Detox - Cleaning your Body from the Inside Out

I won't spend too many days on Detoxification, it has been a lengthy discussion for some already perhaps. Whether to detox or not, is up to you. However after arriving at whatever your own proper diet is... especially if you haven't been there yet, detoxing is almost as important. And in my own life, at times even far more important than my diet.

Even when you are 'healthy' this does not mean that you don't need to detox. Sure our body does this on a continual basis, our kidneys and livers are constantly working by cleaning out all the pollutants (smoke, caffeine, chemical-based products etc) in our body. Detox strengthens our organs back to optimal function, especially when combined with a cleansing diet you find yourself enjoying on a daily basis.

Basically, this is done through fasting, therefore resting the organs and stimulating the liver by pushing out the toxins from the body. It's quite a natural thing you're already doing every day - that's why they have always called it BreakFast instead of anything else. You're breaking your nightly fast each morning. Waking from the nightly cleanse.

Proper prolonged fasting longer than just overnight and nourishing the body with healthy nutrients is also done to maintain optimum health. It has been practiced for centuries around the world by different cultures. There are times your body can use a rest from adding even more of a load three times a day, and simply focus on catching up on all the work that probably needs doing.

Many people want whole body detoxification, some want to have a detox on a particular organ only, such as the kidney, liver or colon. During kidney cleansing, herbal supplements and juices are used to dissolve and wash out kidney stones; particular foods are consumed in liver cleansing causing the gall bladder and liver to remove fatty deposits and toxins out of the body. Colon cleansing on the other hand, gently flushes the colon with water providing a pathway for the release of toxins. As well as using the infamous PB&J (Psyllium, Bentonite & Juice) shake like a broom sweeping clean mentioned yesterday.

There are also techniques used in whole body cleansing such as:

Fasting. Water or juice fasting is applied for a period of time to lessen toxic loads in the body causing the body to heal itself and re-nourish inside out. Forcing toxins in the cells out of storage to be eliminated.

Parasite cleaning. There are pills and/or tinctures made out of bitter herbs that are consumed to build an unreceptive environment for the parasites inside the body.

Contrast Shower. The hot,cold,hot, cold and hot and cold water enhances circulation, helps in detoxifying thus having a stronger immune system. This also helps by bringing oxygen, nutrients and immune cells towards damaged and stressed tissue and flushes metabolic waste and other toxins. Wakes a whole lot of systems right up!!

Sauna, yoga, exercise, raw food dieting and dry skin brushing also enhance the body's natural cleansing process.

Other Detoxifying aids

There are a number of safe products that helps in the cleansing process such as cleansing supplement packages (with easy-to-follow instructions), detox foot patches, commercially prepared detox teas, Epsom salts, high-class multivitamins for daily intake and antioxidants like Q10 and E that can be found at health food stores.

Before and after side effects:

As the procedures differ, so do the benefits.

During the detox, you'll most likely feel the side effects that take place during the first few days such as headaches, feeling weak, sore muscles, cranky moods and unable to sleep soundly.

There are also a number of positive side effects days after the cleansing process. You will feel energetic, mental clarity improves, clearer skin, improved sleep, and have a positive attitude in life for getting a fresh start.

Detoxification is safe and beneficial for our health. It is suggested that each one should at least have a short detoxification program yearly. However, children, nursing mothers, and patients with cancer, chronic degenerative illness and tuberculosis should consult their physician first for approval and supervision or find someone who is familiar with detox.

If you decide to award your body a needed holiday, find a nutritional therapist who is familiar with detox.

If you don't already have someone in mind, here's how to locate someone good:
You can call your friends who are into health foods and alternative medicines, ask them for a person who they can refer. Another way is to search in the yellow pages under nutrition or by looking for ads in health publication in your locality. Try online, it's certainly the easiest! Get the name of someone you found whose name appears in more than one place and check for his profile, like from which school he/she attended the training and if it's an accredited one. Also ask how long he's been in practice. Your local health food store can also be a trusted resource for professionals in your local community.

