The effect that environmental toxins can have on health is often a subject of major debate. While some believe the connection may be somewhat overstated, it’s still important to be aware and educated on the possibility of health risks with environmental toxins. There are a number of easy ways to cut down on toxins, primarily in the home.

Paint is one of the most common project materials in many homes. Unfortunately common paint may be full of volatile organic compounds, or VOC’s. These toxins could end up causing harm such as asthma or other respiratory problems. A simple trip to the hardware store can fix this though. Most popular hardware companies carry Low-VOC paints, which will have an instant impact on improving indoor air quality around the house.

There is also another great way to cut down on VOC exposure within the home. Using a plant is a great first step to improving the air quality within your home naturally. Plants such as the English Ivy have been known to not only spruce up the decoration of the home, but also in consuming toxins that may be floating around. These toxin killing plants take in oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as Volatile Organic Compounds.

Having your insulation checked could help remove many toxins from the home, especially older models. Many older homes’ insulation could be laden with asbestos. While this material was once one of the more popular construction fibers, asbestos exposure is now tied to forms of cancer. If there are asbestos within the insulation of the home, choosing organic insulation is one of the best options available. Spray foam and cotton insulation are two of the organic options that allow for cost effectiveness and sustainability. It is important to note that if asbestos are found, that they must be handled by a professional, which is required by law.

Sure, these are just a few of the ways you can cut down on toxins in the home, but they are relatively easy and helpful. Adding plants, switching paint, and having the insulation checked in older homes are great ways to not only improve indoor air quality, but do so through cutting down toxins.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a specialized branch of rehabilitation medicine which deals with optimizing the physical function in cardiac patients. It is generally a long-term comprehensive program provided in outpatient settings that involves timely medical evaluation, cardiac risk factor modification, prescribed exercise, education and counseling. There may be different phases of in the rehabilitation program depending on the patient profile, and is customized accordingly.

A person who is to undergo cardiac rehabilitation must understand that the glue of this program is exercise, and there are a number of programs that are fast evolving where all aspects of cardiac care are delivered. A typical program would include weight loss programs, nutritional therapies, management of lipid abnormalities with diet and medication, diabetes and stress management and blood pressure control.

While it is true that a person under a program has to follow a structured plan, and the plan is tailored to each patient’s need, it would be not be such a bad idea to take up yoga exercise. Yoga is spiritual practice that includes forms of physical exercise that is totally unconventional, and uses the breath, mind and body to re-energize the individual. Not only does yoga offer a physically active regimen, but it disciplines the physical, mental and spiritual health. Yoga is unique in the sense that it includes forms of breathing and meditation techniques, and teaches you ways to move your body in newer ways. It also offers excellent health benefits by enabling one to develop strength, flexibility and balance. The various forms of yoga stretches, commonly known as “asanas” work very gently on the body to stretch the muscles as well as all the soft tissues. Unlike other forms of exercise, one can see benefits within a very short span of time. And it has long been practiced to keep the heart rate and blood pressure under control, and also to decrease triglycerides and cholesterol and boosting the immune system.

Modernization has led to many discoveries, and in a feat to provide the best care for cardiac patients, current medical researchers have studied the effects of yoga and shown that it can help cardiac rehabilitation patients gain greatly by improving the functional capacity and quality of life, reduce risk factors and create a definite sense of well-being and an optimistic view about life. Like every other rehabilitation programs, though the long-term success is directly related to patient compliance, there is no doubt that incorporating yoga exercise coupled with cultivation of other health disciplines such as quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, and keeping your lipid levels in check, there could be significant reduction in risk factors such as another heart attack, stroke, sudden death and mortality and a sense of well being both physically and spiritually.

And the good news is that yoga has intrigued and influenced the medical world due to its definite positive effect on health in general and cardiovascular diseases in particular.

This video by the Health Ranger confirms my belief in my post, What Dr.Oz doesn’t tell us about Vitamin D, that indeed we should not use sunscreen! But we should NOT get burned either!

Points in this video I agree with:

Take measure to burn less, by eating antioxidant rich food
I used to burn a lot easier when I was 18. That was because I was eating fast food regularly. It’s crazy but bad nutrition, due to your lack of antioxidants in your skin will make you burn faster.

Live juices, salads, berries, super foods will help your body protect yourself naturally from burning.

Instead of sunscreen, take internal supplements
There are several supplements, here are a few great ones I found:
Vitamin D spay is also a clever way to get the supplement. I really believe in supplements in liquid form over capsule / pill form. And if you read my blog you will notice I always talk about how much more economical they are, how much faster they are absorbed into our system etc.

