To make food taste better, look brighter, smell sweeter and even last longer, we have refined, concentrated, colored flavored, juggled, preserved, canned, bottled, pickled, heated and frozen every thing that can be eaten under the sun. But in thus trying  to improve on the manner Nature prepared our food, we merely produced the opposite effect by manufacturing chemicalized, devitalized, dead “foodless” food or food that delights the appetite and the senses.  But we have sadly depleted and robbed the food of all that is good but we can never improve on nature.  This is the result of unnecessary tampering, or “manhandling” these wonderful products. 

Ignorance is often the cause of most health problems.  People have not been taught how to eat and live right.  And we are often sick from the food we eat because we will not read or understand what it says on the labels of the grocery stuff we are buying.  We seldom care about the make-up of the food that will soon become part of our blood, our cells, and our tissues. 

Some of the ways we get diseases can be traced to the diets we have listed below. They are known to occur in western countries in a greater predominance than in the less developed countries.  This is due to the food we eat that is so unnatural and by the pattern of living in such an artificial and complicated way.  Anemia, appendicitis, cancer, colitis, constipation, diabetes, gout, heart disease, pellagra, pneumonia, rickets, scurvy, rheumatism,  tumors, varicose veins, etc.  And there are many more we could add to this list. 

The modern diet

Many of the foodstuffs that can be found in the civilized diet are nothing but “empty calorie” foods. These are foods that will provide heat energy to the body, but will barely provide a store of nourishing vitamins and minerals.  The following foods fall into this category. 

1. Concentrated starches – like flour, white bread, biscuits, doughnuts, cakes, pies, spaghetti, macaroni, etc.  All made with refined flour.
2. Refined and bleached cane sugar and its products – white sugar, confections, chewing gum, artificial sweeteners, etc.
3. Narcotizing and stimulating beverages – like coffee, tea, alcohol, tonic drinks, beers, etc. 

All of the above listed foods and drinks share one “beautiful” thing in common.  They all start maltreating the body as soon as they gratify and vacate the taste buds, and materialize in the stomach.  Refined starches and sweets are constipating and mucus forming.  They also deplete the body of its calcium.  It has been once said that constipation is the “motor of all disease.”  Prolonged subsistence in concentrated starches and refined sugars eventually leads to asthma, acne, catarrh, gastritis, indigestion, diabetes, dental caries, hyperacidity, fermentation, ulcers, premature ageing and many others.  We could say it’s enough to make you sick … and it does. 

Coffee, tea, colas, alcohol and cocoa all belong very strictly to a drug category and not food, according to many nutritionists.  All contain narcotizing substances such as caffeine, all of which damage the nerves, heart, liver, spleen, stomach and practically every other part of the anatomy after long use.  Coffee drinking predisposes to cancer of the pancreas.  And incidentally, cancer of the pancreas is the number four cause of mortality in the United States today. 

No treatment can ever be successful unless an attempt is made to correct our faulty diets. Many times, as we have proved by existence, changing the diet of the patient is the only cure needed.  We also have proved by experience, that since people are generally unable to control the dictates of perverted taste, “it is easier to cure the disease, but not the patient.

You thrive on rules, routines and schedules.  Your kitchen cabinets are likely to be highly organized, and everything has its place in your home.  You’re committed and usually prepared for anything – you’re one with the first-aid kit outings.  But do you know your diet personality?  Here’s a helpful guide for you that will surely help you stay fit and healthy. 

Organized

You thrive on rules, routines and schedules.  Your kitchen cabinets are likely to be highly organized, and everything has its place in your home.  You’re committed and usually prepared for anything – you’re the one with the first-aid kit on outings. 