At home Body Detox Herbs Can Do Wonderful things!

It is a fact that some pesticides, chemicals, and certain fumes are present in the environment affecting your immune system and jeopardizing you and your health. You already know this to be true. Moreover, the foods that you eat can lead to a toxic atmosphere lowering your overall immunity even further. Your personal toxic load is the result of these challenges and also the condition of tissues and cells where your internal terrain is further compromised after food consumption of highly processed foods. Your body needs to be cleansed from these unwanted toxins that weigh you down, slow you down and zap your vitality. The process is called detoxification. It's not scary, not such a big deal and not always a lot of fun but you can do this!

You have a kidney and liver which are organs that do act as natural detoxifiers filtering out impurities, you need to consider ways to help them detoxify your body. There really is a limit on how much they can handle without some help. Without your help, toxins simply get re-stored in the body waiting for a time when there is not so much to clean out. The problem is, that might be a long time! A little more comes in every day then is able to go out. So, help those guys out!

Some of the methods to help can be more extreme. Like long fasting or fasting with fresh raw vegetable juice drinks. The idea is to work toward a cleaner system and one that is based more and more on an overall cleansing diet. That way more toxins are leaving your system than being brought in each day. You already know that working with herbs for healing is a cumulative process, the same is just as true with whatever toxins come your way. The buildup is also incremental. Clogging up more and more of more systems.

Take note, your immune system is the defense mechanism of your body. So, disease and infections should be prevented before it affects your whole body through toxin removal. As you could observe, the illness’ frequency of a person is dependent on the immune’s system strength which is composed of complex networks of nodes and lymph channels. The entire human system is a system of channels or tubes and these do become clogged and sluggish just like any pipe system will. Chemical, mineral and other substances buildup over time, slowing the whole system down. It's quite common-sensical don't you think? Clear pipes, smooth flow. Pretty obvious. Beyond that of course are the toxins from last year being stored in the cells, waiting in line to be pushed out and not simply stuffed back into storage waiting for some future chance to be eliminated. We need to get rid of all we can today!

There are detox herbs that are beneficial in making your immune system strong. These herbs are the perfect and natural way of removing toxins from your immune systems to minimize acquired illnesses and to develop your general well-being. Many of these herbs will be found growing in your neighborhood, if not in fact in your own front yard. Assuming you haven't been using chemicals on your yard.... take a walk, gather some cleansing herbs for yourself. You'll find the dandelion you found "in the wild" for yourself just may be noticeably more effective for you!

Several herbs for detoxifying are much better for improving your immune systems than others. However, there are specific considerations for the detoxification program that you choose. But the following detox herbs can be used according to your needs.

-    Psyllium seeds promote healthy bowel movement generally maintaining its good condition. It could be used in helping bowel related problems like diarrhea. This herb is good because it has an absorption property similar to a sponge where it helps in removing the toxins inside your body.

-    Cascara Sagrada is generally a good natural laxative flushing the toxins out of your system. It also helps in strengthening your colon and other related muscles. This herb is used together with psyllium seeds. Superior to the more "violent" laxatives sold over the counter at your local drug store.

-    Milk thistle is also a very valuable substance used often to simulate the protein synthesis in the liver. It is used effectively in soaking different types of toxins found in drugs and alcohols that can damage your body.

-    Nettles are used as a portion of the detox herb mixture in cleansing the urinary systems as well as any part of the body.

-    Burdock roots are also perfect for stronger cleansing needs. It is helpful in reducing the heavy metals build-up within your body which causes immune system problems.        

-    Dandelion roots are detox herbs having strong cleansing properties appropriate for your liver. It is good for removing the gall bladder wastes and also works well for kidneys if used with other compatible detox herbs. 

Not quite a living herb... bentonite powder. Or sometimes found as a liquid... is an incredibly absorbent clay that attracts & binds toxins. Since it, like psyllium husk powder are both indigestible they flush through your system and are almost immediately eliminated. Taking a LOT of toxins with them.
 
