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Health
The Best Exercise To
9 Holistic Remedies You Need In Your Medicine Cabinet
Lose Weight Is....
The ONE You Will Do!
Concerned about overuse of prescription meds? Wary of in- gredients in over-the-counter cold medicines? Pharmacy sec- tions are being stocked with more and more natural reme- dies that can provide gentle yet effective relief for everyday ail- ments.
Dr. Jen Johnson, a natur- opathic doctor in Westport, Conn. and Rebekah Azarelli, a homeopath in Brooklyn, N.Y. recommended these 9 to their patients.
Stock your medicine cabinet with these holistic health reme- dies and rest assured that the next time you feel a cold com- ing on, your child falls off her bike or you have trouble sleep- ing, you’ll have just the thing on hand to ease your ills.
You’ll find most of these products at your local health food store, natural pharmacy, or vitamin store.
1. Vitamin C Treats: Cold and flu
Directions: 3-5 grams per day at first sign of illness
Why it works: Vitamin C specifically targets and nour- ishes immune cells, better preparing them to fight off in- vaders.
2. Hot water bottle
Treats: Upset stomachs, menstrual cramps and insom- nia
Directions: Fill with hot water, lie down and apply to ab- domen.
Why it works: The insu- lated bottle retains heat well while radiating it into tissues, gently relaxing muscles and calming the nervous system.
3. Neti pot
Treats: Stuffy nose and aller-
giesDirections: Dissolve one teaspoon non-iodized salt in warm water in the neti pot and rinse both nostrils every day at bedtime or in the shower until symptoms subside.
Why it works: Flushing the nasal passages opens, cleans, and tones them. A neti pot is specially designed to make it easier to get the fluid into the nasal passages, and it's easy to clean.
4. Vitamin B-complex Treats: Fatigue Directions: Take one cap-
sule a day of the highest-quality supplement you can find. (Look for a mark that says “USP veri- fied” on the label, which indi- cates that the supplement’s purity, potency, and quality has been rigorously researched by the United States Pharma- copeia, a non-profit public health organization.)
Why it works: B-complex provides energy at the cellular level to your glandular system — which regulates your hor- mone levels and the overall functioning of your body.
5. White vinegar Treats: Athlete’s foot
Directions: Soak feet in 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water, 15 minutes daily for one week.
Why it works: White vine- gar is a natural anti-fungal.
6. Elderberry syrup Treats: Colds and flu Directions: Follow the in-
structions on the label. Azarelli recommends Honey Gardens
Running, walking, yoga, Pi- lates, dance, lifting weights ... There are so many ways to ex- ercise, so how do you know which is best for dropping those extra pounds? “The best workout is the one that you can — and want to — do con- sistently,” says The FIRM in- structor Rebekah Sturkie.
What workout intensity is best for you?
If you’re short on time, a higher-intensity exercise (like running) may be best for you. The faster you exercise, the more calories you use per minute. You can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time.
But high-intensity exercise can be difficult to sustain, so when you’re first starting out, you may want to try exercising at a lower intensity for a longer
amount of time (like taking long walks daily).
Interval training — short bursts of high intensity (sprints, for example) followed by short rest cycles — will allow you to burn a high num- ber of calories without increas- ing the time of your workout. It boosts your mitochondria, the powerhouses in your cells that turn the food you eat into energy, which in turn affects metabolism and weight loss.
Stock your medicine cabinet with the remedies that naturo- pathic doctors use in their own homes and recommend to their patients for pain relief, colds, insomnia, athlete's foot and other ailments.
Diabetes And The Heat Wave
Apitherapy Elderberry Syrup, but advises that it shouldn’t be given to children less than one year old, because it contains honey, which carries a small risk of botulism for young ba- bies.
Why it works: The elder- berry plant's antiviral proper- ties and antioxidants boost the immune system.
7. Arnica
Treats: Bruises and
swelling; great for pain relief after childbirth
Directions: Apply arnica oil or arnica gel or cream to the skin at the affected area. If there is any broken or abraded skin, Azarelli recommends tak- ing the homeopathic remedy Arnica 30c in pellet form (avail- able at The Vitamin Shoppeand many health food stores), as topically applied arnica can ir- ritate an open wound.
Why it works: Arnica (Ar- nica montana) has been used for pain, inflammation, bruis- ing and other conditions since
the 1500s and remains popular today. Arnica should only be taken internally in the highly diluted form common to home- opathic remedies.
8. Chamomile tea Treats: Insomnia
Directions: Drink a cup of chamomile tea, taking the time to savor its aroma and enjoy its taste, before bedtime. Chamomile tea bags are readily available at most major food and drug retailers.
Why it works: The herb chamomile soothes the mind and the nervous system to help you get to sleep.
9. Honey
Treats: Cuts and dry skin
Directions: Apply to a cut or scrape just as you would an- tibacterial cream. Also works as a moisturizing facial mask — apply it to clean skin, allow to dry, and rinse with warm water.
Why it works: Honey has natural antibiotic properties and acts as a humectant, draw- ing moisture to the skin.
The heat being experienced in many parts of the nation these days is tough enough for the average healthy person, but for the estimated 21 mil- lion Americans with diabetes, special precautions may be re- quired, according to experts at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.
People with chronic diseases like diabetes as well as people taking certain medications, in- cluding heart disease medica- tions and diuretics are at increased risk of experiencing difficulties in the heat, even though they may not be aware of it.
Tips for people with diabetes during these steamy summer days:
• Keep hydrated. Dehydra- tion, or the loss of body fluids, can happen on these very hot summer days whether you have diabetes or not. If you have diabetes, dehydration also can occur when blood glu- cose is not under control. When blood glucose is ele- vated, this can lead to an in- crease in the body's excretion of urine. To prevent dehydra- tion drink plently of caffeine- free fluids such as water, seltzer, sugar-free drinks like iced tea, and lemonade. Limit your intake of alcohol.
• Watch for signs of heat ex-
haustion. If you are working or exercising outdoors, people with diabetes and other chronic diseases like heart dis- ease are more susceptible to overheating. Symptoms in- clude: feeling dizzy or fainting; sweating excessively; muscle cramps; skin that is cold or clammy; headaches; rapid heartbeat; and/or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, move to a cooler environment, drink fluids like water, juice or sports drinks (based on your healthcare provider's instructions) and seek medical attention.
• Exercise in a cool place such as an air-conditioned gym, or early in the morning or later in the evening.
• Check blood glucose levels at least four times a day, and more often if you are not feel- ing well. Remember that heat can cause blood glucose levels to fluctuate. Carry plenty of water and snacks.
• Store your blood glucose meter, strips and insulin in a cool, dry place.
HEALTH TIP OF THE DAY!
Don’t skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast is one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying to lose weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat milk or yogurt, wholewheat toast, and a boiled egg.
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