Beat The Cold Season, The TCM Way

Prepare Yourself:

Don’t wait until it is too late, It's time to strengthen your body for the winter season. Whatever name you may give to the cause of the common cold, whether practicing western medicine or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the bottom line is that the common cold is caused by an invading factor.

In TCM we say that if your Defensive Qi is strong Evil Qi can not invade. Since every battle is won before it is fought, you must strengthen your Defensive Qi before the battle - and that time is NOW!

The Tender Organ:

The Lungs in TCM are responsible for our exchange with the environment. By breathing through the nose, the Lungs have direct contact with the environment which makes them very susceptible to invasion.

The Lungs in TCM also control our skins exchange with the environment (its breathing) by opening and closing the pores. This exchange is another avenue for invasion. The Lung system in Chinese Medicine is therefore referred to as the tender organ. To protect against catching a cold you must strengthen the Lung system as well as the body’s Defensive Qi.

The Culprit:

When Evil Qi attacks the body it often invades with the help of the wind. Wind often invades on the back of the neck (where many Acupuncture points contain the character for wind in their name). Wind’s ability to invade is often due to the deficiency of your Lungs to control the pores and the Defensive Qi to protect your body.

To protect yourself, the Lung system and your Defensive Qi must be strengthened and you must guard against the wind. The Fall season in TCM is associated with wind and the Lung system. This is why now is the most important time to strengthen yourself before the other culprit arrives - the Cold.

How to protect yourself:

In addition to guarding against the wind by protecting your neck, throat and chest, you must strengthen your Qi. Diet has an important influence on the Lung functions and Qi.

• The excessive consumption of cold, raw, or greasy foods can injure your Qi and produce pathological Phlegm.
• Phlegm obstructs and weakens your Lungs and Qi, inhibiting its circulation and ability to protect your body, thus allowing for invasion. Milk, cheese, and yogurt also have the same damaging effects on the Lungs and Qi, giving rise to Phlegm.
• Emotions effect your Lungs as well. Excessive worrying or sadness can cause the Qi to weaken, again making you more susceptible to invasion.
• The Lungs and Qi are also damaged by long periods of time bent over a desk. This impedes proper breathing and the circulation of Qi to all parts of the body. Wind and cold, especially during the Fall and Winter seasons, make it more difficult for the Lungs to properly control the pores and moisten the skin, allowing for Evil Qi or pathogens to attack.
• The pores and skin must therefore be kept clean and in good condition. If you suffer from allergies, sinusitis, asthma, or any weakened condition, these suggestions are especially important for you.

In order to beat the cold season, the basic principles to remember are:

• protection from the environment
• preventative diet
• balanced emotions
• healthy breathing and ridding the skin of pathogens - but sometimes even this may not be enough.
  

Traditional Chinese Medicine can help:

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs are very effective in gently strengthening your body’s systems and your Defensive Qi. Through Acupuncture treatments and Herbal Formulas, designed specifically for your body, you can alleviate current conditions and help lessen and prevent future ailments.

Your TCM practitioner will need time to assess the specific condition of your systems and work to strengthen them. There are no quick fixes or magic remedies when it comes to strengthening and preventing illness. Many over the counter remedies, herbal or not, often make conditions worse. Without knowing the strength of your body’s systems, and the type of invading factor, most remedies chosen are often inappropriate for your condition.

Traditional Chinese Medical practitioners on the other hand can very clearly assess and recommend the appropriate herbal formula for your particular condition and for you as an individual.

As we approach the Fall season you must act now so your body has time to prepare itself. Don’t let this season be like the others, and if you suffer from chronic conditions it is even more important to take advantage of what Traditional Chinese Medicine has to offer.

If you currently have a cold, do not hesitate, see a TCM practitioner as soon as possible. TCM has been treating the common cold for over 2000 years and is very effective at swiftly alleviating the symptoms so that you can enjoy the beauty of the seasons.

Acufit Programs by Max Dente, L. Ac. visit his website at: maxdente.com

Ten Tricks to Using Google You Probably Don't Know

You may have mastered some of the basic tricks of Google, but most people use only about 3 percent of this search engine’s available power.

Dozens of Google search guides detail the common tips, but lifehacker.org has skipped the obvious and highlighted obscure but very useful Google Web search tricks.

Some of these are really amazing, and remind me why Google has been my favorite search engine for nearly a decade!