“Vitamin X” AKA “Astaxanthin” acts as internal sunscreens. It is derived from microalgae and not only will protect you from burning in the sun but also great for treating pain weather it be arthritic, repetitive strain, or athletic related. Read more about the supplements backed by Mike Adams, “The Health Ranger”, here.

“Radiance” is the name of a supplement primarily based on GliSODin®- a Patented “antioxidant catalyst” from France. Change the way your skin responds to sunlight and halt the harmful process that leads to burns, wrinkles and aging – at the cellular level. Learn more and purchase here.

Sunscreen is a last resort, when you are going to be in the sun too long to not burn

and when you use this make it a natural one, like the one below, without chemicals actually linked to cancer.

Ok, I’m going to drink a cup of tea on my sunny porch now!

Yes! A great video that explains exactly what I’ve been saying here in my article, “Clean up you Cleaning Act”.

Why are there toxic chemicals in our cosmetics, shampoos, and even baby shampoos?! Chemicals linked to cancer, autism, low sperm count and more. If my post didn’t convince you, I hope this video does!

Your number one assignment– find a non-toxic shampoo alternative for your Pantene or Herbal Essence!

From Free Range Studio and “The Story of Stuff” comes the newest video: The Story of Cosmetics! It exposes the toxic chemicals used in everyday cosmetics and the failure of the FDA to regulate these chemicals.

Nothing is worse then throwing money away on a health product that is ineffective. I’m going to address this matter that runs rampant in the natural health industry today!

Here are some examples of dodgy health supplements:

Echinacea products
In my post Alternative Antibiotics that Leave no “Superbugs” Behind! Health Expert Jon Barron says:

“I’ve gone to health food stores and bought 30 brands of Echinacea, tested them and actually when I did this 10 years ago I found only one that had any activity at all. 29 of them, the only Echinacea of value was the word that was on the label. There was nothing inside.”

Spirulina
Spirulina is tricky as I recently found out. With spirulina you need it from a really pure source and even then it’s possible to get a bad batch.

My aunt, Dr. Simm (doctor of Oriental Medicine) knows soooo much and always has the latest, best health products in her home. I trust her research and product selection 100%! Her favorite quality health products now are Purium Health Products– I’m most interested in correcting my spirulina purchase with her Carob Mint Spirulina (yum!).

I’m sure there are many more products we need to beware of before buying. Remember just because it’s for sale in a health food store, doesn’t mean it’s the effective quality product you could be buying.

So stop throwing your money away on health products– buy the best and ignore the rest!:

Dr. Simm’s Purium Health Products

Now two of the most powerful health websites I know of and believe to have a wide range of quality products are:

Dr.Mercola’s Online Store

Mike Adams “the Health Ranger’s” Online Store

What’s your experience with ineffective products?

I’d love to hear from you on any experience you have had with this topic!

This is an update to this post, “My Spring Health Kick– the products I picked out to help…”

Well it’s been about 2 weeks taking all the supplements I ordered and I’m not sure this is going to well! I have a metallic taste in my mouth, from what I’m guessing is either the spirulina or the “Crystal Energy” drops, trying to cleanse heavy metals from my system.

I’ve been taking the MSM powder once a day and the crystal energy drops have been in every glass of water I drank and the “Health Force” “Manna” Spirulina powder I take only once every other day mixed in my salad or in a smoothie.

So I’ve consulted with my father, a Clayton College graduate, and he says spirulina is tricky because the source of it matters. I still feel I bought a quality product however. It is without pesticides and is very potent (“therapeutic doses” it states)– maybe just too therapeutic for me!? He said the metallic taste is from the spirulina drawing out the heavy metals from my system, but that when you are cleaning heavy metals out at this rate you also need to be taking something to pull it out of your system like psyllium husks for example. He recommends stopping both the water drops and the spirulina and introduce them back to see which one is causing it.

Next I consulted my Aunt, Dr. Simm. She also expressed concern that my spirulina was possibly not from a good source. She highly recommends her brand of spirulina powders instead, “Purium Health Products”, which can be found here.

So I will continue taking the MSM powder, which HAS helped with the inflamed pain in my body, and stop the crystal energy drops and spirulina and re-introduce the water drops first and see how the metallic taste goes. If the spirulina is causing it, I’ll try Aunt Simm’s products.

Though I really like the crystal energy drops because it HAS made my water really thirst quenching as it promised. Maybe I just need to drink less of it or maybe I will find out it isn’t causing the metallic taste at all. I will let you know which is the culprit soon!