Your diet Rx

• Find a structured eating strategy with clear rules and written menus, like three meals and two snacks a day.
• Plan a week or two of menus at a time – it makes shopping and cooking easier. Since you don’t mind repetition, make big batches of your favorite recipes and serve them throughout the week.
• Get out measuring cups.  With your exacting nature, this is an ideal way to learn portion sizes.  But it’s not forever.  Soon you’ll know a cup of pasta just by looking.
• Check off what you’ve eaten.  Food logs keep you in the organized groove you love.  Consider counting calories or fat grams.
• Chart your progress.  You need feedback to stay on track, so programs that offer workbooks, graphs, and logs are great.
• No need to avoid temptations.  Just plan ahead : Instead of an appetizer wait for a slice of cheesecake for your anniversary dinner.  Once you make a commitment you follow through.
• Be flexible.  Structure and organization might feel so comfortable that you get stuck in a pattern that isn’t working.  “What works for you the first month of dieting might not to be the optimal strategy for the fifth month. 

 Analytical 

You’re an information gatherer, approaching life as if it were a scientist.  If you needed surgery, for example, you’d want to see a video of the procedure and study success and compilation rates.  You enjoy complexity and challenges of problem solving. 

Your diet Rx

• Study nutrition.  Buy factually sound books to learn about the latest breakthroughs in research.  Understanding how and why a diet works will help spur you on.
• Design a program.  “Study several programs, picking the best of each for your personalized plan.  “If you don’t like to read, take a diet class or meet with a dietician.
• Try three meals a day with snacks or several minimally- whatever fits your lifestyle.  Have fun finding new and different ways of meeting your nutritional goals.
• Challenge yourself.  You love figuring out how to enjoy your favorite foods and still lose weight for instance, if you like café mocha, try skim milk, fat-free cocoa, and artificial sweeteners.
• Take action.  Since you enjoy gathering information, you may get stuck in that stage.  “This type does well in a university-based setting, where behavioral experts with training in weight management can explain the theories, but also confront people when they’re stalling.
• Be accountable.  A little structure can be good.  Programs with weekly weigh-ins may help, but you’re likely to be bored with long meetings.  Alternatively, ask your doctor, a dietician, or even a friend or family member to monitor you. 

Spontaneous 

You live life as it comes, expanding each moment for variety and maximum flexibility. You hate schedules and may have a crisis come into your life.  That’s good, because your lack of planning frequently puts you in the middle of one.  You’re not much for rules.  But if they’re fun, interesting, and not too strict, you may follow them. 

Your diet Rx

• Skip rigid food plans.  If they don’t fit into your lifestyle, you’ll just ignore them.
• Stock up on healthy foods.  Planning ahead doesn’t work for you- what sounds good one day usually won’t interest you tomorrow.  Instead, post choices for healthy, lean meals on the refrigerator, all within certain calorie guidelines.
• Keep problem foods out of the house- you’ll eat them if the mood seizes you. Similarly, change your route to work to avoid the doughnut store.
• Pass on the weight loss groups.  They may sound like fun, but rules that apply to large groups generally don’t work for you.
• Hangout with healthy eaters.  When spontaneous get-togethers happen, you’re apt to join the fun.  You’re also likely to be the first to join someone who’s falling off the healthy-eating wagon.
• Set short term goals.  For you, there’s always tomorrow and the chance to start over.  But daily goals- such as eating a piece of fruit with every meal- don’t let you “do it later.”
• Find a counselor.  An individual weight loss counselor, who allows you flexibility yet provides some firm guidance, may be your angel in disguise. 

Inspirational 

You’re always interested in improving yourself, mentally and physically.  People often confide in you because you’re a great listener- and you have a wonderfully kind, effective way of inspiring others. 

Your diet Rx 

• Join a weight loss group.  You like people, so group settings or the buddy system works extremely well.  You thrive on positive feedback and social support and provide plenty of it to others.  “In motivating others, you provide even more motivation to yourself.
• Patrol portions.  You’re likely to enjoy an extra scoop of something you love, so dish up just a single serving.  No eating right out of the bag
• Keep tempting foods out of the house.
• Work in favorite dessert weekly- deprivation leads to overeating.
• Learn about the other benefits of weight loss-more energy, lower blood pressure, and reduced cancer risk.  This will help motivate you.
• Create a pleasant environment.  Post photos of fruits, vegetables and whole grains; play soothing music while you eat; visualize yourself slimmer . “This feeds that need to do something with all senses, with the whole body.
• Reward yourself frequently- a new outfit, a motivational book, or perhaps a bread machine to make hearty and healthy whole grain breads.
• Avoid negative influences.  Criticism destroys you more than other type and can send you down the path to failure.  Learn to draw on your inner strength.
• Stick to the basics.

