Healthy Homes Asia

What happens to soil if it is not allowed to rest and is flooded with chemical fertilizers? (What would happen to you?)

Would that have an effect on the quality of the food it produced? Studies continue to show that the poor quality of today’s soil is producing food low in vitamins and minerals. Storing and cooking food further destroys its vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Whole, raw, organic food produced locally is the best source of nutrition.

But as you know, most of our food spends a long time traveling to the shop before we buy it, then we store it some more and cook it too much. What do you think that does to the level of nutrients in the food?

And that is the reason many people take supplements.

What supplement could you add that would provide you with all the nutrients you require? What does the planet require of us to replenish the soil?

Multi-vitamin and mineral – Many studies show that by simply increasing your vitamin and mineral intake you can promote mental clarity, weight loss, boost your immunity, reduce stress, prevent cancer and other degenerative diseases, combat depression, lower blood pressure, reduce cravings, increase energy levels, improve sleep, and regulate digestion. Be aware that where possible choose raw, whole food nutritional supplements as our bodies are designed to recognize nutrients best when they come from food.

Vitamin C – is one of the most important antioxidants. It is important to know that your body cannot produce vitamin C. Vitamin C has many therapeutic properties, including very high anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties, aiding in the prevention of cataracts and helping to lower cholesterol. Vitamin C is a great antidote for neutralizing free radicals that will cause premature aging and can be highly effective at the onset of a cold or flu when taken to bowel tolerance. High doses of vitamin C are also effective as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer. Make sure you take vitamin C with added bioflavonoids to help your body absorb the vitamin more readily. Does mega Vitamin C therapy work? Read this story and decide for yourself.

Omega 3 – is an essential fatty acids (EFAs) which our bodies cannot make themselves. These oils play a key role in maintaining healthy hair and skin, elevating your mood, nourishing your brain, assisting in a healthy pregnancy, increasing energy, and regulating blood sugar. You can meet your essential fat requirements two ways. Either from your diet, either by eating a heaped tablespoon of ground seeds every day, having a tablespoon of special cold-pressed seed oils and/or eating fish three times a week. Or by supplementing with concentrated oils. For omega 3 this means either flax seed oil capsules or the more concentrated fish or krill oil capsules providing EPA and DHA.

Probiotics – help boost your immune system by helping the body to absorb nutrients. Some 80 per cent of our immune system is located in the digestive system. When good bacteria are destroyed by stress, poor diet and antibiotics, probiotics help the digestive system by balancing the good and bad bacteria. Prebiotics are equally important. They are necessary to keep your army of good bacteria alive to continue to keep the bad bacteria in check.

MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) – is an organic compound containing sulphur and the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. Known as the ‘beauty mineral’ it is an essential constituent of keratin and collagen, which helps to create thick lustrous hair, smooth skin and strong nails. MSM is also great for rebuilding connective tissues and softening the skin. It also helps the tissues become more permeable so that nutrients can move in and toxins can move out with ease. MSM is also important for skeletal and joint health, making it a great supplement for people suffering from arthritis, athletic injuries and helping with greater flexibility. Almost everyone is deficient in this naturally occurring element due to the nutrient depleted soils and the fact that cooking destroys this fragile element.

Stevia – is an all-natural alternative to sugar. This remarkable plant, from the rainforests of Paraguay, is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar but does not affect blood sugar levels and has no calories. It is nutritious, non-carcinogenic, non-toxic and has a low GI. This makes stevia a valuable sweetening source for those people with sugar restrictions, such as those with diabetes, hypo-glycemia, or weight control issues. And unlike sugar, stevia is actually good for your teeth. Stevia inhibits the growth and reproduction of oral bacteria and other infectious organisms, you’ll find it as a valuable agent in natural toothpastes and mouth washes.

If you have a serious, chronic or just annoying health condition, we recommend grabbing one of these books, DVDs or CDs to get you started on the road to exuberant health. See our suggestions below.

Especially if you live in Asia, you should be mindful that not all supplements are equal.

Some countries are well known for manufacturing vast amounts of fake drugs and nutritional supplements.

No matter where you live, if your health is important to you then you should be mindful of the quality of nutritional supplements you take.

When next considering which vitamin or mineral supplements to buy, seek out answers to the following questions:

• Where were they manufactured?
• Has the product been manufactured to any pharmaceutical grade or other recognised standards, or have they only been manufactured according to vague self-regulated guidelines?
• Have the supplements been independently tested and are they guaranteed as safe?
• Are the potency levels on the label guaranteed? Is the potency at low level RDAs or are they at levels shown to be suitable for maintaining optimal health and preventing degenerative diseases? Does the guarantee include a safety clause?
• Does the product identify levels of nutrients which may be harmful at high levels, such as Iron and Vitamin A?
• Does the manufacturer offer any special guarantees of safety over and above the norm?
• Is the product manufactured to a standard that satisfies high pharmaceutical standards for full disintegration?
• Does the product have a use by date?
• Has the product been manufactured in-house or has it been outsourced to other manufacturers and then marketed by another company?
• Is the daily suggested dosage a single pill? If this is the case it is highly unlikely that the dosage is at optimal amounts.
• Are the ingredients tested for bioavailability?

Once you find a product that comfortably fills all these criteria for quality you can be confident that you are purchasing a quality nutritional product.

Not all manufacturers provide such detailed information on their labels or even any supporting literature.

Only a handful of companies provide such quality assured supplements. Many others simply rely on full scale TV advertising and heavy marketing to persuade consumers to buy their products.

It is important to educate yourself on the differences. Your health is worth it. Read more here.

by Phillip Day - A compendium of all major diseases and conditions and natural approaches to preventing them.