People do really need to detoxify due to the level of toxins in processed foods and in polluted air. Using herbs is not new in detoxification programs because its cleansing and healing properties have been known for so many centuries. It has been a long standing part of natural detoxification treatments worldwide.

These herbs can effectively flush out unwanted toxins from your immune system allowing you to look and feel great. It can save you from acquiring severe illnesses as well as the common cold and flu. These brilliant beginning detox herbs can really do wonders in your life.

With the addition of a P&B Shake every day (if your system doesn't object, up to five times a day for as long as three months will do no harm.) However morning and night is a fine start that can give epic results over the course of 2-3wks. Yes, epic.

P&B Shakes!
Two glasses of water (or juice) and 4 easy steps morning and night.
Psyllium husk powder and bentonite clay are both available at any health food store.

1 - 1 tsp. bentonite clay and add it to one of your glasses of water.
2 - 1 tsp.- 1Tbs psyllium husk powder and add to your glass of water, the one with the bentonite clay.
3 - Stir. Or use a shaker glass, or a mason jar with the lid on to shake up your drink. Drink the shake. Tends to thicken quickly, so drink it down! You want to drink the shake on an empty stomach. Drink the second glass of water once you have finished with the shake.
4 - Repeat the process, drinking 2 shakes a day for 5 to 7 days. Drink the shakes upon waking and before going to bed.

Your very personal reward is renewed energy. Much better digestion of the good foods you will consume and a greater zest for life itself. We really are meant to be joy filled, energized certainly not bogged down with the toxins it seems we must swim through at times.

These are simple and effective steps that work well and that we can use to get clear!

The Process to Purify Your Life, Mind, and Soul: 
                                                  Body/mind/spirit Detox.

I've always found "soul" to be universally ill-defined, somewhat nebulous - a rarely understood concept. Spirit is another word equally misunderstood, but more easily related to. Spirit seems to be something with a touch of emotion connected to it, and since I'm clear on planning to raise or lift my own spirits.... I get it. I am all for that part actually. I do want to cheer myself up. And cheer myself on too! Why not?

Cars need oil changes. Cooling system flushes are needed as well. One could easily make the leap to, "Detox is needed by the modern human". With today’s environment, as well as highly processed foods containing toxins that are destructive to the immune system and pretty much every system we have. Let's not forget TV/smartphones and their ubiquotous programming role in life. Toxins are any substances and personal experiences which create harmful and irritating effects to the human body/mind/spirit. Nutrition as well as our personal experiences can undermine our health or stress organs and/or biochemical functions at every level.

Such alarming results are due to the side effects of taking most contemporary drugs or from ill-conceived nutrition. We hope for a return to our ideal and usual functioning. Usual functioning defined as how the free and wild humans we once were lived. These toxins and free radicals we're in constant contact with now usually irritate, inflame, age, and degenerate body tissues. Negative ethers, spiritual and psychic influences, negative emotions, and thought patterns are also considered toxins. Experiencing them, whether flights of rage or or how you feel drained after spending time with that "emotional vampire" in your life can all be toxic. This concept is well worth re-emphasizing,

Negative ethers.

Those pesky "bad vibes" I suspect you encounter along your path, lets not even mention the psychic parasites and other bad memes. These things stress the body causing changes in normal physiology that produces specific symptoms. Symptoms of a nagging, routine and ongoing stress mostly, perhaps the occasional nightmare... If you prefer to not look at that today, just think of the clogging your blood plasma goes through after a king size double big whopper. I usually find the physical stuff easier. At least it's more grounding.

The physical is easier to face than psychic parasites that a co-worker or the local newsbroadcast passed along like a bad flu for example. These are also the kinds of things one can restore an immunity to. Non-attachment, the anti-drama supplement. Available at any time or place.

Keep in mind that the body needs to function in balance. However, it can be disturbed when the body takes more than what it can eliminate or utilize. Toxicity then occurs. It is dependent on the frequency, potency, or dosage of the toxins. It can produce rapid or immediate occurrences of symptoms as displayed by some drugs and several pesticides. That is to say, breathe this and you get sick, or a headache. We are getting constant feedback on what we do to ourselves. Have done to ourselves. Though discernment in a haze of discomfort can be a challenge. One of the better reasons to detox, regaining clarity.

