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.

Cancer is life threatening, however the cancer therapies that are meant to fight cancer can themselves be very debilitating – causing weakness and exhaustion, extreme nausea, hair loss and many other problems, and even, ironically increasing the risk of cancer. Because of these reasons many people turn to alternative treatments for cancer; which use approaches other than or in addition to chemotherapy and radiation to defeat the cancer.

There are many alternative treatments that help fight cancer, such as homeopathy, that uses very dilute medications to fight any kind of ailment, including cancer. There are herbal formulations and naturopathic treatments that can also help people detox; by being used internally as well as externally.

Biological therapies that use antineoplastons help to stimulate the immune system of the body so that the body is better able to fight against its cancer. Additionally nutritional therapies can also be used to fight cancer.

Mind Body Treatments for Cancer can include many different approaches. Aroma therapy can help a person fight cancer indirectly by helping to reduce stress and improving quality of life as well as overall wellbeing. Self hypnosis methods seek to harness the incredible power of the mind to try and defeat the disease of cancer – clinical studies have demonstrated how anxiety and pain can be reduced by use of hypnosis, which can also help improve sleep quality. Similarly spiritual approaches that use meditation can also be effectively used to help a person overcome their apprehensions and fight their disease.

Yoga can help cancer patients in more than one way – Yoga not only helps a person develop a stronger, fitter body, it can also stimulate the immune system of the body, enabling the body to fight better against the cancer. One study examined the effect of yoga on women recovering from breast cancer. It was found that those who did yoga had an improved quality of life, they slept better, had more energy and better recovery rates.

Similarly quality of life can also improve with alternative therapies such as massage for cancer patients. Mainstream cancer treatments can cause fatigue, pain, loss of appetite, nausea and so on. However an Australian study observed that those who received massage therapies found a significant improvement in these areas.

Similarly Reiki can also help reduce side effects of cancer treatment and help improve quality of life for cancer patients. As Reiki helps relax the mind, this seems to have a beneficial impact upon the body as well. It is also hypothesized that a bond can develop between the persons giving and receiving Reiki and this can also be beneficial.

Increasingly researchers are finding more and more elements in nature that help to combat cancer. A study conducted in New Zealand found that natural things such as extracts from totara and manuka trees and broccoli juice can help prevent skin cancer and sunburn. An antioxidant called sulforaphane was seen to be present in broccoli, which had this beneficial effect.

A Californian study was able to demonstrate that pomegranate juice could help fight prostate cancer; that it could inhibit movement of the cancerous cells and also limit the spread of the cancer to the bones and so on.

Author Bio
This is a guest post by AltMedicineZone.com. We invite you to visit the blog for more information on alternative medicine and natural remedies such as acupuncture, reiki, Tai Chi, Feng Shui, hypnosis, and homeopathy.

By providing FDA alerts and information about prescription and over the counter medications, we can ensure an environment where patients have the best knowledge on their medical treatment and health. Additional information about drugs and drug side effects may be found on DrugWatch.com.

–

According to the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, a study published on December 9 discovered that women may be placed at a higher risk for cardiovascular events in post-a menopausal stage due to some breast cancer medications.

Results from the study showed that long-term use of aromatase inhibitors, or drugs commonly-prescribed to treat breast cancer, may increase the risk of heart attack, angina and heart failure in women by 26 percent. The study compared the use of aromatase inhibitors to tamoxifen, a breast cancer medication with a low risk of heart complications.

Aromatase inhibitors, such as Aromasin, Arimidex and Femara, block the body’s production of estrogen, a hormone that fuels the growth of some cancers.

Researchers also considered patients’ absolute risk, or the individual risk that a person will develop the disease over time, as some relative statistics may be misleading. The absolute risk that patients would develop heart disease was 1 percent, but patients with pre-existing risk factors for heart disease had a 7 percent risk.

Dr. Eitan Amir, senior fellow at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, recommended that patients with heart disease change their medication or avoid taking aromatase inhibitors for a long period of time, or approximately three years.

“It appears that aromatase inhibitors have a significant increase in cardio toxic side effects, such as heart attack, angina and heart failure,” Dr. Amir said. “Switching drugs may reduce the side effects.”

Although tamoxifen has a lower risk of causing heart disease, the drug has been linked with blood clots, stroke and cataracts.

Breast cancer is the most common type of tumor in women, and approximately 209,000 women will be diagnosed the disease this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Ever wondered how to buy everything you need for one week of delicious EASY nutritious meals? Tired of spending too much grocery shopping just to have rotting food in the fridge? Staring aimlessly at each aisle trying to piece together a meal plan? I’ve sooo been there, and I’ve finally developed a system! Relax, not one of the following meals even require an oven! I plan to do more of these, so make sure you leave a comment saying that you liked this post so I’ll do more soon, okay?

FYI: It’s just me and my husband I cook for so these proportions would need to be scaled to the size of your household

Feel free to tailor these to you!

