Vibrant health is a condition in which the body, mind, emotions and spirit exist in a state of balance. When healthy, our immune system is strong and we have abundant energy. Our body is fit, our hormones are balanced, and our skin glows. We feel rested, relaxed, able to handle stress, and are joyful, exuberant, and optimistic about our lives.
In today’s world it can be challenging to maintain a healthy state of being. The demands of our time and others can create stress. We may not eat as well as we should or get enough sleep. Allergies, frequent illness, excess weight, fatigue or pain are reminders that we are out of balance.
A natural approach to health considers the many factors that contribute to well-being and provides safe effective ways to achieve total wellness. Here are some simple steps to take to stay healthy and balanced and increase longevity.
Cleanse your environment of toxins. Due to the introduction of synthetic compounds into the environment, we are exposed daily to approximately 70,000 toxic chemicals and pollutants, including about 7,000 in our food. These substances challenge our health and threaten our very existence. A 2005 study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of 2,000 Americans found traces of more than 60 toxic compounds, including dioxins, uranium, mercury, lead, aluminum, pesticides and polyvinyl chlorides in the blood and urine of participants. In a study by the Environmental Working Group, laboratory tests of the umbilical cord blood of newborns found an average of 200 chemicals that can cause cancer, brain damage, birth defects and other health ailments. Cancer is now the number one cause of death in humans, and studies show that 95% of the cases are caused by exposure to environmental toxins, while 5% are caused by genetics. Many chemicals are known to interfere with hormonal balance and fertility. Environmental toxins are a major cause of all autoimmune and neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, lupus, autism and other diseases.
Though we cannot totally avoid these toxins, we can minimize our exposure to them. Soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics should have only natural ingredients. Use biodegradable, non-toxic detergents and cleaning products. Obtain a water purifier for your drinking and bath/shower water. The body requires a minimum of half its weight in ounces per day of purified water just to maintain health. Air purifiers are recommended if you live or work in an environment with mold or that is outgassing toxic chemicals from new building materials. Ingest only organically grown foods whenever possible, and avoid processed foods that contain chemicals, preservatives, dyes, and artificial flavors.
Minimize your exposure to cell phones and wireless technology. Cell phone towers, wireless broadband internet, and other wireless devices contribute to the burden of “electrosmog” which saturates the environment with low-level non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency and microwave range. These emanations add to radar, radio and TV broadcast signals. The intensity of exposure to these frequencies has increased so dramatically in the last few years, that unless you live in an extremely remote location, chances are you are being bombarded by these damaging signals. Check www.antennasearch.com for cell tower locations.
Cell phones, land-based cordless phones, wireless smart utility meters, WiFi routers, blue tooth headsets and other wireless devices emit dangerous information-carrying radio waves at frequencies of a few to a few hundred cycles per second. These frequencies stimulate your vibrational cellular receptors, causing a whole host of pathological responses including anxiety, fatigue, immune suppression, sleep disturbances, poor concentration, neurological disorders, DNA damage, enzyme reduction, vision impairment, and cancer.
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, and brain tumors have all been linked to these harmful electromagnetic energies. The developing tissues of children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to cell phone and wireless radiations. A study done in 2006 by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine showed that men who made calls on a mobile phone for more than four hours a day had the lowest sperm counts and poorest quality sperm of all those tested.
Recently a mobile phone company agreed to remove a cell phone tower from the top of a five-story apartment building in London after 7 residents in 5 of the 8 flats on the top floor got cancer, 3 of whom have died since the tower went up in 1994. Studies show that living close to a cell phone tower increases your chance of developing cancer ten times more than the national average. If you must use a cell phone, use the speaker phone feature whenever possible. Replace all cordless phones with corded phones for even better protection. If you have wireless internet in your home, consider converting to cable, and if wireless is used in your place of work, position yourself as far away from the router as possible. Your neighbor’s router could also affect you. Miracle Balance wrist bands and cell protect discs (placed on cell phones, computers, etc.) utilize holograms programmed with scalar waves to balance the body and provide protection from harmful electromagnetic radiation.
Eat a diet that supports the healthy functioning of your body and mind. Choose only organically grown foods that are rich in nutrients. Avoid foods that are genetically engineered or from cloned animals which can have serious long term effects on the body and the environment. Heat destroys essential enzymes in foods that are needed for digestion, so include at least 50% raw foods in your diet and take enzyme supplements with cooked food. Microwaved foods are nutritionally depleted. Raw fermented foods are vital to a healthy diet providing the body with a natural source of probiotics, the beneficial microflora (bacteria) that comprise 85% of our immune system. Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, and miso are rich in enzymes and nutrients and naturally protect the body from harmful bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Daily consumption of fermented foods dramatically enhances the immune system and uplifts the mood since the microflora help to produce the feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
Choose raw dairy products from organic pasture-raised animals. Pasteurization destroys the vital enzymes and probiotics in milk which aid digestion and enhance immunity. Raw dairy is rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids of which 50% are destroyed by pasteurization. Raw milk kefir is especially nutritious due to the presence of microflora from fermentation. Raw butter supplies the body with CLA and the vital fat soluble vitamin X Factor.
Include a variety of beneficial oils in your diet that provide the body with essential fatty acids that nourish the brain, balance hormones, support the heart and circulatory system, and enhance the immune system. Pure virgin unrefined coconut oil is great for cooking and is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, and anticarcinogenic. It can also be ingested raw or applied topically to moisturize and regenerate the skin. Red palm oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, borage oil, evening primrose oil, pumpkin seed oil, and Omega 3 fish oils are also good. Avoid artery-clogging trans fats.