The imbalance being caused by these toxins can be very stressful to your life, disrupting your sound mind and good soul. Detoxing is very helpful so that you can purify your body from these harmful toxins regaining a beautiful outlook in life. A physical process that will lift your spirit!

Detoxification occurs on various levels. Physically, it is a process that can help in clearing illnesses, congestions, and potential diseases, improving the body’s energy. Many detoxification processes are helpful in rejuvenating the body and preventing degeneration. In fact it is a first step on the restoration trail for many of us. It leads to doing moreas  well.

Detoxification of the mind is important. Cleansing the mind from negative patterns can improve the health of a person. Physical detoxification can also alleviate mental stress. It also helps in terms of emotional aspects of the person where he or she can express and uncover feelings particularly hidden anger, frustrations, fear, or resentments, and later on replace it with love, forgiveness, hope, and joy. These are also part of any good detoxing process.

Cleansing processes can also clarify the purpose of a person, about how they view life at a spiritual level. Or a simple light detox of a few days can help a person in feeling better while a longer detox process can allow a deeper commitment to eating better diets and eliminating abusive habits. Basically, there is a reason behind why you see God towards the end of  a forty day fast. Popular with many old testament prophets and such. I'm not advocating that today. 
:-)

Body detox is a potent transformational medicine which instills changes at various levels. Evolution/adaptation to your specific circumstance and personal history and appropriate change are the keys to your healing. Enhancing elimination can help in dealing with and clearing problems from the past, childhood as well as parental patterns, relationship or job stress. Toxic build-up elimination can make a person feel lighter and experience a new horizon of the future. It will restore more than your colon. Back to spirit lifting new habits.

Lifestyle detoxification can be done in simple ways. Drinking extra quarts of water each day is a good and effective in eliminating more toxins to begin with. Eating more cleansing foods, vegetables and fruits with higher contents of water, and less protein foods are helpful in reducing congestion problems. There are other levels of progressive detox diets ranging from simple diets to total fasting. Nevertheless, don’t over detoxify yourself in too short a timeframe. Extreme fasting, enemas, diuretics, colonics, laxatives, and exercise can start losing the body’s essential nutrients. These things have their place but can result in a negative balance where mineral-vitamin deficiencies occur which can cause problems in the future. Trust yourself and explore these options with the health care professional you DO trust.

Maintain your balance to have a better life.

Many Americans, including some vegetarians, still consume large amounts of dairy products, but here are several strong reasons to eliminate dairy products from your diet.

Milk has long been praised as a ‘weapon’ in the war against osteoporosis, but recent clinical research shows that it actually is associated with a higher fracture risk, and there’s been no protective effect of dairy calcium on bone.  Increasing your intake of green leafy vegetables and beans, along with exercising have been shown to help strengthen bones and increase their density.

Dairy products are also a significant source of fat and cholesterol in the diet, which can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease.   A low-fat vegetarian diet that eliminates dairy products, as well as adequate amounts of exercise, proper stress management and quitting smoking not only will help prevent heart disease, but could also reverse it.

Ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers have been linked to dairy product consumption.  According to a recent study by Daniel Cramer, a Harvard doctor, when excessive amounts of dairy products are consumed and the body’s enzymes are unable to keep pace with breaking down the lactose; it can build up in the blood and affect a woman’s ovaries.  Another recent study showed that men who had the highest levels of IGF-I, (insulin-like growth factor) which is found in cow’s milk, they were at four times the risk of prostate cancer compared to those men who had the lowest levels of IGF-I.

In addition, milk may not provide a consistent and reliable source of Vitamin D in the diet. Milk samplings have been found to have inconsistent levels of Vitamin D, and some have been found to have as much as 500 times the indicated safe level.  Excess Vitamin d in the blood can be toxic and can result in calcium deposits in the body’s soft tissues.