Are you veggie or vegan? No problem! substitute tempeh instead of chicken. If you have a vitamix, then you can substitute cashew cream or almond butter instead of cooking cream. You can substitute scrambled tofu instead of eggs. Substitute Coconut Oil in place of butter. ETC.

Shopping list

• mixed greens lettuce
• zucchini (4)
• red peppers (6)
• carrots
• radishes
• beets (pre cooked sliced)
• eggs
• preservative free fresh artisan bread (that you slice at home)- I went thru 2 this week one was a black olive / rosemary one and the other a plain sourdough. Or sprouted raw bread is the healthiest option! Learn why
• 2 packs of pre-made gnocchi
• chicken breasts
• cilantro
• lemons (6)
• goat cheese
• goat cream cheese
• sweet potatoes (4-6)
• pears (4)
• Parmesan shredded and whole
• pesto or frozen basil cubes
• cooking cream

Usually stored up at home

Buy a lot of these things and store in appropriate containers. We may not use them this week, but soon we will!

• sunflower seeds
• pecans
• pine nuts
• ginger
• mirin cooking oil (it’s in the Asian aisle)
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• brown rice
• quinoa
• millet
• honey
• lentils
• soy sauce

My typical breakfast

eggs sunny side up, toast, goat cream cheese, Tabasco sauce, slice of feta
with a salad…
either:

• chopped cucumber tomato onion
• or if a little more time- cucumber, little bit of tomato, red pepper, radish, carrot, onion
• or simple tomatoes, cilantro, and onion only
• or lettuce based with just red pepper, carrots

You don’t need fancy choppers, just a good veggie knife and a veg peeler and a cutting board.

dinners I made from above shopping list

Cilantro chicken with crushed honey roasted peanuts served with smashed sweet potatoes with butter and cinnamon and a goat cheese pear salad with pecans and ginger dressing

Make chicken marinade first (you only need to marinate 30 min in fridge)

Ingredients:
chop 2 big bunches of cilantro
5 garlic cloves thru press
1 nub ginger (size of small garlic clove) thru press
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (or lime)
1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper
few dashes of mirin (you don’t have to have this)

1. Mix above ingredients in a square shallow glass dish and place thawed out chicken breasts in it, cover, and place in fridge for 30 min.
2. for that 30 min you can prepare the smashed sweet potatoes. Chop them in large chunks, leave skin on, and place in boiling water about 30 min until soft.
3. while the potatoes are boiling start salad dressing. grab a small little bowl and add a little bit of lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce, one nub of ginger (thru the garlic press), 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4. check your potatoes..If still time to go, make salad. wash your mixed greens and dry and place in large bowl. slice 2 pears, chop up some goat feta, chop up some pecans and toss in with dressing. done…

5. now to the sweet potatoes…drain them, place them in big bowl, and smash them with a masher and add tablespoon or so of butter and tablespoon of cinnamon.
6. and now for the chicken! melt some butter or coconut oil in fry pan and take the chicken breasts but try not to bring in too much of the marinade (you know like pour the juice from the dish on top) because you want the chicken to get a little bit of a golden burn. It looks more appealing to me that way and the more marinade you get in at the beginning the less likely you will get that gold burn on them. when they are almost done, add more marinade. Serve them with chopped up nuts of some kind on top (I used PLANTERS honey roasted peanuts!) and some fresh cilantro.

zucchini gnocchi w/ red peppers

(I made this 2 times, it’s what I make when I’m lazy or when I want to drink red wine)

1. dice up zucchini, heat up olive oil in large sauté pan on low heat. If you have some sage why not crumble a little in there, throw in the zucchini try not to move it around too much because we want it to get a little crispy golden before stirring it around. So leave untouched 3-5 min before shifting things.
2. when zucchini is half way done toss in the gnocchi and try not to move it around too much because we want it to get a little crispy golden. same as with zucchini.
3. toss in some pine nuts and sauté about 10 min until zucchini and gnocchi are done and crispy. While you are waiting for it to cook, slice up a red pepper and toss it in when you are done chopping it up.
4. press 1-2 garlics in with the garlic press, stir up and wait a minute, then add cooking cream (no more than max. 1/2 a cup), and toss in a few frozen basil cubs or some pesto mixture.

roots dinner salad w/ Parmesan and fresh bread with olive oil balsamic dip

start with the dressing:
Get your small little bowl for making dressing and squeeze in one lemon, remove the seeds, add a teaspoon of salt, add dash of tarragon from your spice rack, that’s it! not even olive oil!

now for the salad…wash and dry mixed greens and place in large bowl and add to it:

• 2-3 shredded carrots
• the beets and or shred a fresh beet but I usually get the pre prepared ones b/c I’m lazy
• diced up radishes (not sure how many depends on size of radishes, but in a smaller ratio then everything else you added
• toss in some sunflower seeds
• slice up the parmesan (it’s nicer to thin slice a whole chunk of parmesan to get the rich flavor rather then thinly grated parmesan which is not as tasty!)
• serve with slices of your bread and mix a little olive oil and balsamic together in a small dipping dish to dip in.