• 10. Get Local Time: Type in What time is it followed by any city to get the current time.
• 9. Track Flight Status: Enter the airline and flight number to find out the departure time and estimated arrival for any flight.
• 8. Convert Currency, Metrics, Bytes and More: Google has a built-in converter calculator. You can enter quarter cup in teaspoons, seconds in a year, 5 US dollars in Euros and countless others.
• 7. Search for Pages That are “Better Than,” “Similar to,” or “Reminds me of”: Enter “better than keyword” or “similar to keyword” to find Web pages you never knew existed.
• 6. Use Google as a Free Proxy: Enter cache:website.com to view a Web page that’s been blocked from the computer you’re using.
• 5. Remove Affiliate Links From Product Searches: To avoid seeing search results from certain sites, enter –site:website.com.
• 4. Find Related Items: Enter ~ before any search term to find related items as well.
• 3. Find Music and Comic Books: Enter -inurl:(htmhtmlphp) intitle:"index of" +"last modified" +"parent directory" +description +size +(wmamp3) "Band or comic book name" to find music files and comic books.
• 2. See Images of People, Objects, Etc.: Type in a search term, and click on images to see photos of the results.
• 1. Search for Faces: If you’re looking for a photo of a person named Rose, and don’t want to see photos of the flower, add &imgtype=face to the end of your image search. It will show you only images of faces.
  Sources:
  Lifehacker.com January 2, 2008

Dr Mercola.com

18 Secrets to Help You Achieve Your Health Goals

It’s easy to focus on bad habits that you’d like to overcome, but how about this for a change: focusing on habits you’d like to have.

The tips that follow will help you to put your good habits -- like eating healthy, exercising, and taking time to relax -- on autopilot, so you can maintain them with very little effort.

Here are a few of my favorites (the link below has the entire list):

• 1. Commit to 30 Days. If you make it through the first month, the habit will become automatic.
• 2. Do it Daily. Consistency is key, and the more often you engage in the habit, the better. For instance, if you’re trying to get into the habit of exercise, you should do some form of it every day for the first 30 days.
• 3. Start Simple. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself. So instead of trying to overhaul your whole diet, commit to first getting through the first page of my nutrition plan http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/beginner.htm.
• 4. Use “But” Statements. If you start to think something negative about the habit, counter it with a “but” statement. For instance, “I’m no good at exercising,” becomes “I’m no good at exercising, but I’m just starting out and I’ll get better each day.”
• 5. Form a Trigger. Think of something you can do right before the habit so that it will “trigger” you into autopilot. So, if your habit is to go to bed earlier, washing your face and brushing your teeth can be the ritual you use to trigger your earlier bedtime.
  Sources:
  Lifehack.org August 14, 2007
• 6. Make it Daily - Consistency is critical if you want to make a habit stick. If you want to start exercising, go to the gym every day for your first thirty days. Going a couple times a week will make it harder to form the habit. Activities you do once every few days are trickier to lock in as habits.
  6. Remind Yourself - Around two weeks into your commitment it can be easy to forget. Place reminders to execute your habit each day or you might miss a few days. If you miss time it defeats the purpose of setting a habit to begin with.
  7. Stay Consistent - The more consistent your habit the easier it will be to stick. If you want to start exercising, try going at the same time, to the same place for your thirty days. When cues like time of day, place and circumstances are the same in each case it is easier to stick.
  8. Get a Buddy - Find someone who will go along with you and keep you motivated if you feel like quitting.
  9. Replace Lost Needs - If you are giving up something in your habit, make sure you are adequately replacing any needs you’ve lost. If watching television gave you a way to relax, you could take up meditation or reading as a way to replace that same need.
  10. Be Imperfect - Don’t expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. It took me four independent tries before I started exercising regularly. Now I love it. Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.
  11. Use “But” - A prominent habit changing therapist once told me this great technique for changing bad thought patterns. When you start to think negative thoughts, use the word “but” to interrupt it. “I’m no good at this, but, if I work at it I might get better later.”
  12. Remove Temptation - Restructure your environment so it won’t tempt you in the first thirty days. Remove junk food from your house, cancel your cable subscription, throw out the cigarettes so you won’t need to struggle with willpower later.
  13. Associate With Role Models - Spend more time with people who model the habits you want to mirror. A recent study found that having an obese friend indicated you were more likely to become fat. You become what you spend time around.
  14. Run it as an Experiment - Withhold judgment until after a month has past and use it as an experiment in behavior. Experiments can’t fail, they just have different results so it will give you a different perspective on changing your habit.
  15. Swish - A technique from NLP. Visualize yourself performing the bad habit. Next visualize yourself pushing aside the bad habit and performing an alternative. Finally, end that sequence with an image of yourself in a highly positive state. See yourself picking up the cigarette, see yourself putting it down and snapping your fingers, finally visualize yourself running and breathing free. Do it a few times until you automatically go through the pattern before executing the old habit.
  16. Write it Down - A piece of paper with a resolution on it isn’t that important. Writing that resolution is. Writing makes your ideas more clear and focuses you on your end result.
  16. Know the Benefits - Familiarize yourself with the benefits of making a change. Get books that show the benefits of regular exercise. Notice any changes in energy levels after you take on a new diet. Imagine getting better grades after improving your study habits.
  17. Know the Pain - You should also be aware of the consequences. Exposing yourself to realistic information about the downsides of not making a change will give you added motivation.
  18. Do it For Yourself - Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead tool your habits towards your goals and the things that motivate you. Weak guilt and empty resolutions aren’t enough.
  Dr Mercola.com

Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

Simple Secrets of How to be Happy
By Darshan Goswami, M.S., PE

Being happy is really a choice we make. The secret of Happiness is simple, very simple - what is it? You decide if you want to be happy!

We all strive for happiness in life. Like many, you probably think achievements such as education, marriage, family and social/financial status make you happy.

However, studies of happiness in several countries have found that these achievements have little to do with your happiness. For millions of people, happiness has remained a rather elusive goal. They've tried to buy happiness.

They've sought it through materialistic and pleasurable activities such as buying a new SUV or going on vacation. But nothing has seemed to work. For most people these changes, new possessions or temporary pleasures, might work for a while but will eventually become part of your status quo, and their power to deliver happiness will fade.

Researchers now strongly believe that your brains is hard-wired in ways that, at least to some degree, determine just how happy you're going to be. Some psychologists believe happiness is genetic.

Other scientists say they may have located an important area of the brain where happiness is generated. As powerful as these genetic predispositions may be, happiness is still partly within your control, says David Myers, PhD, the John Dirk Werkman Professor of Psychology at Hope College in Holland, Mich. "It's rather like our cholesterol level -- genetically influenced, yet also influenced by our habits and attitudes."

While these ideas are debated, you don’t have to wait to begin discovering happiness within yourself. You see happiness comes from your social relationships, enjoyable work, fulfillment, high self-esteem, a sense that your life has meaning, and joining civic and other groups.

Your life is sprinkled with ample opportunities for discovering happiness. Search for the small things that give you a little laugh or a smile. Take time to be with your family and friends. In the long run, these are the treasures that will enhance your happiness, not some grand achievements that only give you a lift for a short while.

One way to steer your life toward happiness is simply to count your blessings. Happy people know that they don't get to be happy all the time. They can appreciate brief moments, little victories, small miracles, and the personal interactions that bring real happiness.

Research has proven that happy people live longer, are healthier, are more successful, enjoy more fulfilling relationships, earn more money, and are liked and respected more.
What is Happiness and How Do You Achieve It?

Happiness seems to be a selfish goal. Happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think. So start each day by thinking of all the things you have to be thankful for. Your future depends very largely on the thoughts you think today.

So think positive thoughts of hope, confidence, love and success.

You can be happy if you are a productive and useful member of society, share with others and help unselfishly.

Most experts agree that there are no shortcuts to happiness. Even the happy people do not experience joy twenty-four hours a day. A happy person can have a bad day but still experience pleasure in the small things in life. If you're not feeling happy today, fake it. In experiments, people who were manipulated to smile actually felt happier.

Don’t postpone happiness until you reach a certain goal, like getting a promotion or pay raise to go on vacation. Studies show that these effects are short-lived. Don’t focus on negative thoughts; balance that by consciously spending a few minutes every day thinking about the good things in your life. Like eating a balanced meal or getting enough rest, practice this everyday and, each day, try to extend the time you spend on positive thoughts.

Everybody has their own characteristics that lead them in different directions towards happiness. Perhaps, at best, these discussions are useful to provoke thoughts and reactions, which might help you to focus on what can be done to make your own life consistently happy.

Again, there is no rule or special formula that can make a person constantly happy. Instead, happiness comes from developing positive social relationships, enjoyable work, fulfillment, a sense that life has meaning, and joining civic and other social groups.

Take time to meditate, or say a prayer, thanking almighty God for all you have. A spiritual dimension is an essential component of happiness.

Can Money Buy You Happiness?

A lot of people share a fairly common misconception. They believe that having lots of money can make you happy. Some even say that the more money you have, the happier you can be. Others believe that having money is not spiritually or socially acceptable, and that money is the root cause of all evil.