Milk proteins, milk sugar, fat, and saturated fat in dairy products may pose health risks for children and lead to the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and formation of plaques in the circulatory system that can lead to heart disease.

By choosing to consume a nutrient-dense, healthful diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fortified foods including cereals and juices, you can help meet your body’s calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin D requirements easily and simply, without the added health risks from dairy product consumption.

Aside from all the above... set the cows free. There's clearly no need to oppress them for their milk!

The Road to Intuition.
For those old enough, there is no Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in this article except for this brief one sentence walk-on. And they did it pro bono.

Have you had that experience when all of a sudden you just had this huge hunch that something is about to happen, and to your surprise, that intuition was eventually translated to reality?

When you feel strongly about something without logical basis to it, that's called intuition. It comes in several types of impression: clairvoyance or "the third eye", sensing clearly and/or feeling through listening. Clairvoyance is when your eye goes beyond what it can see. This is when you know what is happening somewhere.

Sensing clearly is basically what we also refer to as "hunch" or "gut feel." Perhaps you're overwhelmed with a feeling and you can't explain it and all you can say is "I just know." On the other hand, feeling through listening or clairaudience is being able to "listen" between the lines at times. Intuition also happens when a certain sound, whatever it is - be it a car's honk or a bird's twitting - ushers in an intense feeling or unexpected connections.

"They" say only a number of people are gifted with intuition. Astrologers even insist that people born under the Scorpio or Pisces signs are naturally intuitive bordering on E.S.P. at times. But studies have been sprouting left and right that proclaim that anyone can develop intuition. Nearly (if not) everyone has had moments of synchronicity awaken a moment. Where that car horn, coincided with thoughts of a someone you should call and you do while they were just thinking of you.... that sort of thing is becoming more and more commonplace. I would say it is clearly an innate human ability. Though often suppressed in this culture.

Why do you need to develop intuition? Why not let your emotional and psychological state simply be as it is? First and foremost, intuition promotes good communication. It makes you more sensitive to the people around you - it often keeps you from hurting those you love because you are intuitive enough to understand them and develop your empathy and compassion for others more fully. Building outward from family lessons into a broader "family" discovered in community.

Intuition will also make you far more creative than ever. Intuition means releasing more creative juices for any means of expression. Art, writing, software development...

Lastly, intuition has a healing power. This healing power is not in the physical sense, but in delving deep into your soul to eradicate negative energies left buried there.

With that being said, are you ready to develop your intuition? Here are some ways to unlock this gift:

1. Hypnosis
Oh yes, get yourself hypnotized. Hypnosis is not limited to watching a pendulum move back and forth. Perform self-hypnosis or you can avail of hypnotic programs that can strengthen your intuition. There are numerous subliminal programs on YouTube that are free and effective. Do some research and subscribe to a channel there that resonates with you. Trust yourself AND your feelings/impressions. Really, you're out and about exploring the universe - get on with it.

2. Meditation
Meditating means finding peace in yourself. For yourself, with yourself. Then you can begin to give a bit of that away. If your mind and heart are cluttered with too much baggage and hurt, you won't be able to quiet down that part of you that could eventually initiate intuition. There are so many ways to meditate: take a yoga class, or just simply practice some breathing that could bring you straight to Zen. Simply find a quiet place and breathe! Watch those breaths for 15 minutes a day and you just may find your life changing, synchronous forks in your daily routine & pathways opening up to that new relationship or job or opportunity or???  Whatever you discover it will be something designed with you in mind. That you have led yourself to.

3. Think positive!
A worry-free, fear-free state could do so much to improve your intuitive ability. By staying positive, you attract good energy that would be able to easily recognize imminent feelings and events. The modern life of stress and tension and a continual mild irritation shuts our very own most sensitive systems way down. Putting the shields up all the time can protect us sometimes but also really does blind us behind the walls we erect.