* Update- July 2nd *

Well it’s been almost 2 months since my last update and spring has sprung and summer is here already! So the culprit was the spirulina. Sunfoods was super awesome about it tho and sent me in it’s place, raw cacao powder, which I’ve been dying to try! It’s delicious! I make smoothies out of it with rice milk and bananas. Great coffee replacement and very nourishing.

I’m happy to report that with all the msm lotion and MSM powder I ordered, my body aches are gone and with the proper hydration (crystal energy supplement), my headaches too! And the cacao has helped me cut back on coffee I’m back to yoga class too! Bring on the summer, I’m ready!

I have a confession, I’ve never felt the most unhealthiest than I do now. I believe in a little help from our super food friends and keeping our nutrition in balance, but let’s face it– life is stressful and it’s easy to fall off the wagon and drink 3 cups of coffee and one alcoholic beverage daily! Perhaps from this nasty habit, is why my body is feeling achy and inflamed. It’s very hard to wake up in the morning– I’m groggy and achy (and yeah, stumbling for the coffee first thing instead of water). Coffee ain’t the only thing brewing, I always feel a headache brewing as well.

I decided I need to not only cut back on the bad habit but supplement my body with what it needs to recover. So I headed over to sunfood.com and prescribed myself with the following items. I’m anxiously awaiting their arrival and I’ll explain why I chose the products I did and how I expect them to help me. I hope I have great results to share later!

I’ll try not to complain too much about what ails me, but hoping I’m not the only one who feels like crap and figured this could help someone in the same boat as me!

Water isn’t hydrating enough?!

Naturally I recognize I should drink enough water. And I do! But I can drink 4 glasses in a row and not feel hydrated. For some reason my bottled water that I have delivered in 5 gallon jugs just isn’t wet enough?! To solve this issue I bought “Crystal Energy“. I’ll try to keep the description simple and not scientific. Crystal Energy is in liquid form and you put 40 drops per each 32 oz. of water, and it reportedly makes your water more hydrating. Tiny mineral clusters developed by
Dr. Patrick Flanagan apparently create the negative ions to make your water more thirst quenching. That’s exactly what I’m looking for!

Every health nut needs a quality greens powder!

When I used to drink plenty of raw juices and wheat grass I felt much better. I’ve been looking for a quality greens powder to add to my smoothies or just sprinkle in whatever I can think of! I know green powders are excellent blood purifiers and would help balance out my acidic ph level and inflamed limbs. There were a few choices on sunfood.com but I felt the spirulina powder by Healthforce was what my body was craving. Spirulina is blue green algae.

The benefits of Spirulina I’m expecting are:

• It contains chlorophyll which is identical to our body’s hemoglobin molecule whose job is to oxygenate our blood. So taking spirulina powder can help oxygenate my blood which in turn cleanses my blood (from toxins) which in turn helps protects me not only from getting sick, but from pollution and aging as well.
• It contains a a long-chain Omega-6 fatty acid which reduces aches and pains due to joint inflammation which I’m certain I have from being hunched over the computer all day and just generally living a modern life in an urban city. Omega-6 helps hair, nails and skin so it’s a beauty related as well!
• believe it out not, it’s a complete protein!
• it also contains an essential amino acid tryptophan, which creates seratonin, which should help balance my mood and make me more able to deal with stress, because lately, I can’t handle much stress!

Buy the spirulina powder at sunfood.com

Those yoga sessions just aren’t loosening me up anymore!

I admit my yoga mini sessions only last about 20 minutes but I’m still doing them fairly regularly 3 times a week at least and I only feel temporary relief. Yeah I should do longer sessions but a little help couldn’t hurt? Enter MSM Powder 16 oz. (Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane). Modern farming and cooking food removes MSM from our food. It helps flexibility, so yoga should be more enjoyable and I’ll practice longer and it helps sore muscles heal which I need to not discourage me from taking jogs and long yoga sessions on a out of shape body. Again it is also a beauty product as it helps build collagen for smoother skin. I already have had great success taking MSM pills for my old ankle injury (tendon on inner ankle bone suffered a deep cut from a rock 10 yrs ago) which if I don’t take MSM will throb and act up. So I feel the powder form will take me back to those results I felt from taking the pills by replacing the chore of taking pills and will be more economical.

Buy the MSM powder at Sunfood.com

Wish me luck!

I’ll do a follow up post in a few months and let everyone know how this is working out. I am setting out to do a gradual change, nothing drastic like a fast or all raw foods diet. I can’t shock my body into that lifestyle again from the state it is in now. My goal is to cut back my bad habits and live more in balance and moderation and use these supplements as aids to help me feel less miserable as I do that!

