Health Benefits of a Himalayan Salt Lamp

I have blogged about the benefits of eating Himalayan salt.  Due to its high mineral content I think it's the best salt to eat! It is also full of negative ions that helps reduce indoor air pollution, allergens, improves mood & sleep, and reduces stress.  How can negative ions do all that?  Well, back to Science 101, “An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving the atom a net positive or negative electrical charge.”  Our bodies are full of positive ions from all the chemical reactions that occur.  Positive ions also come from electronic devices like computers, TVs, microwaves, and even vacuum cleaners and can often exacerbate problems like allergies, stress and sleep trouble. Negative ions can neutralize positive ions (they bond together) and help cleanse the air.

Negative ions occur more often in nature and they are often created by things like lightening storms, sunlight, waterfalls, and ocean waves. This is one of the reasons people often report feeling renewed or refreshed after a storm or at the beach. Earthing mats also help the body by producing negative ions.  If you are having trouble sleeping they are good to use in bed.  or to put your feet on under the desk while you are at the computer.

Having the negative ions in the air that you breathe cleans the air but also as you breath it in the positive ions in your body and the negative ions you just inhaled come together to create an atom without a charge which puts less stress on the  body.  Otherwise, an ion having a charge is known as a free radical and causes oxidative stress in the body.  That's why eating and drinking antioxidants is healthy for your body.  Foods highest in antioxidants are cranberries, blueberries, and blackberries in the fruit category. Beans, artichokes, and Russet potatoes were tops among the vegetables. Pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts ranked highest in the nut category.

So for  better health purchase a salt lamp. eat your blueberries and if you really are having trouble with sleep or inflammation use an Earthing mat.

Turmeric Is a Brain Health Miracle

Are you concerned about maintaining the health of your brain as you age? I wasn't concerned until I read that by age 65, sadly 1 in 8 Americans will suffer from severe cognitive decline, and by age 80, an astonishing 1 in 2 will at the Alzheimers prevention website.

Researchers have been working for years to develop an effective treatment. But one "miracle" drug after another has failed to live up to its promises, and it's becoming more and more apparent that pharmaceuticals are not the solution. Unfortunately, the medical establishment is so narrowly focused on finding an elusive "cure" that scientifically proven prevention strategies are often ignored.

There are a number of natural brain protectors out there, but did you know that one herb has shown more promise when it comes to supporting your neurological system than any other medical finding to date? It's a scientific fact that curcumin, an antioxidant compound found in the root of the turmeric plant, is one of the most powerful natural brain protecting substances.

The hallmark process associated with certain types of cognitive decline is the formation in the brain of abnormal protein structures. Normally when malformed proteins are formed with the brain, the immune system sends out cells known as macrophages, which engulf and destroy the proteins. If this ordinary function fails, defective proteins accumulate in the brain and cognitive decline can follow.

Curcumin works by encouraging the immune system to send macrophages to the brain in order to destroy these abnormal proteins, restoring proper brain function.

For more information on how healthy turmeric can be for you read how turmeric helps with killing Candida and cancer and another blog on 8 reasons to drink golden milk or to add turmeric to your curries, apple cider vinegar drink, smoothies or in supplement form.

For the Health of It: Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a wonderful source of B vitamins, many minerals, including zinc, and essential fatty acids. They contain hormone building elements.The oils in these seeds not only support normal sexual function (see my video on the High Libido Diet), but also help protect against heart disease. They have traditionally been used for porstate disorders. They supply a safe and natural source of tryptophan. These seeds are anti-parasitic as well.

Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of unsaturated fatty acids: oleic fatty acids as well as omega 3 and omega 6. Oleic acid has strong beautifying properties. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant omega 3 fatty acids are great for the body too.

The zinc found in pumpkin seeds can help with skin conditions including warts and acne. Zinc helps improve the ability to smell and taste and promote digestion. Because of the high levels of zinc along with being rich in magnesium pumpkin seeds are a wonderful food for the prostate. Chronic prostate inflammation is linked to a lack of dietary zinc and in Germany pumpkin seeds are an approved treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy (Fortschritte er Medizin, 1996, vol.10)

Pumpkin seeds are a true aphrodisiac, because, in men, they pump the prostate full of zinc, build seminal fluid and increase sperm count. In women they build hormones and build sexual fluids.