4.  Just let go.
What does this mean? If you are on the brink of making a huge decision, let go of all the inhibitions and head to a quiet place where you can find where the letting go has brought you. Realize the outcome is important perhaps, but let it go!! Sometimes you just have to listen to the voice within you, and that voice wouldn't come out unless you let go of your attachment to the outcome. There's an old story about being caught up in the middle of a raging river. Along the way we bump into a rock and hold on for dear life. Before long the currents are pounding and beating us to a pulp against the rock as we hold on tighter and tighter. Sometimes the point is to just "let go" and trust the flow.

5. Never expect.
After letting go of the inhibitions and all those things that stop you from thinking and feeling clearly, never expect for an answer right away. Never expect that the "hunch" would fall onto your lap immediately. Give it a little time then just get surprised that -- wham! -- now you have your answer. This is why I have become such a believer in trusting the "Mystico-Sychronicites" of life. Confirmations are such part and parcel of this way of living, A way to see around the bend in each of our roads.

6. Believe in your first impressions.
When you see someone for the first time and think that they're just a bit too arrogant for your taste, chances are that impression actually holds true. Most of the time, first impressions are brought by intuition. This stays in operation for you all the time in all situations. Shutting down the option we have to act on these feelings because it's just too woo-woo sells them and yourself quite short. YOU are an amazing creation, sensitive beyond belief and processing more data than any of the most current, most powerful super-computers the NSA is using to read this. Trust your hardware my friend!!

7. Stay happy!
See? All you need to be intuitive is to stay happy! Happiness attracts immense power and such power includes intuition. In tapping your intuition, your motivation must be happiness and contentment. Given that premise, intuition will fall to you easily. Probably a great deal of understanding, sympathy and compassion as well.

Intuition is helpful, because sometimes it leads you to something that cannot be achieved otherwise. A lot of lives have been saved by intuition alone. Decisions are easier done if armed by this gift. Develop intuition now and reap more benefits than you could even imagine!

Mushrooms are valuable health food - low in calories, high in vegetable proteins, chitin, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins & minerals. Mushrooms also have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their legendary effects on promoting good health and vitality and increasing your body's adaptive abilities have been supported by recent studies. These studies suggest that Mushrooms are probiotic - they help our body strengthen itself and fight off illness by maintaining physiological homeostasis - restoring our bodies balance and natural resistance to disease.

Agaricus Mushroom
Agaricus is the most widely consumed mushroom in many countries, where it is regarded as a health food, due to its medicinal properties. Agaricus is traditionally known as "God’s Mushroom" because of its near miraculous curative benefits to a wide range of disorders. People have used it to overcome numerous diseases and disorders relating to the immune system, cardiovascular system, digestion, and for weight management, diabetes, chronic and acute allergies, cataracts, hearing difficulties, stress syndrome, chronic fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, and disorders of the liver.

Cordyceps Mushroom
Cordyceps can be a powerful stimulant for macrophage activity, strengthening your immune system’s ability to fight against bacterial and viral infection. Human clinical studies indicate that Cordyceps can be effective for treatment of high cholesterol, poor libido/impotence, arrhythmia, lung cancer, and chronic kidney failure. It is also reported that Cordyceps causes smooth muscle relaxation. This can make it especially helpful for treating chronic coughs, asthma, and other bronchial conditions.

Maitake Mushroom
Maitake is also known by the name Dancing Mushroom, famous for its taste and health benefits. In Japan, Maitake Mushroom is called "King of Mushroom". The fruiting body and the mycelium of Maitake are used medicinally. In China and Japan, Maitake Mushrooms have been consumed for 3000 years. Years ago in Japan, the Maitake had monetary value and was worth its weight in silver. Historically, Maitake has been used as a tonic and adaptogen. It was used as a food to help promote wellness and vitality. Traditionally, consumption of the mushroom was thought to prevent high blood pressure and cancer - two applications that have been the focal point of modern research. Clinical research with Maitake Mushroom has increased dramatically in the past several years. Laboratory studies have shown that Maitake Mushroom extract can inhibit the growth of tumors and stimulate the immune system of cancerous mice.