Are any of these beliefs really true? To answer this question, begin by asking yourself what money means to you, and how do you treat it when you have it?

Depending on how it is used, money can create powerful, positive changes in the world. Having money allows us to function more easily in the world, it buys food, clothes, provides comfort in our lives and in the lives of others.

However, because attachment to money is based on fear, it always creates insecurity.

The desire to have more money, and thereby feel more secure, never ends. Security can never come from money alone. Some of the people who have the most money are also the most insecure. Does this mean you must give up the desire to attain wealth?
Not necessarily.

In and of itself money is neither good nor bad. It is what we choose to do with money that determines if it will have a positive effect on others, society, the world, and ourselves.
So, it cannot be said that money is essential for happiness.

But, most people recognize that money is important in the 21st Century because it can give people comfort and freedoms. But, does raising a nation's income, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), raise the population's overall level of happiness?
Intuitively, you'd think the answer is a definite yes.

However, a survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal found otherwise. Other studies also show that, in many countries, "although economic output has risen steeply over the past decades, there has been no rise in life satisfaction and there has been a substantial increase in depression and distrust."

For example, since World War II, GDP per capita in the U.S. has tripled, but life satisfaction (measured by surveys that ask something like, "overall, how satisfied are you with your life?") has barely changed.

Also Japan and Western Europe had a tremendous rise in GDP per capita since 1958, yet measures of national happiness have been flat. One reason may be that a rising economy produces rising aspirations. There are many villages in the world where people do not own shoes but the people are extremely happy and friendly.
How to Bring Happiness in Your Life

“Don't worry, be happy.” This sounds like such a simplistic phrase, but there is great power and wisdom in it. This tells us to focus on what we want rather than what we don’t want. When we focus on what we want, our actions take us nearer to our goals in life.

One way to guide your life toward happiness is simply to count your blessings. Dr. Myers points to research showing that people who pause each day to reflect on the positive aspects of their lives (for example, their health, friends, family, education, freedom) are more likely to experience positive feelings and happiness.

These are the principles I use to be happy.

They work for me, and I hope they work for you:

• 1) Improve your relationships with friends and family – Happiness starts at home. Start by improving your relationship with your parents, brothers, sisters, and children. Smile when you greet them, do things for them, don't allow them to get angry with you. Maintaining healthy loving relationships and friendships can promote happiness. Remember that love makes you beautiful.
• 2) Be an optimist - Optimism generates good feelings.
• 3) Develop a genuine smile and laugh a lot - Act happy - It works. Smile into the mirror for a half hour without stopping. Smiling makes you happy and the more you smile the more happy you become. We all like people who smile. It also makes us more attractive.
• 4) Pray - Become religious or spiritual - This only works if you believe in God. If you want to be happy then ask God to make you happy. Prayer helps you accomplish things.
• 5) Be generous and share with others - Give more than you receive because being generous will make you happy.
• 6) Treat time as a friend - Don't watch the clock.
• 7) Exercise your mind - Keep yourself busy with some new project or ideas.
• 8) Work your body - Exercise regularly. Studies show that aerobic exercise is an antidote for mild depression and anxiety. "Happy minds reside in sound bodies," says Dr. Myers.
• 9) Have fun in life - Keep cool under pressure.
• 10) Pursue achievable goals.
• 11) Have high confidence in yourself.
• 12) Respect the disadvantaged.
• 13) Age gracefully.
• 14) Give compliments - Take every opportunity to be complimentary. Want to make someone like you? Every time you meet a person smile and give them a compliment.
• 15) Be honest - With honesty comes openness. People respect honest and open minded people.
• 16) Keep an open mind - Most people seem to think that they know everything that they need to know. There's plenty of wisdom to go around.
• 17) Treat difficulties as challenges –Life's an adventure and every obstacle in life is one of its challenges. Treat life as a game. What fun would a game be if you could never lose?
  Conclusion

Being happy is really a choice we make. The secret of Happiness is simple, very simple - what is it? You decide if you want to be happy! Happiness is free. You can feel happiness, this very minute, if you so choose.

If you continue to focus all your energy and attention on what you want, you’ll soon find yourself happy. Realize now that true happiness results from sharing generously of yourself, your mind, emotion and spirit, with all those who come in contact with you.
Be an optimist.

Do kind deeds for others unselfishly. Explore the deeper resources within you by praying to God from your heart. Through sincere prayer and mindful meditation you will attain the highest achievement in life - the discovery of your eternal happiness with God.

