How to Heal Yourself in 15 Days: Part One

Your body strives to heal itself automatically, every single day. The only thing that really needs to happen for your body to begin healing itself is for you to remove the barriers to healing -- the barriers that are holding you back right now.

Day 1 - Rethink "health"

For many people, the first barrier to healing is found in their mental definition of "health." A lot of people believe that health is defined by having blood certain tests return results within a specific range: Your LDL cholesterol needs to be between X and Y, for example, and your blood pressure needs to be lower than Z. Conventional doctors tend to define health in this way, too, only spreading this misconception even further.

Health isn't defined by a range of numbers. It doesn't mean merely shrinking the physical size of a tumor while the patient continues to waste away. Health isn't measured solely by the number of days someone is kept alive on life support equipment...

Health means exactly what you intuitively thought it meant before you were subjected to so much influence and misinformation by drug company advertisements, conventional doctors and friends or family members -- health means quality of life.

And what is quality of life? Being able to sleep at night, walk without pain, eat and enjoy food, have a working memory, and achieve things in your life that mean something to you. Health means time with family, a walk in the woods, a positive mental outlook and an ability to handle stress without flipping out. Health means treating your body with respect and experiencing the joy of feeling it work well in return. Health means vibrant energy, daily optimism and even good sexual energy, too (and much more).

These are important elements of health and yet none of them are really answered by western medicine. Most of them aren't even considered in the medical textbooks. Modern medicine does not believe it really has any concern about the quality of your life. If you have a problem sleeping, the conventional medical approach is to simply overload your brain with pharmaceutical chemicals that force you to lose consciousness -- and then they call it "sleep." But it isn't really sleep. It's not quality sleep, and it doesn't create quality living.

And that's why if you wish to achieve real quality of life, you must broaden your horizons beyond the limiting laboratory numbers of conventional medicine and explore what "health" really means to you. This doesn't mean laboratory tests can't be useful diagnostic tools; it just means to be cautious of letting the chemical measurement approach to health be your one source of answers for attempting to achieve health and happiness in your life.

So today, I'd like you to think about this for yourself: How do YOU define health? What would you like to do in your day, or FEEL in your day, or experience day to day that would equate to the concept of "health" in your own mind?

Once you have a clear picture of that element, you'll quickly come to realized that pharmaceuticals will never provide that for you. The real answers to health must come from somewhere else... somewhere that's more aligned with the real definition of health that you intuitively know to be more meaningful.

In part two of this article series, we'll explore how to unleash your innate healing potential by altering your frame of mind about how healing really works. Check back here on NaturalNews.com to read that in a day or two.

Chlorella Superfood Fights Body Fat and Diabetes

(NaturalNews) A superfood known as chlorella has caught on like wildfire in the United Kingdom, and studies continue to emerge linking the algae to improvement in symptoms of people with everything from diabetes and high blood pressure to digestive or immune problems.

Chlorella is a single-celled algae that naturally occurs in freshwater rivers and ponds in East Asia, tinting those bodies of water green. It is gathered from these natural sources, dried, crushed into a powder, and then packed into tablet form for sale as a dietary supplement. It has twice the protein density of spinach, 38 times that of soy beans and 55 times that of rice, providing nine essential amino acids along with a number of vitamins and minerals.

The algae has shown effectiveness at improving the symptoms of metabolic syndrome -- a collection of symptoms linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and central obesity. Studies have found chlorella supplements to reduce blood pressure in 50 percent of hypertension patients, as well as significantly reduce body fat, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

"It seems that chlorella turns on the genes that control the way insulin is normally used by the cells in the body," said researcher Randall Merchant of Virginia Commonwealth University. "This research shows that chlorella could in theory help correct the problems of metabolic syndrome. It is not a magic bullet, but taking it is one other preventive thing you can do, like exercise or watching your diet."

Other studies have shown that chlorella encourages the growth of "good bacteria," absorbs toxins from the intestines, improves digestion, and eases the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis and fibromyalgia. Chlorella supporters claim that it also increases energy levels and fights depression.