The heart is the chief organ of the cardiovascular system. Hand in hand with the vessels, it is continuously working, pumping life-giving blood and supplying oxygen to the entire cells and tissues of the body. Besides oxygen, it carries all the nutrients for each cell of the body— enzymes, vitamins, minerals, sugars for energy, proteins for cellular repair, and various other very important substances.

 In spite of its role in our system it is so depressing to believe that coronary heart disease is the number one killer around the globe today. Eating a low-fat diet, getting habitual exercise, setting up and maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking and learning to cope with and eliminating stress are the usual recommendation. These are all significantly important but there are several superb herbal supplements that can further enhance these efforts in fighting one or some of the forms of cardiovascular disease.

 Health conscious people these days view herbal supplements highly, because of their wonderful healing properties as well as their immunity boosting benefits. However, as more and more of these supplements are made available everywhere, we must note that not all of them might be appropriate for us. Some might have side effects, particularly when taken collectively with cardiovascular drugs.

Healing with herbs is an old tradition that most of us are aware of but not all of us use. Some are not aware that you will find some gentle herbs that can take the sting out of simple bug bites or soothe an aching stomach. Over the years, many useful herbs have traditionally been used in the home to treat a variety of ailments and injuries and one of this is Arjuna or commonly known as Dhaval, Kakubh, or Kahu.

It is highly recommended herb for cardiovascular disease. The bark of this botanical has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate. Studies have shown that patients suffering from congestive heart disease, taking Arjuna extract for two weeks resulted in a greater ability to walk comfortably without shortness of breath or fatigue, a reduction in enlarged hearts (a sign of heart failure), an increase in the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each. The Arjuna herb does its job by scavenging free radicals, which are damaged molecules that can weak havoc on tissues, including those of the heart. Arjuna may also boost the hearts muscle contractions.

In other words, Arjuna functions as a heart tonic. Arjuna is combined in one popular Ayurvedic formulation making it one of the major elements that makes it effective to anyone who’s taking it to maintain good health.

Read more about Arjuna.

Arjuna can be found in our Qolest Cholesterol Support.  Qolest helps maintain normal levels of cholesterol in healthy people.  Save $39.95 off your first purchase at Himmacala.com when you use Referral Code 83SPWS.

Acharya Charaka mentions that a man is healthy, when his tissues are well in a proportionate state with firm and strong sense organs and mana (mind), not overpowered by disease. One who can endure hunger, thirst, heat, cold and physical exercise and in whom the level of agni (digestive enzymes) and assimilative powers are also in normal state is regarded as of a proportioned mamsa (fleshy tissue). The following factors depict health:

• Desire for food.
• Comfortable assimilation of the food partaken.
• Comfortable passing of urine and faeces.
• Lightness of body thereafter.
• Very favorably disposed sensory capabilities.
• Easy and sound sleep.
• Easy awakening.
• Attainment of good amount of energy and strength.
• Good complexion and span of life.
• Cheerful spirit.

Truly speaking, Ayurveda views health and disease as two phases of our life. So, its objective is to preserve and promote health in the present and also to prevent diseases occurring in the future. On the other hand, in the diseased state, it teaches us how to cure the disease.

The plan should be to root out the disease as far as possible. Similarly, simultaneous consideration of prakriti as well as vikriti is also a holistic approach. Several measures have already been recommended to maintain health. The use of massages and timely use of rejuvenative (rasayna) and virilifying agents/aphrodisiacs (vajikarna theraphy), is beneficial.

A review on medical research over the last two decades shows that research in medicine has reached a saturation point and nothing new is being invented. The focus seems to be on surgical transplantation of organs like kidneys, heart, lungs or lately liver. Of course, the prevention of diseases and immunization programs are on the top priority to fight against diseases like tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, yellow fever and now in this decade for viral types of hepatitis disease and smallpox, which until recently were dreaded diseases. Small pox has been eradicated by intensive immunization and pulse programme.