Eliminate sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet and reduce foods that are naturally high in sugar including concentrated fruit juices, honey and maple syrup. High glycemic (high sugar) foods cause inflammation in the body and accelerate aging. They stress the pancreas, elevate blood sugar and create insulin resistance which leads to obesity and numerous degenerative conditions including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Use healthy natural sweeteners such as honey (in moderation) and stevia (0 grams sugar). Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Splenda are damaging to the nervous system. Splenda was originally developed as a pesticide and later discovered to taste sweet.
Limit your intake of gluten grains such as wheat, oats, barley, etc. Gluten can irritate the intestinal lining and cause inflammation and digestive disorders. Many people are unaware of their sensitivity to gluten. Quinoa, millet and buckwheat are beneficial gluten-free grains. Rice is gluten-free but has a high gylcemic index. It is also important to soak all grains, nuts, seeds and beans in purified water for 8 to 12 hours and rinse before eating or cooking to release enzyme inhibitors that interfere with digestion. Avoid unfermented soy products such as soy milk and tofu due to enzyme inhibitors and other factors that inhibit nutrient absorption.
Eat fruits that are relatively low in sugar and rich in antioxidants such as blueberries, cherries, pomegranates and Goji berries which rejuvenate the body and mind. Lemons help to alkalize the body and cleanse the liver and kidneys.
A healthy diet consists of approximately 80% alkaline foods and 20% acid foods. This keeps the body’s pH in balance and supports health. Alkaline foods are primarily vegetables, seaweeds (a good source of iodine and other minerals), and some grains such as buckwheat and millet. Meat, eggs, dairy, and beans are among the acidic foods. Sugar, refined salt, refined carbohydrates, carbonated drinks, and coffee are all very acidic and caustic to the body. An acidic diet can leach alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium from the bones, teeth and nervous system causing osteoporosis, tooth decay, arthritis and other illnesses. Harmful bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and parasites thrive in an acidic environment. Original Himalayan Crystal Salt and Adya Clarity are good sources of trace minerals. Orgono Living Silica (liquid and gel), Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil and MSM support the bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, hair, skin and nails and keep the body strong and flexible. Vitamin B12 in the form of sublingual methylcobalamin is also recommended to support the nervous and circulatory systems, improve memory, and increase energy.
Periodically cleanse your body of toxins. This is essential! Toxins build up in the body from stress, processed foods that are difficult to digest, incomplete digestion due to enzyme deficiencies and the presence of harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Impure water, alcohol, smoking, drugs, chemicals and heavy metals contribute to toxic buildup. Mercury in amalgam dental fillings is especially dangerous to the body. Replacing amalgam fillings with non-toxic composite fillings can dramatically improve your health, especially if you suffer from glandular imbalance, cancer, an autoimmune disease or neurological disorder such as M.S., Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Mercury and other toxins in vaccines have been linked to autism and cancer. Chlorella and Zeolite, a volcanic mineral supplement, are excellent for detoxifying heavy metals and chemicals.
Regular colon cleansing is absolutely essential to maintaining health. A drink including fiber such as ground flaxseed or psyllium hulls mixed with aloe vera juice, liquid chlorophyll and hydrated bentonite, taken daily in the morning, can gently cleanse accumulated waste and undigested food from the intestinal tract. Several weekly colonics can jumpstart a cleanse and accelerate detoxification.
A series of liver-gallbladder flushes to eliminate gallstones and trapped poisons helps to detoxify and rejuvenate the entire body. Signs of liver congestion include frequent illness, allergies, poor digestion, heart and circulatory problems, hormonal imbalance, poor vision, obesity and chronic pain.
Medicinal herbs that cleanse the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, blood and lymph enhance detoxification and improve health. Mucus is the body’s vehicle for expelling toxins, and first forms in the colon before moving into the lungs and sinuses. It is better to eliminate mucus with colon cleansing and herbs than to suppress it with drugs. All symptoms of illness are the body’s way of signaling that we are out of balance. Drugs suppress symptoms but do not address the cause of disease. They destroy beneficial microflora and are toxic with numerous side effects.
Exercise daily and spend time outdoors. A minimum of 30 minutes a day of aerobic and weight-bearing exercise helps to oxygenate and strengthen the body, improve circulation, enhance nutrient absorption, and encourage elimination of toxins. Connecting with the Earth balances our energy field. Earthing bed sheets and mats used indoors help to ground to Earth’s energy.
Get adequate sunlight and sleep. Our bodies are run by an internal circadian clock, timed to the natural cycles of day and night. Exposure to sunlight causes an increase in serotonin which peaks at noon, providing energy for the day’s activities. Sunlight is also our primary source for Vitamin D which is essential for hormonal balance, calcium absorption and strong immunity. Most people that live in temperate or cooler climates need additional Vitamin D3 supplementation just to maintain health. Darkness signals the pineal gland to produce melatonin inducing sleepiness by 9:30 or 10 pm and peaking at midnight. Our deepest most restorative sleep occurs during this time. If we stay up past 10 pm, our adrenals begin to pump the stress hormone cortisol into the blood stream which keeps us awake.
Choose thoughts that feel good! We are vibrational beings, and the Source energy from which we came knows only perfection and wellness. Low vibrational emotions such as anger, fear, guilt and depression create resistance to this natural flow of wellness, causing illness. Choose thoughts that uplift your energy to the higher vibration of love and gratitude and focus on what brings you joy. A mere shift in perception in how we think and feel about something is often all that is needed to allow healing to take place. Be well!