8 health and happiness improvements for no cost

So often it seems that when we learn about something that can improve our health it means purchasing a product or service. I thought it would be a pleasant relief to remind ourselves about some health positives that don’t cost a penny.

• Breathe more deeply. Oxygen not only makes our brains come alive, it also fuels our immune cells. The mere act of focusing on breath is also a stress reliever. There are other benefits. LINK

• Take a walk. We now know that sitting all day (even at a desk) is hard on us even if we do regular exercise before or after work. Conversely, being active has many fringe benefits, even on mood. LINK

• Chew more thoroughly. Someone who attended one of my seminars told me that better chewing solved a digestive problem for her. I discuss chewing and other aids to digestion in my book.

• Keep a gratitude journal. Write down a list of things for which you are grateful. It really relieves frustration and improves our attitude to focus on positives. Also, we tend to get more of what we think most about, so thinking about good things makes a lot of sense. (You don’t have to have a fancy book to make the journal. Why not make it environmentally greener by writing on the blank backs of the fundraising mail that politicians are sending you?)

• Pray. That’s another lovely way to focus on positives and recruit powerful help with your challenges.

• Avoid sodas and other sweetened beverages. These beverages do not fill us up but sure do pack on the pounds and launch us on the road to diabetes. Sometimes you will hear dietitians say they aren’t so bad, but could that be because they receive funding from Coca Cola? LINK Don’t forget that the sweet coffee drinks are in this category.

Drink more water. Drink it between meals rather than diluting your digestive juices. Of course, I assume you know by now that I’m not talking about tap water. There is just too much junk in tap

Healthy by Nature radio show this week: I‘ll talk with Dr. Kyl Smith, author of Brighter Mind, about how to get our brains to work more effectively (e.g. focus, memory, mood, decision making and even mental energy). Athletes and anyone who exercises will want to hear Massage Therapist, Lori Walter explain the surprising benefits of stretching. She will also dispel some myths about stretching. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and ways to listen nationwide. Call with questions at 1-800-281-8255.

Is there anything left that is safe to eat?

Healthy by Nature radio show this week: I’m very pleased to have open lines with Gus Kotsanis, MD. I’ll focus my opening questions on cancer, but call with any health questions that are on your mind.  1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and ways to listen nationwide. Notice for those in the Dallas / Fort Worth area: Our website may not yet reflect this, but all seminars still on the list will be re-scheduled. The goal is to make them shorter and on Saturday when more people are available.

Is there anything left that is safe to eat?

This week the media told us about the unfortunate folks who contracted the serious bacterial infection, listeria, from contaminated melons shipped all over the country. The fruit was pulled from stores, but not before sickening hundreds and causing 13 fatalities. The disease doesn’t develop immediately, so there may be even more cases. Unfortunately, this isn’t a one of a kind threat. There have also been listeria infections from celery, sprouts, cabbage, deli meats and soft Mexican style cheese. Recall alerts and sickness have also resulted from various bacteria and parasites found in everything from apples, tomatoes, spinach, parsley, and lettuce to ground beef and even peanut butter. Years ago it was cranberries of all things. So, do we all have to become Breatharians? (a bizarre belief of some mystics that they can live on air, e.g. without food or water.) Come to think of it, since the air is polluted too, forget that. Here is what I do recommend: Follow the recommended kitchen precautions. For example, wash produce. Properly cook meat. Wash your hands. Don’t use a kitchen sponge because they quickly accumulate bacteria. Clean counters, cutting boards and knives between uses. The USDA offers good advice. LINK. But, we all eat in restaurants or at the occasional covered-dish dinner or other places that may not have followed the rules. So, then what? That is where our internal defenses come to the rescue. The first line of defense is stomach acid. It literally dissolves the pathogens. That’s only one reason that it is dangerous to block your stomach acid with antacids or acid blockers we see on TV. Most persons past middle age do not produce adequate stomach acid and that already makes them more vulnerable to food borne illness. The median age of the victims of the current cantaloupe calamity is 78. It is likely that they had low stomach acid making them more likely to become infected. My book has a whole chapter on the many important functions of stomach acid and how to assure you are adequate. (Hint—step one is avoid drugs that shut it off.) BOOK LINK The second line of defense is our friendly intestinal bacteria (also known as flora or probiotics). For a bad organism to cause a big problem after it gets past the stomach, it needs to set up shop in the intestines and multiply into an evil army. Fortunately, when the good bacteria are present in sufficient numbers, they don’t allow that to happen. Not only do they crowd out the bad guys, they even produce natural antibiotic-like substances that kill them without harming friendly neighbors. I know I’m like a broken record [for you youngin’s, a record was the iTunes of yore] on subjects like magnesium, vitamin D, fish oil and probiotics. But, that is because they are so darned important and neglected. In this case, I must repeat that of all the probiotics I’ve looked at, Dr. Ohhira’s is the only one that contains those natural antibiotic-like products of the good bacteria. It also contains TH10, a powerful strain (6 x stronger than any other known friendly strain) that is especially effective against food borne critters. The two individuals in the Dallas / Fort Worth area that died as a result of the recent listeria contamination were both 89 years of age. That brings me to the other thing that diminishes with age—immune function. Most of our immune system is located in the digestive system and therefore benefits greatly from probiotics. And probably all nutrients help one way or another, but I want to call attention to Vitamin D. It is crucial for immunity and it is likely that the elderly are not out playing beach volley ball in bathing suits or otherwise spending enough time in the sun for it to be a sufficient natural source of vitamin D. Besides, as we age, we aren’t as good at turning sunlight into D. So, this group would greatly benefit from a supplement. A sub-lingual is a good choice because it isn't slowed by iffy digestion.