However, for understanding the clinical aspects of Ayurveda, it is necessary to understand the fundamental concepts of “dosha” at the body level and triguna at the mental level.

Thus health and disease basically revolve around the doshic theory. The disturbance in the state of balance of dosha, also known as dosha-asamyata, is induced by the intake of unwholesome diet and life style (mithya-ahaarvihar). In our daily life, particularly today, we are most exposed to unwholesome diet and life style. The only safeguard we have is our body resistance and we are always in a state of tug-of-war with the aggressive mechanism at one end and defense mechanism on the other. When the defense mechanism of the body becomes weaker than the aggressive mechanism, the dosha aggravates and localizes in the susceptible organs of the body and produces the disease. In Ayurveda, prime importance has been given to the diseased individual as a whole rather than the diseased organ/system. Even the minutest symptoms are taken into account while planning the treatment and management of the patient with a holistic approach. Management includes advice for avoiding the factors which are responsible for causing the disease, dietary regiment, sleep regimen, etc.

Treatment includes management by herbal crude single drug or multiherbal combinations with specific anupana (vehicle) for the holistic management.

To see our full line of ayurvedic herbal supplements, please visit Himaacala.com.

The word holistic is derived from the word whole; Holistic medicine projects the picture of holistic universe. Ayurveda is field-oriented functional holistic system.

Acharya Sushruta has an ideal definition of health that is; one is known to be healthy when dosha, agni, dhatu and mala are in a state of equilibrium structure and function. Along with a happy mind they function in the presence of the Atma with the help of indriya.

There has been a growing appreciation of the holistic approach of Ayurveda towards the maintenance of health in healthy individuals and relieving the diseases of the suffering humanity. “Health”’ is defined and appreciated in three important in three important dimensions i.e. physical, mental, and social. During the last decade a fourth dimension, spiritual, has been added to the concept of total health. This has been described in the age-old Ayurvedic texts. Thus “positive health care through Ayurveda and the holistic approach” in positive health care are one and the same. This multidimensional approach to health care has led to the new concept of “holistic Medicine”. The first few shaloka of Ayurvedic texts are concerned with the promotion and preservation of your health. Health care through Ayurveda has arrive and it’s time has come. It is the best and most affordable mode of treatment for whole body health for all of humanity, whether in developing or already developed countries.

Each of us aspires to live a long, healthy, wealthy, beautiful and honorable life. Among all of people, health is the most fundamental goal we have, whether applied to our physical, mental, economic or spiritual goals. It makes it possible for us to achieve everything else in life. The practitioners of this science of medicine have given us many of their experiences and observations to help us along.

Every system of medicine encourages people to live right and think right. Ayurveda gives equal importance to all the four dimensions of health by prescribing daily rituals, seasonal rituals and practices of healthy life styles. Ayurveda believes that the physical, chemical and biochemical laws cannot be basically different, as they have a common origin. The recognition of consciousness or spirit is a central factor in the etiology of an illness and is the fundamental distinction between the healing traditions of east and the conventional western health care.

It provides health care with the following four ideologies:

• Promotion and Preservation of health in a healthy state.
• Therapeutic care for cure of diseases when they occur.
• Restoration of proper physiological functioning of an organ or the system caused by illness.
• Rejuvenation of the body, psyche and soul.

Ayurveda is not only the science of medicine but also a perfect science of life and longevity. The pillars of prevention, like good conduct, good thoughts, excellent social relationship, good nutrition, wholesome diet and moderate exercise are all put together to provide the holistic approach and lead to a complete cure of all diseases in a better and natural way. A vegetarian diet, regular exercise and mental relaxation alone can prevent the harmful changes in the human body. These methods can be practiced easily to develop a better healthy life style.

Ayurvedic concepts are dedicated to the view that health is a state of positive attitude and not merely a disease-free society or, as a matter of fact, a disease-free universe.

Hence, by following the Ayurvedic way of life, we follow nature and when we do that, nature always gives health, happiness and harmony to the body, psyche and soul.