I chose products which were in liquid form because I believe not only is it more economical, but that they absorb into the body easier this way.

I’ve written an update to this post here.

I’m not going to name names here, but I was using a very large well known national mineral makeup brand. I loved the coverage of their mineral makeup and it was the most natural, easy to wear, easy to put on no-brainer makeup I ever found!

I was generously applying to my problem acne areas and so pleased with the results I was ignoring how itchy and uncomfortable it actually was on my sensitive neck and chin area. I couldn’t help but wonder if the company was with holding some of their ingredients.

I decided I’d try a smaller unknown homegrown mineral makeup brand since I had been browsing Etsy, a site for all things homemade, and noticing a lot of mineral makeup products. I decided I’d try “Ella Rose” because she had attractively priced starter packages and developed a product specifically for acne (a day and night forumula). Before taking the plunge I asked her what makes her mineral makeup so pure and special. And this is what she had to say:

I cannot speak for the other companies but my products are very different than traditional mineral makeup. The ingredients and ratios that I blend together are very precise. There is a specific reason why each ingredient is in my formulas and at the percentage levels they are at. Ella Rose Minerals ingredients register as 0 on the Comedogenicity scale. (Comedogenicity is rated on a scale between 0-5, the lower the number the less likely that the ingredient used will clog your pores.)

So since you asked…the national makeup brand you mentioned has ingredients in their makeup that contribute to acne. Bismuth oxychloride which is one of their foundations main ingredients is very irritating to sensitive skin and can actually make tiny microscopic tears in your skin, and those wounds can lead to cystic acne if they get infected. They also have carmine (ground up beetles carcass) in some of their blushes and eye shadows that can be irritating to skin. Carmine might be a pretty red color but sooo not worth it! And their finishing powder contains corn starch; because of the nature of the sugary and starchy aspect of corn starch it tends to feed the bacteria that causes acne.

As you can tell I am very interested…ok call it obsessive about the ingredients that go into my products, I always list every single ingredient so you know what you are getting and not getting in my products.

Okay! Sold!

I ordered the said products I had my eye on and I can say it feels wonderful! No itchiness whatsoever! Ella Rose Mineral Makeup effectively heals my acne! It doesn’t make it completely disappear as the cause of that is an unsolved mystery (maybe it’s hormonal, diet-related, etc… Years of detective work and miserable diets– case still not solved), but I can say it effectively manages my acne and heals each blemish up faster and before it progresses to the worst case. I know it would look much worse if I was still irritating it with un-pure mineral makeup. Did I mention the coverage is just as good too?!

Here is what I bought:

7 piece starter kit – foundation, finishing powder, blush, eye shadow. FREE gift box.

Zit Zapper minerals kit- Acne Healing Minerals, Midnight Magic, Blackhead Bomber.

Please head over to the Ella Rose Minerals Etsy Store to check out her other products.

While there are a number of conventional treatments for asbestos-related diseases like asbestosis and malignant pleural mesothelioma that have been proven to be effective, some of these treatments can cause unwanted side effects like pain and nausea. But there are a number of complementary therapies that can help ease these side effects, as well as mesothelioma symptoms themselves.

One of these treatments is a type of exercise that most people are familiar with: yoga. The origins of yoga lie in India, where this ancient art is practiced more for spiritual reasons than for health-related reasons. Outside of India, yoga has become a popular form of exercise that is physically and psychologically calming and strengthening. Learning simple yoga techniques can help improve general health by toning and strengthening muscles, improving flexibility, and improving one’s state of mind. Promotion of general health is important when fighting a major disease like malignant pleural mesothelioma, as the stronger your immune system is, the better your body can fight.

Meditation has long been known as an excellent way of reducing feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Currently, meditation is also believed to help manage pain and other disease symptoms. Many people with cancer who add meditation to their treatment program find the practice helps relieve pain, stress, and anxiety. Some studies have even indicated that meditation may be able to slow tumor growth and improve patient prognosis.

Acupuncture is the most widely accepted form of alternative/complementary treatment. In fact, this type of treatment is so widely accepted that many health insurance companies even cover it. Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into pressure points at clearly defined locations on the skin to improve the balance and flow of factors referred to as Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood in traditional Chinese medicine. This type of treatment can provide relief from chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety, and stress, and is one of the most common alternative treatments used by those with asbestosis.

These are just a few of the complementary treatments used to treat asbestos related diseases. But while these treatments can be effective, always consult your doctor before proceeding with any new type of treatment.