After studies showed that chlorella boosts the immune system, preventing secondary infections in people with brain tumors, some British doctors have started using it to complement cancer treatments.

Because chlorella is high in vitamin K1, it can interfere with the effects of blood thinning medications.

Sources for this story include: www.telegraph.co.uk.

Rooibus:The red herbal tea and many health benefits

(NaturalNews) The herbal tea known as red tea has found its way to health food and specialty food stores recently, but few know much about the source or the health benefits of this plant. Red tea comes from a South African plant called Aspalanthus linearis, and is also known as Redbush, or Kaffree, Rooibus, and Honeybush. Rooibus is not a true tea, in that it doesn't come from the same plant family as black tea, the Camellia sinensis plant, but research has confirmed many health benefits from this tea, including cancer prevention, and as a treatment for nervous tension, allergic dermatitis, and indigestion.

Red tea contains anti-oxidants in the form of polyphenols. It has the same health benefits as green tea, in this regard. Rooibus also contains calcium, magnesium, zinc, and potassium, as does black tea. Rooibus has similar health generating nutrients as the other red foods, such as cherries, red grapes, acai berries, and pomegranates.

Rooibus tea grows as a bush and has been used for tea by locals for a long time. The tea is made from the stems and leaves of the plants. Folk medicine uses include treatment of malignancies and various types of inflammation. In 1968, its use was documented in treating colic in infants. Studies conducted in 2000 and in 2003 in South Africa showed that red tea can protect the liver from mutagenic action that causes cancer, as well as other oxidative damage.

One concern about drinking red tea is that the tea is not standardized, which means that one plant may not contain as many health-giving ingredients as another. Because rooibus is known to have an effect on the cytochrome P450 enzymes, those taking drugs with a similar action may want to avoid this tea. Other concerns are for those who are allergic to the Leguminosae family of plants. Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant may want to avoid drinking red tea as well and stick to drinking other non-caffeinated beverages. Otherwise, rooibus is a good tasting alternative to green or black tea that has many health benefits and can be enjoyed by all as a tasty and nutritious beverage.

Key to Liver Health -The Chinese Way

(NaturalNews) Stress of modern living and our standard American diet, which includes alcohol, fried food and fast food, strain our health, especially our Liver. Stopping eating by 7 pm may be the best thing we can do for our health. Looking to ancient Chinese medicine we find a clear explanation of why this is. In Chinese Medicine, qi, or energy, runs though the body through a series of twelve main channels, or meridians. For each meridian there is a two hour time period for which the energy is strongest.

According to Chinese Medicine, digestion is controlled by the Earth element. The organs which correspond to the Earth element are Stomach and Spleen. The Stomach meridian`s energy is strongest in the morning between 7 and 9 am, and the Spleen is strongest between 9 am and 11 am. Therefore 7 am to 11 am is the best time to eat because our digestive energy is strongest.

Twelve hours later the energy of our digestive organs is the weakest, and we should stop eating by 7 pm. Light meals of fresh fruits and vegetables or fresh juices are best if we are hungry in the evening since these foods are simplest to digest.

Digestion is naturally slower in the evening as the energy is weakest in those meridians at that time. Food stays in the stomach and tends to ferment leading to gas, bloating and discomfort. Energy is drawn from other organs to help digest food. Overnight from 11 pm until 3 am the energy is strongest in the gall bladder and liver. These organs cleanse the blood and control sleep. They become taxed when we eat late at night. We get indigestion, insomnia and a feeling of not being well rested in the morning. In addition, our joints may ache or become arthritic. Toxins get stored in our organs and joints when the liver cannot function properly.

Eating late at night strains our liver, drawing energy from it to help us digest food. There are liver flushes and herbs such dandelion and milk thistle to cleanse and regenerate the liver. Yet one of the best things we can do for the liver is to stop eating by 7 pm. Once the liver energy is not being drawn away toward digestion, the liver is able to function and heal.