Nature is so caring of individuals that it does not let one ruin oneself. Disease is nature’s way of forcing one to slow down, to follow the disciplined routine of life and also to pause and rest. Nature always warns one of the mistakes one may be making and it turns to drastic measures only when one does not respond positively to the gentle warnings. Nature always teaches us the moderation of enjoyment; it gives us the lessons of freedom and of responsibility at the same time.

Nature gives us health and health is the most excellent source of securing religious merits, material prosperity, fulfilling personal desires and finally liberation.

If we know what the signs of health and obey the tenets of Ayurvedic thought and at the same time work for it, we shall pave the way for all mankind to maintain their health in times to come as we move through life.

Here I was flat on my back lying on a hospital cart looking up at the big screen in front of me. Doctors and nurses all around me were calling out orders. What was going on?

I was mostly awake. It was quite fascinating. On the screen was something that looked like a road map. “Give me two more atmospheres,” and then again “another atmosphere,” the doctor said. What is an “atmosphere?” It was weird!

The little streets on the road map were really the arteries of my heart. The doctors and nurses were trying to save my life. My artery was completely blocked. No blood was making it through. I was having a heart attack. I was dying.

Funny thing! I never thought I was going to die. It never crossed my mind in the least.

As you can tell, I made it or I would not be writing this blog.

While in the ICU, I asked the nurse, “What is an atmosphere?” She told me that this meant that the doctor wanted more dye so he could see the artery better.

Later, I was given an x-ray picture that showed all of my arteries and there was the one that was blocked. Question: How did this happen to me? I have always tried to be fit and healthy. How could this have possibly happened?

I have now learned about LDL, HDL, Triglycerides and a lot of other things I really didn’t want to know. I have tried a number of drugs that were supposed to reduce my total cholesterol. Statins had awful side effects and damaged some of my muscles. There was another one that was supposed to work on the stomach. It gave me severe stomach cramps. So I stopped that one. On and on it went.

About a year ago, I started using the herbal cholesterol support supplements from Himaacala Health. Today my HDL, (the good cholesterol) is up 29% and the best it has been for over 10 years. My Triglycerides are down 12%. My total cholesterol is not quite where it needs to be, but it is headed in the right direction.

Question: Are your arteries clogged up? I suggest you find out. A very simple, easy, inexpensive test can tell you.

I just read an article published by Reuters U.S. News organization entitled “One-fifth of U.S. teens have unhealthy cholesterol. It points out that one in five teens have unhealthy cholesterol levels. This is a major risk factor for heart disease in adults, it says.

The article says, “Bad cholesterol can help clog arteries while good cholesterol carries away the bad stuff.”

Do the H1N1 flu shots do you any good?  Are you one of the people who need a shot? Do you already have immunity developed against this disease?  This article covers these areas of concern and you should read it and then decide for yourselves.  Remember you are ultimately the one who is in charge of your body … not the doctor.  Read this article

Adults do you get pimples?  They can be so irritating.  You certainly don’t feel like an adolescent anymore.  Here are some tips that may help you.

http://justpimple.com/index.php/adult-cystic-pimple-cure-it-now-with-3-these-tips-care

“Dried, powdered garlic in capsule form is one of the most popular food supplements taken to prevent or mitigate the effects of the H1N1 virus.”

Is garlic worth the smell … you decide.  Read this very interesting article.

In an article posted today on Yahoo entitled “What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body”, Dr. Maoshing Ni discusses the negative effects of soft drinks on your body.  As we all know, soft drinks are filled with lots of sugar.  According to Dr. Ni, the result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels.  Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.  So if what Dr. Ni says is correct, soft drinks can affect your immune system…and for the worse.

You then have the people who say, “well, I drink diet drinks.”   Dr. Ni says that the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks such as aspartame, sucralose or saccharin can actually pose a threat to your health.  Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.

The article goes on to talk about carbonation depleting calcium in your body, etc.  Read the full article.

What do you think about soft drinks?  What do you drink in place of soft drinks?  Let us know.

Looking to boost your immune system naturally?  Check out our all natural Immune Support.