Raw pumpkin sees are on of the best sources of tryptophan. Tryptophan works with zinc to improve one's mood and increase levels of serotonin in the brain which helps alleviate depression and stress.

To eat pumpkin seeds to get rid of parasites eat a handful of raw seeds twice a day on an empty stomach for one week and then take a week off and then repeat this process again for another week. If eaten with garlic, pumpkin seeds are even more effective. The amino acid cucurbitin in pumpkin seeds is likely responsible for this anti-parasitic effect. Cucurbitin is believed to paralyze worms causing them to loosen their grip and then allowing them to be expelled from the body.

Because of the healthy goodness that can come from pumpkin seeds I feel I have to let you know that there are no known side effects or reports of toxicity regarding pumpkin seeds so eat your heart's desire!

Miracles of Coconut Oil

Over the last year there has been a surge of new coconut products - coconut sugar, coconut butter, coconut water, etc. I highly recommend these products to my patients as healthy alternatives to white refined sugar, margarine or fruit juices. A few weeks ago I blogged about the benefits of oil pulling and after sesame seed oil the next best oil to use is coconut oil and I wanted to take the time now to talk more about how much one can benefit from adding more coconut oil into their diet.

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. It also provides relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and cancer, while helping to improve dental quality and bone strength. These benefits of oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and their respective properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial and soothing qualities.

Hair care:
Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrients for your hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair and gives your hair a shiny quality. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing and healing damaged hair. By regularly massaging your head with coconut oil, you can ensure that your scalp is free of dandruff, even if your scalp is chronically dry. It also helps in keeping your hair and scalp free from lice and lice eggs.

Heart diseases:
There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for heart health. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats. In reality, coconut oil is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in actively preventing various heart problems like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. The saturated fats present in coconut oil are not harmful as you commonly find in vegetable oils. Coconut oil does not lead to increase in LDL levels, and it reduces the incidence of injury and damage to arteries and therefore helps in preventing atherosclerosis.

Digestion:
A tablespoon taken before each meal can help improve digestion. It can also be taken in warm ginger tea to sooth heartburn or nausea.

Skin care:
Coconut oil is an excellent massage oil for the skin. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skin and has a natural SPF 4. It also delays the appearance of wrinkles and sagging of skin which normally accompany aging. It makes for a great after-shave lotion. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. It can relieve the pain of hemorrhoids when used topically. When put on cuticles it helps nails grow and also makes a great eye-makeup remover!

Weight loss:
Coconut oil is very useful for weight loss. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and endocrine system. Further, it increases the body’s metabolic rate by removing stress on the pancreas, thereby burning more energy and helping obese and overweight people lose the weight.

Immunity:
Coconut oil is also good for the immune system. It strengthens the immune system because it contains antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid which have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. A tablespoon melted into a cup of warm tea can help sooth a sore throat.

Candida:
Coconut oil has been shown to prevent and even cure candida. It provides relief from the inflammation caused by candida, both externally and internally. Its high moisture retaining capacity keeps the skin from cracking or peeling off. Further, unlike other pharmaceutical treatments for candida, the effects of coconut oil is gradual and not drastic or sudden, which gives the body an appropriate amount of time to slowly kill the fungi and prevent adverse symptoms that can occur when killing the fungi too fast. Adverse symptoms of treating candida to aggressively is known as a die-off reaction. But, in the treatment of this condition, people should systematically and gradually increase their internal dosages of coconut oil and shouldn’t initially start with a large quantity. When having a yeast infection you can soak a tampon in coconut oil and insert it overnight for topic treatment.

Purpose————–Preferable Type to Buy

Cooking————–Refined Coconut Oil

Weight Loss———Virgin Coconut Oil

As a Carrier Oil—–Virgin Coconut Oil

Good Health———Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Coconut Oil

Massaging———–Pure Coconut Oil, Refined Coconut Oil

Hair——————–Pure Coconut Oil, Refined Coconut Oil

Medicinal uses—–Virgin Coconut Oil, Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

For more information read "The Coconut Oil Miracle" by Bruce Fife