Lemon Chicken served with sweet potatoes in cream basil sauce with a goat cheese pear pecan salad

• chop sweet potatoes in small cubes so you can just sauté them. When they are done add a little cooking cream and basil cubes/ or pesto to dress them up (leftovers of these go good with an egg in the morning!)
• sauté your chicken breasts in a lot of butter and lemon juice with some chopped up bay leaves (just 1-2 are needed)
• for the salad… (same as other day) grab a small little bowl and add a little bit of lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce, one nub of ginger (thru the garlic press), 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• make salad. wash your mixed greens and dry and place in large bowl. slice 2 pears, chop up some goat feta, chop up some pecans and toss in with dressing. done…

These were so easy and delicious! I hope you are cooking these meals in non-toxic cookware as not to undermine all your efforts in eating healthy.

Please leave a comment below and let me know if you have any questions and especially share your version of these quick easy dishes!

Finding a traditional family physician that meets your needs is always a challenge. Finding a naturopathic physician with a solid reputation can be daunting indeed.

Official Credentials

Naturopathic physicians often receive a high level of training in a medical school like environment. There are four accredited institutions of naturopathic medicine:

1. Bastyr University, Seattle Washington
2. Southwest College, Scottsdale Arizona
3. National College of Naturopathic Medicine, Portland Oregon
4. Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Ontario Canada

While other programs exist, these are the only programs that have undergone the rigorous requirements for university accreditation. If your potential ND doesn’t have such an immediately recognizable background, be sure to do extensive research into their background and credentials before undergoing treatment. Also, check to see if your ND is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP).

Background

A reputable ND should be willing to provide references of those they have treated successfully. Even if these references appear on a website devoted to reviewing doctors, it’s better than entering into a doctor/patient relationship with a completely unproven practitioner. If you want the most accurate information concerning your ND’s record, do a search for previous lawsuits by former patients. One lawsuit in a ten-year career might not mean anything. Ten lawsuits, however, is another story.

Philosophy

Interview your future ND before undergoing treatment. Ask them what their philosophy on treatment is, and what their rate of success is with your particular condition. Working with an ND often requires more lifestyle changes than working with a traditional physician. For this reason, your attempt to create a healthier lifestyle will be more successful if you trust their methodology and general philosophy.

A Team Effort

Many ND’s work in conjunction with traditional physicians to diagnose and treat chronic illnesses. Some conditions can easily get out of control if left undiagnosed or maintained. Occasionally touching base with a traditional physician might not be a bad idea, especially if you have a potentially life threatening condition. A reputable ND will be comfortable with referring you to the care of an MD if it becomes obvious that your condition is unmanageable using non-traditional techniques.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She often can be found blogging about education and scholarships for college. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Have you felt that you are feeling ten pounds heavier than the previous day? And to top it off, the foods that you used to eat with no trouble at all are suddenly up against you leaving you bloated and gassy?

Don’t get panic stricken! You are not the only one. There are millions of people in the world who suffer from some type of allergy, food sensitivity or intolerance. The most common symptoms associated with it are flatulence, abdominal discomfort, headaches, diarrhea, skin rashes and eczema. And all these are actually caused due to the body being unable to digest the food properly due to lack of correct amounts of specific enzymes to do so. Many sufferers are unaware that there is a difference between intolerance and allergy. However, unlike food allergy, food intolerance is just the incapability of the digestive system to digest specific ingredients in the food. It does not involve your body’s immune system. It is otherwise known as non-allergy food hypersensitivity. Food allergy on the other hand is caused by allergic reactions, where the immune system mistakenly identifies certain foods, especially proteins, as a threat and triggers an allergic reaction by releasing substances called histamines. The allergic reactions caused by histamines may vary from mild to severe, and in worst case scenario may require immediate medical attention. Therefore it is critical that the types of food that you are allergic to be identified and eliminated from the diet completely.

In theory though any food can trigger allergy, proteins are the most common culprit in food allergies. About 90% of food allergies caused is attributed to proteins. Diary products, wheat, rye, barley, eggs, soya, shellfish, fish and nuts in the diet are very often responsible for causing food allergies. Though it is true that these foods are also part of the main food staple worldwide, and is used for making a huge variety of food stuff, they contain specific proteins which trigger an allergic reaction in your body. The reason is not clear as to why some people suddenly develop allergies to certain substances while others do not. But it does seem that stress and a depressed immune system contribute to the severity of allergies.

The best way therefore to avoid food intolerance and allergy is abstinence and living a healthy balanced life. However, when avoiding certain foods from your diet, it can be hard to maintain proper nutrients in your diet as some allergens are also vital sources of macronutrients like protein and fat, and also minerals and vitamins. So you can make up for these losses of nutrients through alternate food supplements. But do keep in mind that every one is unique, so is our body composition, and one should seek a qualified practitioner’s advice before taking supplements. Coupled with this, a healthy physical fitness plan will keep your allergic troubles far away by expelling toxins, reducing stress and boosting the immune system!

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.