You don’t have to learn or understand all about Feng Shui in order to implement it’s basic principles into your life to create a more pleasing environment in your home. The core principles such as to eliminate clutter and arrange furniture so chi can flow is a easily learned practice that you can learn to feel out on your own.

When we implement these basic Feng Shui Principles we can lead healthier lives both energetically and productivity wise. Who couldn’t use more money, energy and a happy positive vibe in their spaces?!

Clear the Clutter

The most important principle is disposing of useless paper and clutter clogging the flow of energy through our home. This includes papers, unfinished projects, empty boxes and shopping bags from recent purchases, old unused things, old un-worn un-loved clothes and shoes…You get the picture.

This clutter stands in our way making us feel too tired, unmotivated and stuck. For some parting with clutter can be very hard, while for others who already know the abundant freshness it brings to their life- might not be able to get enough!

My tips on how to clear each of the types clutter from your home:

• Unfinished Projects- Things you may have started and haven’t worked on in the past year should be either disposed of or at least (if it is something of some importance) stored and organized out of sight as to not hold you back from accomplishing new tasks. Looking at them everyday blocks your motivation and makes you feel stuck!
• old school notes- We may have taken significant courses in our lives that we invested a lot of money and time in. Naturally we want to hang on to all those notes and graded papers not only as proof of our accomplishments but also in hopes we will go back and learn it better. My advice, it falls into the unfinished projects category and could be piling up on you unconciously as dead weight. Chances are you have already received internally what you were supposed to have learned. If a year goes by and you don’t absolutely need those old notes or aren’t passionately involved in that subject matter, then toss it out.
• Old Clothes and Shoes- If you never wear it because you feel less than your best in them, they fit funny, you feel shabby or your shoes hurt but look good with one outfit- then give them away already! Move on and keep only the clothes that are fresh and you feel good in!
• Fliers, Papers, Business Cards, Magazines- Chances are all those adverts, menus, business cards and fliers are all info you can find on line these days!
• Products- We tend to let half empty bottles of expired toiletries and food items to pile up! Toss out all the expired products and stale goods that we are never going to polish off!

And keep clutter free!

Once a month take a few hours to keep up on your clutter clearing. Organize your bills and paper work into a filing system and stay organized! Weed out unnecessary paper wastes of places, events, news, magazines that you can find online if you really need it.

Arrange your Furniture so Chi can Flow

When you arrange your furniture simply pay attention to stuck corners and open spaces.

• Do not arrange your furniture so you have to do some fancy maneuvering through pathways to get anywhere.
• Do not “trap” space in between units of furniture that is wasted or cut off from the flow of the room (as it is only harboring darkness and dust and yucky energy).
• Make sure corners of furniture are not pointing at you especially from behind
• Do not place furniture where your back is to the door
• If your living room is small try not to place a big bulky coffee table so that everyone has to journey through paths to get out, try a few smaller stands to hold drinks etc to place on the sides of sitting areas. (Personally I never understood coffee tables! I find them almost always to block energy and almost always to be poorly designed. Most living rooms are best without them as I’ve always lived in smaller living arrangements and absolutely need wide open space to practice yoga and exercise)
• Repair all broken furniture such as knobs and drawers.

Helping the Chi flow along with Decorative Items

Now that you are clutter free and your furniture is arranged let’s keep the Chi charged with Plants, Lighting and Crystals!

• Hanging Plants- are a cheap great way to add freshness to your area and improve the air quality. My two hanging plants have made a significant improvement to the air quality in my apartment.
• Lighting- Face it fluorescent lighting sucks and it’s depressing. Who wants to feel like they live in a office?! Buy some lamps,lighting kits, and at least one colorful beautiful lamp.
• Crystals- Crystals such as amethyst, smokey quartz, rose quartz and amber are inexpensive and when placed in corners or special places can bring positive healing energy and cheer you up! Make sure to clean them regularly to help you feel fresh and charge your space.

Where to Place your Decorative Items and what the Heck is a Bagua!?

Now this is the part where I get into the essence of what Feng Shui is really based on- The Bagua, or the map/guide which divides your home into sections that relate to Relationships, Travel, Career, Money, Health and so on- is your guide to which areas of your home represent those areas. You can then take this knowledge to help you decide where to mindfully place your crystals, lamps, plants etc.

Here is a handy learning tool below to get acquainted!

I hope this posts motivates you to clear your clutter, re-arrange your furniture and charge your space to move on your way to living in a healthier positive space that will allow you to live a more healthy productive happy life!