Healthy Food & Life: May 2009
Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

How to Clean Indoor Air Pollution with House Plants


house plant

All winter you have the house closed up and the furnace on. During the summer you have the house closed up and the air conditioning on. And with today’s newer homes being built tighter to make them more energy-efficient, more indoor air pollution gathers and doesn’t have a chance to escape or let fresh air in. This could lead to sick building syndrome and health issues for you and your family. Here are specific houseplants you can easily grow to diminish indoor pollution plus other simple ways that can clean the air inside your home.

Antibiotic Overuse and the Risk of Superbugs

World of pills

Antibiotics are misunderstood as some form of drug for all illness from the common cold to the flu to an earache and more. And that is not what antibiotics should be prescribed for. Fortunately, doctors, parents, and patients are starting to realize that overprescribing antibiotics is causing antibiotic-resistant illnesses, illnesses that normal antibiotics cannot cure.

Exercises to Strengthen the Sciatic Nerve and Lower Back



Chiropractor

Have you ever moved wrong and felt a shooting pain down your leg from your lower back. Or maybe you didn’t even feel pain at first and an hour later you had terrible pain in your lower back and numbness down your leg. There is a good chance you hurt your sciatic nerve. There are ways you can heal this injury and strengthen your body to avoid further injury and pain.

Is Too Much Coffee Bad for Your Health?


cupful of coffee beans

I love a good cup of coffee the first thing in the morning. But there are conflicting studies about coffee. One thing all studies agree on, too much coffee can be bad for your health. How much coffee is too much?

How Ions Can Affect Your Moods

Woman blow drying her hair

It’s another windy day and you’re in a bad mood, in fact, everyone is in a bad mood. Why is it that when the wind blows a certain way, everyone is in a bad mood. The saying there’s an ill wind blowing is actually true and it is all in the ions.

Can You Be Allergic to Beer and Alcohol



Pouring wine into a glass
Yes, you can be allergic to alcohol or different types of alcoholic beverages. Do you wake up with a stuffy nose and itchy eyes after a night of drinking? You could be allergic to the alcohol you drank. You might be allergic to wine but not beer and you might not have an allergic today, but you might next year.

The Basics of Macrobiotics for a Healthy Life


Yin Yang balance in macrobiotics

Macrobiotics is mainly thought of as a way to eat, but it is actually a way to live. It is formed around the ancient Chinese belief of yin and yang. That everything is more yin than yang and more yang than yin and everything needs to be balanced in the universe and in our lives including what we eat. Since eating has a lot to do with our health, macrobiotics is a healthy way to eat according to yin and yang.

The Health Benefits of Tai Chi

Tai Chi pose

Tai Chi Chuan or more commonly just Tai Chi (pronounced tie chee) has been in existence for at least 1,000 years. Originally it was a form of self-defense. Today it is graceful movements that have been described as meditation in motion. It is used today by millions of people throughout the world to promote the vital energy flow through the body and good health. Tai Chi can be used by anyone of all ages.

How To Create Harmony In Your Life with Feng Shui


wind chimes used for harmony in feng shui

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese belief that creates harmony and balance in your life. Following these simple rules of Feng shui can bring health, prosperity, love and more into your home. Learn how to create a positive energy flow known as qi by following these ancient principles.

How to Balance Your Life by Understanding Yin and Yang


Yin Yang

That everything has yin and yang and this is what causes the life energy, the qi (pronounced chee). They are opposing forces that when balanced creates harmony and balances your life. Most if not all of Chinese medicine has evolved with the belief of yin and yang, if you are sick in one part of your body or organ than that area is said to be out of balance. Your body is healthy when in balance when yin and yang hold each other in balance.

Healthy Tomato Soup Recipe



A bowl of tomato soup

This is one of those soups that bring back memories of being a kid again. It's snowing out, the winds blowing and it’s cold and there is nothing better than hot tomato soup. It is a great way to use all of the tomatoes from the garden and it's healthy.

Low Sodium Vegetable Soup Recipe



vegetable soup

Commercial soups can be very high in sodium and unhealthy. This low sodium vegetable soup is healthy, cheap and makes more than a simple can of soup. The beauty of making your own is that you can add any type of spices you want. Each vegetable in this soup has a healthy and healing purpose.

Natural Remedies to Relieve Hay Fever and Allergies

Girl with hay fever and allergies sneezing

Springtime can smell wonderful, the first flowers are blooming and the air is fresh after a long cold winter. You take a deep breath and then an hour later your eyes are itching and your nose is stuffy, no wait a minute your nose is running, no it’s stuffy again. There are natural ways to help you get rid of your hay fever and other allergies.

How to Lose Excess Calories for Natural Weight Loss

Dumbbells and fruit
Losing weight should not be that hard and should not be miserable. Cutting out empty calories is easy once you really see just how many empty calories you consume each day, those hidden empty calories. Once you lose those empty calories, you can now learn how to use up even more calories each day for natural weight loss that is healthy and sustainable.

