

In the 1920s, Dr. Royal Raymond Rife built a specialized light microscope that allowed him to visualize live viruses. He proposed that each virus, bacterium, and parasite is sensitive to a specific wave frequency — similar to how a glass can be shattered by a musical note at the right pitch — and that an organism could theoretically be targeted by its frequency without harming surrounding tissue.

Dr. Rife conducted research from the 1930s until his death in 1971. Frequency-generating devices based on his work have become more widely available in recent decades with advances in computer technology and the spread of information online.

Claimed Uses

Proponents describe Rife frequency devices as being explored for conditions such as arthritis, autoimmune disorders, influenza, bronchitis, tonsillitis, shingles, candidiasis, fibrositis, chronic fatigue syndrome, glandular fever, cellulitis, sports injuries, and various other acute and chronic conditions, as well as general health maintenance.

Note: Rife frequency therapy is considered alternative and is not recognized by mainstream medicine as a treatment for cancer or other serious diseases. As with any alternative approach, discuss it with your doctor and do not use it as a substitute for conventional medical care.

What Treatment Involves

The person sits comfortably holding electrodes, or with their feet on contact plates, while a series of selected frequencies passes through the body. A session may last 15 to 90 minutes depending on the condition. Sessions are typically repeated several times a week initially, then reduced to weekly maintenance sessions.

Some people report temporary detox-like symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or body aches after a session. Drinking plenty of water (at least 2 liters over 24 hours) is generally recommended afterward.

Pharmaceutical Anti-Parasitic Approaches

There are various anti-parasitic drugs on the market with widely differing testimonies of success and failure, including Ivermectin, Fenbendazole, and Hydroxychloroquine. Much of this inconsistency comes down to how these drugs are used: parasites can develop resistance very quickly. If a parasite is exposed to one of these drugs but survives long enough to lay eggs before dying, the hatchlings can inherit resistance to that drug. Without rotating drugs, resistance builds and an infestation can continue to grow.

A Rotation-Based Protocol

One approach some people use is rotating between these three medications in cycles:

• Days 1–3: Ivermectin — one 12mg dose morning and evening (halve the dose if a Herxheimer-type reaction is too strong), then stop for 4 days.
• Day 8: repeat the same 3-day Ivermectin course, then stop for 4 days.
• Day 15: switch to Fenbendazole — one 3g dose morning and evening for 3 days (halve if needed), then stop for 4 days, repeat once more on day 22.
• Day 29: switch to Hydroxychloroquine — one 400mg dose morning and evening for 3 days (halve if needed), then stop for 4 days, repeat once more on day 36.
• Day 43: the full cycle begins again from Ivermectin. Four complete cycles take roughly six months.

If a dosage feels too strong, start with half and increase gradually over time without skipping the schedule.

Important Considerations

This approach does not kill parasite eggs, and ongoing maintenance dosing is typically needed after the initial six months. Availability of these medications may also become more restricted over time, requiring a prescription.

Some people use this pharmaceutical-based approach alongside or as an alternative to non-drug options such as a Rife Resonator (see the Rife entry above).

Always consult your doctor before starting any anti-parasitic medication regimen, especially regarding dosing and interactions with existing conditions or medications.