We need to set our goals wisely and to develop happy-thought strategies and to surround ourselves with encouraging and positive people.

Pursuing truth, wisdom and a virtuous life - or just getting on with the duties and chores of daily life at work and home, often brings happiness as a by-product. My ultimate goal is to bring happiness to all my friends, family and all souls that come in contact with me. How can I possibly accomplish this?

Simple…I sincerely hope that after reading this message you will SMILE for me.
That will make both you and me happy!

Dr Mercola.com

What You Don't know About Weight Loss Can Hurt You

It’s no mystery that obesity is an epidemic in America today.

Two out of three people are overweight — and one out of three are clinically obese. And at any given point in time, up to 35% of all Americans are trying to lose weight.

Every year the overweight and obese spend a shocking $50-90 billion on products and services to lose weight.

This includes buying low-calorie and low-fat foods, drinking artificially sweetened drinks, joining many commercial weight loss centers (and buying their expensive packaged foods), visiting ‘fat farms’, using antidepressants or stimulants, and undergoing liposuction or gastric bypass — to name a few.

These Methods May Compromise Your Health…

Unexpectedly poor results may be the outcome from these options.

Low-calorie or low-fat foods may not address your personal issues with weight management at all. In addition to being highly processed and nearly free of any vital nutrients, these types of foods often contain ingredients that may compromise your health when consumed.

Even what you might consider a “healthy” food, may not be right for your unique Nutritional Type. This is the absolute key to obtaining and maintaining your optimal weight.

Another perilous pitfall for your health lies in your decision to drink diet soda, thinking it’s a healthier alternative to regular soda. They are both bad news.

Simply eliminating soda from your diet would likely produce tremendously positive results for your body.

Artificially sweetened beverages contain many synthetic and harmful ingredients.

Not only that, but the latest research shows very clearly that artificial sweeteners actually cause weight GAIN! I’ve detailed their hazards in my book Sweet Deception, as well as in various articles on this website. Please do your best to replace drinking soda with pure filtered water.

Many commercial weight loss centers demand your time to attend meetings. Plus, their food products are expensive — and offer little flexibility to meet the needs of your particular Nutritional Type.

And the positive effect of visiting many ‘fat farms’ can often disappear as soon as you return home to your ‘real life’.

If you’ve been on my website much, you can probably guess my opinion about antidepressants and stimulants, liposuction and gastric bypass. Please don’t go there. The risk of side effects is simply much too great.

Did you know, for example, that some weight loss medications may cause increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, headache, insomnia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, dry mouth, and more? And they may cause nutrients to be more poorly absorbed, too.

Further, if you go the surgical route, you are essentially gambling with your health…
You risk potential side effects of surgery; infection, allergic reaction to anesthesia, blood clots, blood loss, damage to your skin, nerves, or vital organs, plus non-life-threatening, unpleasant effects.

Physical risks are only part of the risks involved with many common approaches.

There is huge potential for emotional fall-out as well.

Why?

It might shock you to know that there is a whopping 95 percent failure rate with most weight loss programs.

And when you fail, it’s not uncommon to get down on yourself — and then find your self-esteem plummeting and your weight rising.Not exactly the goal you were in search of...

In Search of a Magic Bullet in Weight Loss?

Like it or not, there really is no Magic Bullet or panacea that will instantly erase weight issues in one fell swoop.

One of the most important steps for effective weight management is to choose foods that were designed for your specific genetics and unique biochemistry.

I have found that Nutritional Typing (NT) is a very effective strategy to achieve this. It will normalize your weight based on your personal metabolism and genetic makeup, among other factors.

Sorry! No magic bullets available at this time. But there is still hope.

Read on…

Another crucial element is to get 30-60 minutes of appropriate exercise each and every day. Find something you like to do — and commit to doing it religiously. Get an accountability partner to help you be consistent.

Those are the two most critical actions to take to help with weight loss.

Dr Mercola.com

Your Expectations Can Improve Your Pain

Arthritis patients who are optimistic that an upcoming hip or knee replacement operation is going to remedy their pain are actually more likely to get better relief than patients with low expectations about what surgery can do for them.

If you come in with a positive attitude, you're more likely to have a better outcome.
Investigators studied 103 patients who underwent total hip replacement surgery and another 89 who had a knee replacement.

Before surgery, participants completed questionnaires about their overall health, physical functioning, level of pain, and expectations about treatment. They were questioned again about their health 6 months after surgery.

Overall, patients experienced significantly less pain and better physical functioning after surgery. But the three quarters of patients who expected complete pain relief following their operation reported less pain and better functioning 6 months after surgery than their counterparts with lower expectations.