How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes medical equipment

Type 2 diabetes can come on you slowly, you might have it for five years and not even know it. In the United States, type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions. Not only aging baby boomers, but adult-onset diabetes is now affecting teenagers and young adults in their 20s. The most likely reason for this is the increase in obesity and eating an increasingly unhealthy diet.

How to Relieve and Prevent Gout

swollen foot with gout

Gout is the most understood and usually one of the easiest of the rheumatic diseases to manage. It can be very painful, making it hard to walk if it occurs on your big toe. Learn what causes gout and how to prevent it.

How Methamphetamine Destroys the Mind and Body

Methamphetamine dependence
Methamphetamine also known as meth, crystal meth, crystal, speed, go fast, crank and poor man's cocaine plus numerous other names is an illegal drug that it so popular and widely used that it is second only to alcohol and marijuana as the drug most frequently used in many states. This article describes why people take meth and how Methamphetamine destroys the body and the health issues it causes.

How to Cure Hangovers

pouring beer into a glass

Hangovers are terrible with the body aches, the headaches, sour stomach, and the mental hangover as well. When you have a hangover, your body is dehydrated and it is in a way looking for more alcohol. There are certain things you can do and drink to alleviate a hangover.

Natural Remedies for the Relief of Indigestion

Cinnamon for indigestion

Indigestion and heartburn are the most common reasons for prescription and over-the-counter medicines, yet there are natural remedies that can help with indigestion and heartburn.

How to Get the Health Benefits of Probiotics

probiotic yogurt with fruit in bowls

What are probiotics? What are the health benefits? What are the sources, where can I get them in my diet? Many health-conscious consumers are asking themselves these questions these days, as probiotics become the latest trends in being healthy. Your digestive system, comprised of the stomach, the intestines, and the gastrointestinal tract, is key to your health.

Natural Remedies to Relieve a Sore Throat

pineapple and fruit

A sore throat is miserable and sometimes it feels as if it will never go away. Eating and drinking can be painful and over-the-counter remedies might not work. Here are a few natural remedies to get rid of that sore throat and help you feel better soon.

Wormwood for Treating Cancer and Malaria

Wormwood

Wormwood (Artemisinin) is an herb mainly grown in China and Vietnam. Artemisinin acts quickly against the malaria parasite and reduces the fever with few side effects. It also lowers the number of malaria parasites in the bloodstream, which helps to contain small outbreaks from becoming an epidemic. There is currently research underway using wormwood to treat cancer and other health issues.

How to Get Healthy Fiber in Your Diet

healthy fiber muesli

Fiber has become the forgotten health food. Everyone has heard of fiber and how good it is for you, but a lot of people don’t realize that there are two types of fiber, insoluble and soluble fiber. Fiber is very important for a healthy digestive system and most Americans don’t get enough fiber in their food.

Top 12 Healthiest Foods

Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

Healthy food has to contain a lot of minerals and vitamins, antioxidants and build the immune system. The healthiest foods also have to be friendly for your digestive system. A healthy digestive system is the key to good health.

Natural Remedies to Relieve Constipation

basket of prunes

Constipation ranges from annoying to an actual health issue. Some people live with constipation their whole adult lives and take medication without fixing the original cause. If left untreated, it can lead to more serious health problems such as IBS, diverticulitis, and diverticulosis. Learn natural remedies to relieve constipation.

How to Clear Up Acne and Skin Problems

acne free face


Eating too many of the wrong kinds of foods usually, have to come out of the body in one way or another. That is the body's way of eliminating harmful products. A stomach ache, runny nose, and body odors are a few of the ways our body tries to rid us of toxic foods. Skin problems and acne is another way. Too much of the wrong foods can cause acne and other skin problems.

5 Safe and Healthy Bodybuilding Supplements

Bodybuilding at the gym

For people who are bodybuilders, weekend warriors or just want to stay in shape and work out regularly, there are healthy bodybuilding supplements that will help you reach your goals. There are plenty of supplements that are marketed for bodybuilding that are not backed by scientific studies and can waste your money. And there a few that really work and are worth buying.

How to Prevent and Treat Altitude Sickness

high altitude skiing

Many people don’t consider that being at higher elevations affects their body differently than when at lower elevations. Altitude sickness can not only ruin a vacation but also cause a person to become rather sick. There are precautions you can take before and during a trip to higher elevations.

Why Grass Fed Beef Is Better for Your Health


grass-fed beef grazing

There is a big difference between feedlot beef and grass fed beef. Grass-fed beef has a much higher omega-3 level and a lower omega-6 level, making it much healthier for us to eat. The grass-fed cattle are also much higher in vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.

How to Eat a Clean Diet for the Environment

Earth and environment
Not only can you become healthier, but you can also help heal the environment by changing what you eat every day. Eating a clean diet for the environment is a winning combination for both you and the environment. If everyone one on the planet took a few simple steps with the way you eat, we could all go a long way to help stop further damage to the environmental damage that is being done to the Earth.