Health Matters

Myths of colds and flu seem to be a popular topic when we head into the colder seasons according to people’s comments and yet this is also one of the myths. Just maybe, that we think this is so is, that we are more confined and in closer contact with the coughing and sneezing of others germs so get exposed to germs quicker.

Cold and the flu are both caused by viruses and a cold usually comes on gradually by possibly have a sore throat and then the runny nose but usually there is no fever, except in children and they can have high fevers then.

Flu usually comes on very suddenly and we get sick to our stomachs about a third of the time, we become achy and maybe our joints hurt. If we get sick to our stomach really fast it can be a case of food poisioning or possibly a bacterial infection.

One reason colds and flu survive better in winter months is usually our humidy it lower and this causes these germs to stick around longer. This can challenge our respiratory tracks and then we become more susceptible to infections.

Our immune systems become challenged as we seem to also consume lots more sugar-loaded products, snack foods, sugar-filled drinks during the long cold days of winter.

Water should be our first line of defense in this time of year as our body needs lots of fluids when dealing with bacteria’s invading. Staying hydrated is very important in our fight so leave the caffeine loaded products and alcohol alone.

Antiobiotics do not kill bacteria’s. Colds and flu are viruses and don’t respond to an antiobiotic. When you use antiobiotics too much you become resistant to them and they when you need them you have built up a huge resistance to them. Flu is different than a cold as you usually don’t tolerate solid foods, so increase the hot, lukewarm or room-temperature liquids to keep our immune systems helping in our fight of them.

Myths of cold and flu need to be considered, but always include extra liquids to help the body with healing and repairing itself.

Thanksgiving gratitude’s are all the big things and small things in our lives that we are so grateful for and are so blessed to have them in our lives.

Why don’t you name them one by one for yourselves ? Why not do a table of thanksgiving gratitudes while eating your dinner? A gratitude is anything that is positive in your life today. It could be a negative that turned out very positive that you are very grateful.

What kind of list can you make today on this Thanksgiving Day?

Family-Father, Mother, Brothers, Sisters, Aunt’s, Uncles, Daughters, Sons

Home-whether rented or owned

Country-its freedoms

Church-its pastor, members, support, love

Food-fresh raw foods, organic meats, whole-grain breads, raw nuts and seeds

Money-in your pocket, bank accounts, CD’s, investments

Friends-local ones, online ones, near or far

Military-over-seas, home-land, on water, in the air,

Utilities-electrical, water, natural gas

Computer-desk top, laptop

Furniture-chairs, couch, desk, beds

Appliances-stove, microwave, washer, dryer, shaver, hair dryer, blender, juicer, mixer, oven

Clothing-coat, hat, gloves, shirts, blouses, pants, jeans

Books- Bible, self-help, cooking, exercise, fiction, non-fiction, know-how, mysteries

What else can you add to this list of things that you appreciate? What about that smile, that hug, that phone call from someone special? As you can see the list is limitless!

Be grateful, Be love, Be fun, Be appreciative. Enjoy life.

Grateful for food on the table is an awesome feeling isn’t it? We, in America, have so much to be thankful for on Thanksgiving day and for all of the year, don’t we?

I would like to offer you some tips for health in the busy time of the year with the holidays and our jobs, our families activities and traveling that we do. Number one on this list: Please leave the sugar-loaded desserts alone, sugar-loaded drinks, sugar-loaded snacks and all table sugars. Did you know that just one piece of pecan pie carried a whopping 500 calories, 65 carbohydrates and 32 grams of sugar? Do you realize that eating 100 grams of sugar can reduce your immune systems ability to fight off infections, induces cancers or feeds them, and encourages fat to build up into your system? Is it any wonder that colds, flu and other nasty infections get their foot-hold on us at this time of year and yes, sugar could be the reason.

Other culprits affecting our immune systems are loss of sleep, stress, lack of sunshine and of course sugar in our foods.

How about some good news health tips in our busy season of which I am thankful for:
Vitamin C that is found in fresh fruits, fresh raw vegetables, organic nuts and seeds, organic lean meats and the very powerful, nutrition sweet potato.

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin that is great when able to obtain it from the great outdoors. Vitamin D is also available in our health food stores for us to use also. This vitamin is valuable in our defense of cancers, diabetes and and heart disease, so take Vitamin D serious. Only 15 to 20 minutes a day in the sunshine is sufficient for most of us.

Selenium and folate help defend our bodies also against cancers and other diseases as a supplement and also in our raw foods that we eat.

Garlic, the most amazing herb is another protector for our immune systems. It is a protector of our white bloods cells-the infection fighters in our bodies.

Zinc is also a strong defender for our bodies and aids our immune system in its fight against infections during this time of year.

Be grateful for food this Thanksgiving Day and indulge a bit but always remember that You are what you eat. Your thoughts create your reality. Have fun. Be grateful. Be Joy. Laughter is wonderful for the body and soul.