In fact, patient expectations were the second most important determinant of outcomes after surgery, the report indicates. The biggest predictor of success was a patient's pre-operative health status.
Journal of Rheumatology June 2002;29:1273-1279

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

This is another powerful testimony to the power of your mind in helping your body to heal. Whatever you focus your conscious attention on in the real world will typically be achieved - and that forms the basis of EFT.

You can easily begin to harness the power of EFT by reviewing my free manual. There are also clinicians who can help you individually.

Sometimes there are, however, structural problems that limit EFT from working, as in certain cases of inflammation from arthritis. When that happens, I find that following the eating plan with special attention to the fish oil will help the inflammation that accompanies arthritis.

The above study was focused on hip and knee surgery. In my office, instead of surgery, we employ a gentle massage technique from Australia called NST that has proved highly effective for the associated problems. We have rarely found the need to refer any patients for surgical intervention.

NST helps the body actually repair and recover the damaged tissue. If you are interested in this procedure, please refer to our list of NST practitioners. And health care professionals should consider attending our NST training course in September -- taught by a pioneer in the field and the last NST course available in the United States this year.

Dr Mercola.com

Can You Afford to Eat Right?

There may be one reason why many Americans aren’t eating healthy that has nothing to do with will power or flavor:

It’s too expensive.

Millions of Americans simply can’t afford to eat healthy, according to researchers at the University of Washington in the first study of its kind.They compared prices of healthy foods (rich in nutrients and low in calories, such as fresh vegetables, fish, lean meats and whole grains) with high-calorie junk foods.

They found that prices for healthy food jumped nearly 20 percent over a two-year period, compared to a modest 5 percent increase in the overall food price inflation. Prices of high-calorie foods, meanwhile, remained about the same, and in some cases even dropped.

Why are healthy food prices so high?

Everything from agricultural policies to farm subsidies to the rising cost of energy have been blamed, but the researchers believe sugar -- which is cheap and high in empty calories -- gets top billing.

However, even foods that are currently cheap are expected to rise dramatically in price in the near future, the researchers said. They pointed to three things they believe people will need to eat well in the future:

• education,
• money and
• time.

“If you have all three, you're home free. If you have two out of three, you can manage. But if you have only one out of the three, or zero of the three, you are pretty much screwed. And a lot of low-income people have zero out of three," said study author Adam Drewnowsky, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington.
Sources:
ABC News December 19, 2007
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, December 2007, Volume 107, Issue 12, Pages 2071-2076

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

There are clearly many challenges to eat well if you are on a fixed budget or do not have access to healthy food sources (as is the case in many inner cities). What you need is an extreme shift in values so that even if you are on the lowest of budgets you can have access to affordable, healthy foods instead of junk foods.

As the system is currently configured, however, many people with low incomes end up being overweight, yet very malnourished. I agree with the study’s author that sugar is one of the major culprits here. Not only is sugar one of the biggest enemies you face in your pursuit of a healthy eating program, it appears in nearly ALL processed foods and drinks -- even things you wouldn’t think would be sweetened, like canned beans, mayonnaise, and pickles -- making it virtually impossible to avoid.

Yet, because it (along with high-fructose corn syrup) is inexpensive, most everyone can afford to purchase the foods that contain it. What many people cannot afford, however, are the free-range meats, the raw dairy products, and the organic, locally grown veggies that will keep them healthy.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As the researchers above pointed out, if you have education and time, you can overcome the hurdle of not having a lot of money.Getting the Most Nutritional Bang for Your BuckThose of you reading this right now are fortunate enough to have one piece of the puzzle: education.

You already know, or are learning, which foods you need to stay healthy.You also know that taking time to prepare your meals is a priority that you must find time for -- even if it is once a week on a Sunday, when you cook meals for the week and freeze them for your weeknight meals after work.

You see, eating healthy does not have to be “all or nothing.” You must make decisions to get the most “nutritional bang for your buck” when it comes to your food money. I’m the first to admit that this is not always easy, but your efforts will payoff in the form of your future good health.

