General Health

Protecting Your Health from the Hazards of Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are environmental pollutants that mimic estrogen in the human body.  These chemical toxins are causing serious problems with the health of both men and women.  This article examines what they are, how to avoid them, and how to detoxify from them.

According to a United Nations poll, Americans rank 47th in actual health. Think about that... there are Third World countries that enjoy better health than we do. Will federal government involvement and insuring more people really make us healthier? Will our healthcare system improve under this law or worsen?  Here are some thoughts on what is really needed to reform our health care system and ensure better health for the American people.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Without question, it is linked to our poor diet, exposure to environmental toxins, and sedentary lifestyles.  However, the heart is also a seat of emotion, and our inability to deal with our emotional heart in a healthy way is also a major contributing factor to heart disease.  Fortunately, our green friends, the herbs, can help both the physical and emotional aspects of heart problems.

A parody on American Pie by Don McLean about drug companies and herbs.  This is not a finished work. I was searching for a file on my computer and found this piece, which was actually started in August of 2002.  I liked it, so I added a little more to it and I'm posting it here just for fun.  Perhaps someday I'll finish the whole piece  (it needs two more verses to match the original).

A Dose of Common Sense is

All That's Needed to Use

Herbs and Supplements Safely

Just prior to the turn of this past century, herbs were enjoying some very positive press. When I wrote this article, a period of favorable coverage on herbs and natural healing in the press had just ended.  The media praise botanical medicines enjoyed in the late 1990s turned negative again.

Chronic Pain Relief:

A Tribute to Dr. C. Samuel West

In my Fundamentals of Natural Healing course I talk a lot about reversing the pain of injuries by using techniques like pressure, massage and rapid-light stroking. However, as I've been working on a generic book on the same topic, I remembered that I'd left out something very important. I realized that I hadn't addressed the value of these techniques for relieving chronic pain, such as arthritis pain. When I remembered the experience I had with my knee, I realized that it was quite a remarkable story, one that dramatically demonstrates the value of these techniques. So, I'd like to share it with you.

Forgive me for being cynical, but do you ever get the feeling that the news media is out to keep everybody in a constant state of fear?  Yes, it's true that we could have an epidemic of the flu or some other contagious disease.  It's also true that disasters can strike at any time.  But if we're prepared with the right supplies and the right attitude, there's no reason to be afraid.

Cleansing is a major therapy employed by many herbalists, nutritionists and natural healers to promote good health.  The goal of cleansing is to help rid of the body of toxins. In this article, I explore the role of good nutrition in supporting the enzyme systems and helping the body eliminate toxins.

Before I started working for Nature's Sunshine Products in 1984, I spent a full year working with Dr. C. Samuel West and his International Academy of Lymphology.  The most important thing I gained from working with Dr. West was the knowledge of how to relieve pain.  Using the principles I learned from that pioneer in applied lymphology, I have been able to relieve the pain in relatively short periods of time.  Understanding what causes pain and how it can be relieved has also given me unique insights into the disease process in general—and how herbs work to correct it.

Periodically, I see pictures showing this black, rubbery, gooey material people have passed while doing cleanses.  I'm very familiar with some of this stuff because I've passed it during my own cleanses.  People claim that this “gunk” was stuck to the lining of the colon for years and that the cleanse released it.  I used to believe this myself but I've discovered this isn't what's happening at all.  Here's an explanation of what is going on.

One of the major therapies in natural healing is the “cleanse.”  Detoxification is a major part of the holistic approach natural healers and therapists take to various health problems.  Most of the focus is on cleansing the body, but it has been my observation that what is happening on the physical level is often deeply connected to what is happening on the mental, emotional and spiritual levels of our being.  In this article I explore how "letting go" of things and allowing our lives to empty out creates the space that welcomes in the new.

It's an interesting paradox, but the more tense you are, the less energy you have. The more relaxed you are, the more energy you will have when you need it.  As the body loses energy, you become increasingly tense. As you lose energy, you also become increasingly sick. This article explores the relationship between muscle tension, energy storage and health. It was originally written in October of 2007 and was revised and updated in February 2014.