Reishi Mushroom
Reishi has been called an “immune potentiator.” Recent studies have indicated that Reishi can have a number of other effects: Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiviral through inducing interferon production, Lowers blood pressure, Cardiotonic action through lowering serum cholesterol, Expectorant & Antitussive, Liver (Hepatitis)-protecting and detoxifying, protection against ionizing radiation, Antibacterial, and Anti-HIV activity. Reishi contains calcium, iron and phosphorus as well as vitamins C, D, and B - including pantothenic acid, which is essential to nerve function and the adrenal glands.

Shiitake Mushroom
Shiitake (for centuries called "Elixir of Life" ) has been licensed as a anti-cancer drug by the Japanese FDA. Lentinan has shown some effect on bowel cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer. Lentinan stimulates the production of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells and can potentiate the effect of AZT in the anti-viral treatment of A.I.D.S. Shiitake is rich in several anti-oxidants (Selenium, Uric acid & Vitamin A, E, & C) as well as Vitamin D. Shiitake mushrooms may also lower blood pressure in those with hypertension, lower serum cholesterol levels, increase libido, stimulate the production of Interferon which has anti-viral effects, and has proven effective against Hepatitis in some cases.

Yun Zhi Mushroom
Yun Zhi, or the Cloud Mushroom, has been used to dispel dampness, reduce phlegm, treat pulmonary infections, to strengthen the tendons and bones, for vital energy, and to support liver health.

Benefits
• assists with immune function
• high in vegetable proteins
• promotes good health and vitality

There is an undeniable mystique that accompanies Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM, a range of traditional medical and therapeutic practices developed in China over thousands of years. In fact, one of the earliest known compilations on Chinese medical practices dates back to 2698 B.C.  To the uninformed, it is assumed that TCM is all about the use of exotic products such as bat excrement and cow urine as medicine.  Many also wrongly assume that the diagnosis and treatment offered by TCM practitioners is nothing more than just guesswork; and that these practitioners do not really have actual abilities to discern the patient's symptoms.

In truth,  Traditional Chinese Medicine is a complex and centuries-old system that has been shown to be effective in the treatment and management of various ailments ranging from sinusitis to muscle spasms. Chinese herbal concoctions have also shown efficacy in providing migraine reliefs and lower back pain relief, and everything in between.

The core concepts of traditional Chinese medicine can be found in Chinese philosophy, with Wu Xing and the concept of yin and yang as the primary foundations of both diagnosis and treatment practices. "Wu Xing" is actually the short form of "Wu zhong liu xing zhi chi" or "the five types of chi dominating at different times". Water dominates in winter, wood in spring, fire in summer, metal in autumn. At the intersection between two seasons, the transitional period is dominated by earth. It is customary in Chinese writing to summarize a longer phrase into a couple of characters. Sometimes the meaning is completely lost in the abbreviated form if the original phrase is not referred to. Wu Xing is one such example.

The basic perception of the body in Chinese medicine is that it is a whole, but with separate parts. The parts are designed to work together in harmony, generally by balancing their naturally opposing concepts against one another. Each part not only serves a physical function, but is also important to mental processes. This explains the belief in Chinese medicine that what affects one's physical health also has consequences for one's mental health, with each imbalance in the body having a counterpart imbalance in the mind. This aspect echoes the principles of yin and yang, which is best summarized as a blending of two opposing but complimentary concepts, with neither one being superior in any way over the other. Disharmony is said to occur when yin or yang becomes more prevalent in the body than the other.  This disharmony or imbalance is thought to be the reason behind human illnesses.

The Wu Xing aspect comes into play in terms of analyzing how the disharmony came about. Wu Xing is similar to the classical concept of the basic elements which are composed of fire, water, wood, earth, and metal. Each of these elements can be found in the body, with varying concentrations in different areas of the body. Combined, the elements produce a delicate balance and results in the normal state of a person's physical and mental health. This balance can be affected by internal and external factors, which can sway the elemental balance in a variety of ways. In theory, an increase in certain elements in areas that perform certain functions can sway the yin and yang balance, thus affecting a person's health.