Here are the 14 top tips you need to know to find healthy food, even on a tight budget:

• 1. Choose local foods over organic foods.
• 2. If all that’s available or affordable is fresh, conventionally grown produce, buy it, wash it well at home, and eat it.
• 3. Look for local farms and food coops offering raw dairy products, eggs, produce, and grass-fed meat. This will allow you to cut out the middleman and save money. Buying in large quantities, such as a side of grass-fed beef, can also save you money in the long run as long as you have room to freeze it (and you consume it before it goes bad).
• 4. Skip prepared or pre-cut foods, which can cost up to double the amount as the unprepared versions.
• 5. Plan your meals ahead of time (including cooking large batches and freezing some for later) so you don’t splurge on expensive, unhealthy fast-food at the last minute.
• 6. Pass on junk foods like potato chips, soda, cookies, candy, and other snacks. These are a complete waste of money.
• 7. Buy lots of fresh veggies, they’re usually less expensive than canned versions (just make sure you use them before they go bad).
• 8. Only buy what you need. Keep track of what’s in your pantry so you don’t double-up on foods unnecessarily.
• 9. Clip coupons and use them when you can (but don’t buy something unhealthy just because it’s on sale).
• 10. Watch the register when you check out of the grocery store. They often ring up wrong prices, at your expense.
• 11. Shop with a calculator so you can determine if it’s really a better deal to buy something in bulk.
• 12. Watch weekly specials, and be aware of what’s really a good price. You can often find organic produce on sale for less than conventional produce if you know what prices to watch for.
• 13. If you have the space, grow your own fresh veggies such as greens, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, string beans, etc.
• 14. Remember this rule of thumb: Fresh food is always better than frozen, but frozen is better than canned.

Dr Mercola.com

More Than a Survivor: Resolution or Revolution

By Dr. Ben Lerner

On the first day of January, millions of people made resolutions hoping to change their lives in some profound way.

By January 4, however, most of these resolutions disappeared. Change is difficult. The next year--just like clockwork--the holidays show up again and the same pattern is repeated.

In the dictionary, the term resolution actually means "fixed purpose." That definition makes the reality of resolutions either humorous or sad.

We clearly need to change what we call these oaths or we need to amend the term "resolution." Maybe we should call it something else, like this year's "passing fancy" or a "temporary whim."

Sometime shortly after the fourth day of January, life goes on. But our dreams, goals and plans don't survive the rest of the journey. For many of us, it's not so much what happens in January as what's taken place before then, over a lifetime.

Our search for significance, meaning and "buried treasure" has met with so much struggle and failure that we've either given up altogether or we end up on the wrong track.

Better Than Surviving

At the beginning of the journey, we were off just a few degrees but by the time we arrived at what became our final destination, we were miles from our intended location. In other words, we left New York on the way to Florida, but we ended up in Texas instead. Getting off track and ending up at the wrong destination is a tragic consequence.

Your health, career and intended future all go down in flames when all were potentially meant for triumph.

Years ago, I attended an Anthony Robbins seminar. While everyone can gain benefits from these experiences, many in attendance are at low points and trying to find their way out of them. So you can imagine, when Tony asked the people in our group to define their greatest attribute, everyone around me said, "I'm a survivor."

It's not uncommon for people to admire their own survival skills. When trial, tribulation, hardship, failure and setbacks have come into their lives, they've endured. But there is a big difference between enduring and what I'd call truly "surviving."

If ideals are sacrificed, purpose denied, important plans changed and dreams relinquished, we may still be breathing, but all we're really doing is surviving. We keep existing, but are no longer moving toward our real destiny. Something important has been forgotten.

That's why I want you to be more than a survivor.

For most of us, it's way past time for resolutions. Resolutions come from a temporary motivation for change. They're emotional and emotions change with the day and season. This isn't time for a resolution. It's time for a revolution! This can only occur when we no longer rely on the latest motivational materials and fad programs. We need to transform our lives.

Second Chances

You should be comforted by the fact some of history's greatest examples of victorious people who started out by making big mistakes. You might think your past life has messed up your future beyond repair, but it's highly unlikely you will have made as many mistakes as the sins of our patriarchs.

Fortunately, God loves second chances. It's only a second chance if the dreams and resolutions stay alive.

It's time for a revolution, to be more than a survivor.

Are the ideals, dreams and future you set out to experience still intact? Has the challenge to find your purpose and the frustrations of the deferred discovery of your destiny caused you to lead a less-than-authentic life?

Have you forgotten where you were headed?

To revolutionize your life and be more than a survivor requires what I call maximized living. Maximized living takes into account not just one area -- just eating better, exercise or taking supplements. It really takes looking at your whole self:
Body, mind and spirit.

• Faith
• Family
• Fitness (health and wellness)
• Finances (stewardship and security)
• Future (purpose and mission)
• Formulas for success (stress and time management)

If you're thin, but spiritually destitute, then you're just a thin miserable person. If your family's falling apart, but you're in good shape, then you'll be a broke, unhappy, ripped person. If you're miserable, broke and unhappy, it's unlikely you'll eat well or exercise.

