Twelve Steps to Better Cold Care

Here is a a wonderful excerpt from Linda Page's "Healthy Healing" that describes the Twelve Steps to Better Cold Care. With cold season upon us, I thought this might be helpful.

(1) A daily walk revs up immune response and gives you some fresh air. A walk puts oxygen into your lungs, and stops you from feeling sorry for yourself. It works wonders!

(2) Take ascorbate vitamin C or Ester C, 1000 mg every hour, preferably in powder form with juice, throughout the day. (The book calls this an "ascorbic acid flush" and recommends doing it for the first two days of the cold at a minimum.) Take zinc lozenges as needed, or propolis throat spray.

(3) Don't smoke or drink alcohol (other than a little brandy and lemon). They suppress immunity. Avoid sugary foods, fried foods, and dairy foods. These increase production of thick mucous.

(4) Eat lightly but with good nutrition. Nutrient absorption is less efficient during a cold. A vegetarian diet is best at this time so the body won't have to work so hard at digestion.

(5) Drink plenty of fluids; 6-8 glasses daily of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, herb teas and water flush toxins through and out of your system.

(6) Keep warm. Increase room humidity so your mucous membranes will remain active against the virus or bacteria. Don't worry about a fever unless it is prolonged or high.

(7) Take a long hot bath, spa or sauna. Lots of toxins will pass out through the skin. For prevention, take daily alternating hot and cold showers at the beginning of cold season to stimulate immune response. Repeat any time you feel the first signs of discomfort.

(8) Stay relaxed. Let your body concentrate energy on cleaning out infection. Go to bed early, get plenty of sleep. Most cell regeneration is between midnight and 4 a.m.

(9) Use XLEAR nasal wash (or a saline nasal rinse) every day to help keep any bacteria that enters your breathing passages from multiplying.

(10) Think positively about becoming well. Optimism is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.

(11) Wash hands and clean countertops frequently to prevent virus spread.

(12) Rest is important. Light exercise is better than vigorous during a cold.

Peanut Butter Cookies! The Easiest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe in the World

Here is a Peanut Butter Cookie recipe that is quick and easy, and most people have the ingredients right in their pantry.



Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg

Mix and set aside for 10 minutes
Roll into balls place on cookie sheet and flatten with a fork crisscrossed
Bake 350 for 10 minutes
Let cool before removing from cookie sheet.

This recipe was sent to me by my mom. THANKS MOM!!

Could You Benefit From A Detox?

Detoxification is a wonderful way to clean out environmental pollutants or drug residues that have been trapped in our bodies. Our society today is exposed to so many chemicals, pollutants and drugs that it is difficult for our bodies to eliminate all of the built up toxicity on its own. When toxins saturate our tissues, antioxidants and minerals in our body fluids are reduced and our body's entire chemical equilibrium is thrown off balance. A good cleanse to keep our body's systems in efficient working order can benefit almost everyone.

Here are some signs that your body may have reached its toxic tolerance level and could benefit from a cleanse:

- Frequent, unexplained headaches, back or joint pain, possibly arthritis
- Chronic respiratory problems, sinus problems, or asthma
- Abnormal body odor, bad breath, or coated tongue
- Chronic stress from an unhealthy work environment or home life
- Environmental sensitivities, especially to odors
- Food allergies, poor digestion or constipation with intestinal bloating or gas
- Unusually poor memory, chronic insomnia, depression, irritability, chronic fatigue
- Brittle nails and hair, psoriasis, adult acne, unexplained weight gain over 10 pounds

(Hair analysis or medical lab tests such as stool, urine, blood or liver tests may also provide some information to support the need of a detox.)

A good detox will bring the body back into balance and most people experience more energy in all areas of life. The digestive tract is cleansed of accumulated wastes and fermenting bacteria. Excess mucous and congestion is cleared from the body. The liver, kidneys, and blood are purified. Mental clarity will be enhanced. Dependence on sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and drugs are reduced. Eating habits should be improved, and the stomach will have a chance to shrink back to its normal size. Hormone secretions will be released, that, coupled with essential fatty acids from plant sources, can strengthen the immune system.

Detoxification will cleanse, rebuild, and maintain. The first step is elimination. You will clean out mucous and toxins from the intestinal tract and major organs. Everything will function better when the toxins, obstructions and wastes are removed. A detox works by self-digestion. During the cleanse, the body decomposes and burns only the substances and tissues that are damaged, diseased, or unneeded, like abscesses, tumors, excess fat deposits, and congestive wastes. The second step is rebuilding tissue and restoring energy. With all of the obstacles removed, the body will be activated to do this all by itself at top levels. All that is needed is a diet of simply prepared, fresh vegetarian foods during the rebuilding steps. Supplements for specific needs may also be included. The third step is keeping the body clean and toxin free. This means a modification of lifestyle habits. Rely on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, cooked vegetables, grains and seeds for strength and alkalinity, lightly cooked sea foods, soy foods, eggs and low fat cheeses as sources of protein, and a little dinner wine for circulatory health. It is also good to include supplements, herbs, exercise and relaxation techniques.

A brief 3 to 7 day juice cleanse is a wonderful way to release toxins from the body. Fruit and vegetable juices are alkalizing, so they neutralize uric acid and other inorganic acids, increasing healing effects. Juices also support better metabolic activity and are easy on digestion and easily assimilated into the blood stream. They don't disturb the detoxification process. Water fasting is not recommended because it is harsh on the body and can release toxins and chemicals into the bloodstream too rapidly all at once and cause the body to be "re-poisoned". Sometimes the physical and emotional stress of a water fast even overrides the healing benefits provided.

A wonderful reference on detoxification is "Healthy Healing: A Guide to Self Healing for Everyone" by Linda Page, Ph.D. This book includes specific detox programs for every system of the body including colon and bowel cleansing, kidney cleansing, lung and chest congestion cleansing, liver and organ cleansing, lymphatic cleansing, skin cleansing, blood cleansing, and detox from fats and sugars.