The treatment for the condition, whether it be sinusitis, lower back pain, knee pain, migraine headaches, visual migraines, insomnia or whatever else ails the patient is ultimately determined by where the imbalance is and what caused it. For example, an excess of water that swayed the balance more to the yang in the nasal area is sometimes cited to cause problems such as colds and sinusitis. To counter this, a traditional Chinese doctor might prescribe a formula composed of herbs and more exotic ingredients to help suppress the water element and, thus, restore balance to the yin and yang.

Traditional Chinese medicine also espouses a number of other treatments, including those based on the manipulation of the patient's diet.

There really is nothing to say...perhaps,

A haiku for this.
balance tightrope hovering
zazen at sunset

Goji Berries have been used since ancient times in Chinese medicine. They come from the Himalayan mountains of Tibet and are so highly regarded by these people that they hold a 2 week festival in honor of this nutritious berry. Goji berries have only been recently introduced to the West and we are just now learning of its highly beneficial properties.

The Goji Berry is renown for its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, all of which provide great benefits to your health.

In appearance it is a scarlet berry looking similar to the raisin (when dried). It has a mild sweet flavor not unlike a cross between a raisin and a cranberry. It is chewy in consistency. Because the berries are so delicate, they are shaken from the plant onto mats rather than picked, to avoid spoilage. They are then dried slowly in the shade.

These humble berries have now become popular health food in the western world as well as the eastern world. This is in part due to their reputation as an anti-aging medicine. Goji Berries have some of the highest amounts of antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin C of all foods.

One of the best and easiest ways to enjoy the health benefits of goji is with a quality goji juice product. The therapeutic dose is 1-4 ounces a day. As the berries are fairly new to the Europe and the USA scientists are still discovering the amazing properties of these little fruits. However my preferred way (and it's lots less expensive) is take a solid handful and blend them up into a smoothie with whatever happens to be on the counter... bananas or an apple or whatever.

There have been dozens of scientific studies done on the health benefits of the goji berry, and many more studies are continuing to be done. We can expect to hear more about this amazing little berry from the mountains of Tibet in the near future as Scientists discover more of its powerful nutritional and health giving properties.

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant resembling a cactus but is in fact a member of the lily family. Its medical benefits have been recorded as long ago as 2,200 BC. The clear aloe gel that is found in the leaves is used for external applications and the base of the dried leaf has a yellow sap that is known as bitter aloes. This is taken internally for many ailments.

Where did this plant come from? It seems to have had its beginnings in the eastern and southern regions of Africa. Travelers soon came to know of its valuable healing properties and carried it with them. They brought it to many corners of the world. Now you can find it almost everywhere you go. It can be grown outside in warmer climates or even kept as a houseplant. It is very tolerant of droughts but cannot take too much water or cold.

Aloe Vera is used for a wide variety of medical ailments and recent research has even uncovered its benefits when treating HIV. It is commonly used in the cosmetic industry for skin conditions and beauty products. Many people use it as a topical application for its healing properties. It seals the damaged skin with a protective coat and speeds up healing by stimulating the immune system with Aloectin.

For many years protein was considered by scientists to be the main factor the body needs to repair itself. However now research has shown that carbohydrates play a key role in the process. Carbohydrates are the most complex biomolecules and it is possible due to this reason carbohydrate beneficial properties were not discovered.

Ambrotose is a carbohydrate derivative of Aloe Vera and other plants. When taken as a supplement has many of the healing properties of this medicine plant. Like the Aloe Vera it uses carbohydrates to heal your body. The substances in Ambrotose are known collectively as glyconutrients and it is these elements that make Ambrotose work.

Ambrotose helps your body to heal itself. It is able to provide in pre-packaged form all the essential sugars your body needs, without your body having to manufacture them. It aids in digestion and helps to improve your overall health.

Note: Glyconutrients are not intended to heal, treat, or cure any disease.Must have few disclaimers in place.... I personally think YOU personally are intended to heal yourself, but really, that's just a very personal opinion by a mere human.