It all works together. That's why resources like Mercola.com and my Body by God book are effective. We're looking to create wholeness. Simply put, real maximized living.

Resolutions don't work. This year, be revived: Try a revolution!

Know that God loves you just as you are, no matter who you are right now. God calls us to improve and to do our best, not on our own, but through, and with, Him.

Dr. Ben Lerner, along with Dr. Greg Loman, owns Teach The World About Chiropractic, a Chiropractic training company. They have helped build the largest spinal correction clinics in the history of Chiropractic.

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

I met Dr. Lerner last year and am convinced he is an authentic leader in the health field. He is incredibly fit and nearly made it into the Olympics as a wrestler. His passion is to improve other people's health.

Through his work with thousands of patients he discovered a proven pathway to build health instead of merely treating disease, which is a major part of the vision of my Web site.
His new book, Body By God: The Owner's Manual for Maximized Living, is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve his or her health through the following principles:

• Maximizing Your Life
• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Stress Management
• Time Management

Dr Mercola.com

Get Rid of Your Trash and Save the Earth

Americans produce more and more garbage every year. And even careful recyclers can feel overwhelmed by the amount of household waste that goes beyond what municipal recyclers can handle.

Co-op American has assembled a handy list of how to recycle items you might right now feel obliged to throw away. Click the link below for the entire list and to learn how you can recycle things such as:

• Appliances: Goodwill or the Steel Recycling Institute can help you out with these
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs: Your local IKEA store will recycle them
• Eyeglasses: Your local Lion’s Club or eye care chain may collect these for redistribution to people in need
• Tennis shoes: Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooringClick the link below to learn much, much more.

Sources:Co-op America Quarterly Fall 2007

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

I am a major fan of technology and all the benefits it provides, but it just saddens me to see how the waste from these products are ruining our planet. Have you ever upgraded your computer only to be left staring at the old one, wondering what in the world to do with it? The

LAST thing you should do with your old computer is throw it in the trash where it will go into some land fill where it will leach toxins for the remainder of human life.

Plastic pollution is perhaps one of the greatest challenges we face, as it is now entering the food chain. It’s not just marine animals that are being affected. You, too, are ingesting minute levels of plastics every day, and being exposed to a potentially deadly mix of plastic chemicals and additives, including:

Cancer-causing PFOAs PBDEs, which cause reproductive problems The reproductive toxins, phthalates BPA, which disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone estrogenBecoming more responsible about how we discard our waste is not just a “nice idea.” I believe it is an absolute necessity.

But perhaps even more important than recycling responsibly, is to remember to reduce and reuse first, as much as possible.

Reducing, Reusing, and Complaining?

By reducing the amount of trash you generate, such as plastic wrappings, packaging, and shopping bags, you automatically reduce your need to recycle. Additionally, “making do” with appliances and electronics as long as they still work properly, rather than upgrading each year or every time something new comes along will also help.

I recently posted a wonderful video called The Story of Stuff that explains just how hefty a price tag all this “stuff” carries, and the immense impact our consumerism has on our planet.

However, you do have the power to help change this downward spiral. I especially enjoyed Co-Op American’s 21st suggestion for what to do with stuff you just can’t reuse or recycle:
“When practical, send such items back to the manufacturer and tell them they need to manufacture products that close the waste loop responsibly.”

Excellent idea! If more people started complaining about wasteful packaging, products that are built to break within six months and have to be continually replaced, and products that can’t be reused or recycled, public pressure could potentially revert this ridiculous trend.

Save Money, Save Your Planet, Save Your Health

Since many waste products are not only taxing on your wallet but also dangerous to your health, here are some common sense things you can do to reduce the amount of waste you create, and help keep you healthier:

Store your food in glass, not plastic Avoid processed foods (which are stored in plastic bags with chemicals)

Use reusable cloth shopping bags instead of plastic Re-bottle your filtered tap water into glass bottles instead of buying plastic bottled water

Never throw old fluorescent light bulbs into your regular trash. Remember, mercury is an incredibly toxic and dangerous substance; a single drop in a large lake could make all the fish in it unsafe for consumption

Giving up bottled water is perhaps one of the easiest things you can do to help protest the mess that we are in and that is only growing worse every day.

And my previous article, 25 Resources to Help You Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse Plastic Bags will give you creative tips for what to do with your plastic bags.

Dr Mercola.com