When we stop eating at 7 pm, many symptoms, even those which seem unrelated to digestion such as pain and arthritis, will disappear. People often lose weight quickly as the body is able to rid itself of toxins. The meridians balance and naturally become stronger when energy is not drawn into digestion overnight.

Steps to rejuvenate the liver are:

1. Stop eating by 7 pm for at least one week, but try to make it a lifelong habit.
   
2. Avoid alcohol, fast food and deep fried food (at least while doing the liver cleanse, but try to make this, too, a lifelong habit.)
   
3. Follow this liver flush for a week:
   
   
   
   • Upon waking, drink the juice of 2-3 fresh squeezed oranges and 1/2 lemon blended with one clove garlic, 1 Tbsp olive oil and a sprinkle of cayenne.
     
   • Follow that with a cleansing tea of flax, fenugreek, fennel, comfrey or nettles and mint, which can be enjoyed throughout the day.
     
   • For lunch and dinner have fresh fruit or vegetable salad.
     
   
   
4. Herbs such as milk thistle and dandelion are beneficial for the liver. Milk thistle is often taken in capsule or tincture form, while dandelion root is often drunk as tea or taken as a tincture. Fresh dandelion leaves can be added to salads.

Make Healthy Food Choices- Makan Secara Sihat

Make Healthy Food Choices

A heart-healthy diet is delicious and varied — rich in vegetables and fruits, with whole grains, high-fiber foods, lean meats and poultry, fish at least twice a week, and fat-free or 1 percent fat dairy products. By learning to make smart choices — whether you're cooking at home or eating out — you can enjoy flavorful foods while you manage your cholesterol.

Know and limit your fats.
Unsaturated fats don't contribute to your cholesterol level the way saturated and trans fats do, but you should still consume them in limited amounts. Get all the details at the Know Your Fats page.

Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
Most meats have about the same amount of cholesterol, roughly 70 milligrams in each three-ounce cooked serving (about the size of a deck of cards). The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than six ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, fish or seafood a day.

• The leanest beef cuts usually include sirloin, chuck, loin and round. Choose "choice" or "select" grades rather than "prime." Select lean or extra lean ground meats.
• Lean pork cuts include tenderloin or loin chops.
• The leanest lamb cuts come from the leg, arm and loin.
• Remove all visible fat from meat and poultry before cooking.
• Remove skin from poultry before eating.
• Choose white meat most often when eating poultry.
• Duck and goose are higher in fat than chicken and turkey.
• Grill, bake or broil meats and poultry.
• Organ meats — such as liver, sweetbread, kidneys and brains — are very high in cholesterol.
• Cut back on processed meats that are high in saturated fat and sodium.

Eat at least two servings of fish each week.

• Fish can be fatty or lean, but it's still low in saturated fat.
• Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.
• Prepare fish baked, broiled, grilled or boiled rather than breaded and fried.

Select fat-free, 1 percent fat and low-fat dairy products.

• Minimize your intake of whole-fat dairy products such as butter and whole milk or 2 percent full-fat dairy products (yogurt, cheeses).
• If you drink whole or 2 percent milk, or use full-fat dairy products, gradually switch to fat-free, low-fat or reduced-fat dairy products.
• Look for fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese, part-skim milk mozzarella, ricotta and other fat-free or low-fat cheeses.

Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.

• Use liquid vegetable oils and soft margarines in place of hard margarine or shortening.
• Limit cakes, cookies, crackers, pastries, pies, muffins, doughnuts and French fries made with partially hydrogenated or saturated fats.

Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol.

• Try to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.
• Some common cholesterol-containing foods include whole eggs (about 200 mg per yolk), shellfish (50 to 100 mg per ½ cup), “organ” meats such as liver (375 mg per 3 oz) and whole milk (30 mg per cup).
• Egg whites don't contain cholesterol and are good protein sources, so they're fine. In fact, you can substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk in many recipes that call for eggs.

Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
Many snack foods and beverages have added sugars. Cut back on added sugars to lower your total calorie intake and help control your weight. These foods also tend to be low in vitamins and minerals, and the calories add up quickly. Drinking calorie-containing beverages may not make you feel full. This could tempt you to eat and drink more than you need and gain weight.

• Examples of added sugars are sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrups, high-fructose corn syrup, concentrated fruit juice and honey.
• Read the ingredient list. Choose items that don’t have added sugars in their first four listed ingredients.

Choose and prepare foods with little or no sodium.
Too much sodium in your diet can increase your risk of high blood pressure, which in turn increases your risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke.

Salt is just one source of the sodium you consume every day. Many processed foods contain sodium in other forms, too. Some medicines are high in sodium. Be aware of all your sources of sodium and aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Some people — African Americans, middle-aged and older adults, and people with high blood pressure — need less than 1,500 mg per day.

• Compare the sodium content of similar products (for example, different brands of tomato sauce) and choose the products with less sodium.
• Choose frozen foods, soups, cereals, baked goods and other processed foods that are labeled “reduced-sodium.”
• Limit high-sodium condiments and foods such as soy sauce, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, flavored seasoning salts, pickles and olives.
• Replace salt with herbs and spices or some of the salt-free seasoning mixes. Use lemon juice, citrus zest or hot chiles to add flavor.
• Try rinsing certain foods, such as canned tuna and salmon, feta cheese and capers, to remove some of the sodium.
• Learn about the D.A.S.H. (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan. This link is provided for convenience only, and is not an endorsement or assurance of the entity or any product or service.

Cholesterol, fiber and oat bran
Fiber is classified as "soluble" or "insoluble." When regularly eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber has been shown to help lower blood cholesterol and may also help reduce the risk of diabetes and colon and rectal cancer. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat at least 25–30 grams of dietary fiber — in both soluble and insoluble forms — every day. The more calories you require to meet your daily needs, the more dietary fiber you need. Try to eat at least 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories you consume.

Here are some tips to help you add more fiber to your diet.

• Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.
• Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin.
• Replace low-fiber foods (white bread, white rice, candy and chips) with fiber-containing foods (whole-grain bread, brown rice, fruits and vegetables).
• Try to eat more raw vegetables and fresh fruit, including the skins when appropriate. Cooking vegetables can reduce their fiber content, and skins are a good source of fiber.
• Eat high-fiber foods at every meal. Bran cereal for breakfast is a good start, but try to include some fruits, vegetables, whole-grains and beans in your diet, too.
• Be sure to increase your fiber intake gradually, giving your body time to adjust, and drink at least six to eight 8-oz. glasses of fluids a day.
• Read the Nutrition Facts label on all packaged foods that claim to contain oat bran or wheat bran. Many of these products actually contain very little fiber and may also be high in sodium, calories and saturated or trans fat.

Read labels for a healthy heart.
Make reading food labels a habit. This will help you choose foods more wisely. Many foods have saturated fat or trans fat that can raise your cholesterol. Some may be high in sodium, which can increase blood pressure in some people. Also, watch for these key terms, and know what they mean.

• "Free" has the least amount of a nutrient.
• "Very Low" and "Low" have a little more.
• "Reduced" or "Less" always means the food has 25 percent less of that nutrient than the reference (or standard) version of the food.

The American Heart Association established its Food Certification Program to provide consumers a quick, easy way to identify heart-healthy foods that can be part of a healthful eating plan. Products certified by the American Heart Association contain the heart-check mark and state that the product "Meets American Heart Association criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over age 2." While shopping, look for foods with the heart-check mark symbol on their label. These foods are approved to be part of a healthy diet. Download a printable information sheet on reading food labels.

Eating a Petai A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

ADVICE FROM UKM MEDICAL DOCTOR

Little did you know ...... after reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at petai in the same way again!

Petai contains three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder petai is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way petai can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has 4x the protein, 2x the carbohydrates, 3x the phosphorus, 5x the vitamin A and iron, and 2x the other vitamins and minerals. Our goal then becomes ensuring that every single cell has the minerals and nutrients required to activate the enzymes within it, for this petai is the best fruit for all ills.


Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This is because petai contains tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS (premenstrual syndrome):
Forget the pills - eat petai. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anaemia:
High in iron, petai can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including petai in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey. The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of the petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight:
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see petai as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In hoiland, for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking:
Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium petai snack.

Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine, " eating petai as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%".

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, as you can see, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has 4x the protein, 2x the carbohydrates, 3x the phosphorus, 5x the vitamin A and iron, and 2x the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A Petai a day keeps the doctor away".


PM Dr.Aminuddin AHK Dept.of Physiology
Medical faculty of UKM Kuala Lumpur
Tel:6(03)40405157
fax:6(03)26939687
_________________

Reader's Choice "Best of the Year" Award

Keep in mind, by the way, that these are Reader's Choice awards, not Editor's Choice award. My own preferences differ somewhat from the results you'll see below. Although I agree that all the winners mentioned here are deserving of recognition, I personally have some other favorite products that I'll be naming in a future Editor's Choice awards announcement.

Here are the final Reader's Choice voting results:

Reader's Choice - Best Food Bar = Organic Food BarOrganic Food Bar (www.OrganicFoodBar.com) barely edged out Larabar to win the Best Food Bar category.

Here are the top five results for Best Food Bar:
#1 - Organic Food Bar (www.OrganicFoodBar.com)
#2 - Larabar (www.Larabar.com)
#3 - Garden of Life (www.GardenOfLife.com)
#4 - Greens+ (www.GreensPlus.com)
#5 - Everything Raw (Yoga bar) (www.EverythingRaw.com)

Reader's Choice - Best Multivitamin
Here are the top five results:

#1 - New Chapter (www.NewChapter.com)
#2 - Garden of Life (www.GardenOfLife.com)
#3 - NSI (Vitacost) (www.Vitacost.com)
#4 - Ola Loa (www.DrinkYourVitamins.com)
#5 - Pure Synergy (www.TheSynergyCompany.com)

Reader's Choice - Best Skin Care Line

The top five results in this category were:

#1 - Annmarie's (www.AnnmarieGianni.com)
#2 - Dr. Bronner (www.DrBronner.com)
#3 - Aubrey Organics (www.AubreyOrganics.com)
#4 - Mercola's (www.MercolaHealthySkin.com)
#5 - Avalon Organics (www.AvalonOrganics.com)

Reader's Choice - Best Natural Protein

The top five winners in the Best Natural Protein category are:

#1 - SunWarrior (www.SunWarrior.com)
#2 - Nutiva (www.Nutiva.com)
#3 - Vital Greens (www.VitalGreens.com)
#4 - Ruth's Hemp Foods (www.RuthsHempFoods.com)
#5 - Living Fuel (www.LivingFuel.com)

Reader's Choice - Best Herbal Product Line

Here are the top five results for Best Herbal Product Line:

#1 - Mountain Rose herbs (www.MountainRoseHerbs.com)
#2 - Baseline Nutritionals (www.BaselineNutritionals.com)
#3 - Nature's Sunshine (www.NaturesSunshine.com)
#4 - Wellness Resources (www.WellnessResource.com)
#5 - Young Living (www.YoungLiving.com)

Reader's Choice - Best Health Products Retailer

The top five results for Best Health Products Retailer are:

#1 - Vitacost (www.Vitacost.com)
#2 - Whole Foods (www.WholeFoods.com)
#3 - iHerb (www.iHerb.com)
#4 - Swanson Vitamins (www.SwansonVitamins.com)
#5 - Sunfood (www.Sunfood.com)

Reader's Choice - Best Superfood Powder
So here are the top five results in this category:

#1 and #2 - Delicious Greens (www.DeliciousGreens.com) and Boku Superfood (www.BokuSuperfood.com), both granted the "Best of the Year" award.
#3 - Vitamineral Green (www.Healthforce.com)
#4 - Garden of Life (www.GardenOfLife.com)
#5 - Pure Synergy (www.TheSynergyCompany.com)