The serious impact of stress on the body should never be overlooked. Stress not only brings your overall happiness level down, but also plays a significant part in the development of illness and disease. Recent research shows how long-term stress can significantly compromise your immune system and increase your risk of contracting a cold. What’s more, the research helps to show what is widely known — that traumatic events in life often pave way for illness and disease.

Stress Compromises Immune System, Causes Vulnerability to Illness and Disease

Following the questioning of 176 men and women regarding difficult life experiences over the past 12 months, scientists dripped drops of the common cold virus into the noses of the participants. They found that those who were under stress were twice as likely to contract the cold than those not under stress. Additionally, cortisol, a stress hormone responsible for weakening the immune system, had a greater negative impact by causing persisting inflammation.

“The immune system’s ability to regulate inflammation predicts who will develop a cold, but more importantly it provides an explanation of how stress can promote disease…When under stress, cells of the immune system are unable to respond to hormonal control, and consequently, produce levels of inflammation that promote disease…Because inflammation plays a role in many diseases such as cardiovascular, asthma and autoimmune disorders, this model suggests why stress impacts them as well…Knowing this is important for identifying which diseases may be influenced by stress and for preventing disease in chronically stressed people,” researcher Professor Sheldon Cohen, of Carnegie Mellon University  said.

Needless to say, stress has been shown to compromise the body’s function in other ways as well. Disease can develop in numerous ways while under the influence of stress, and one such way is through the decline of gut health. This vital organ system is extremely vulnerable to both chronic and acute stress. Gastric secretion, gut motility, and barrier function can all be negatively altered from the presence of stress. Stress has also been shown to alter the composition of the microbiota — or the flora that resides within the gut, which could have to do with changes in neurotransmitter and inflammatory cytokin levels.

Seeing as stress has such an impact on overall health, it is important to keep stress levels down as much as possible. Perceiving everyday occurrences differently through the art of re-framing is a great first step to reducing stress, but you can also utilize many techniques on how to destress for a happy and stress-free life.

The mind is powerful – much more powerful than many individuals recognize. If you were to harness the potential of this energy transmitter in your head, then great feats could be reached far beyond what can currently be conceived. Scientists have already proven that your thoughts are powerful determining factors in your overall health, and that your mindset can ultimately create — or delay — self-healing. Whether it be thinking your way to wellness, or simply coming to a realization that you are fully capable of being healthy, the road to such successes is not a difficult one to travel. In fact, even the key to powerful fat loss can also be found in the way you think.

Changing the Way You Think is Fundamental in Attaining Great Health

Attaining superb health does not start with diet or exercise, but rather a mere thought. Consciously noticing how you think and what patterns are embedded in your mind is the absolute first and most fundamental step in reaching a 10 on the health scale. Having been exposed to 10′s of thousands of food advertisements while growing up as a child, it is easy to see how easily the mind, conscious, and subconscious can be affected. The fact of the matter is that living an unhealthy lifestyle and eating unhealthy foods is quite standard thanks to this marketing assault by the food industry.

After being subject to the advertisements, negative influences, identity issues, and consistent doubts about the strength of your willpower for so long, anyone’s way of thinking would be deeply altered. To already healthy-thinking individuals and those who have endured the hardships while reaching  for that state of healthy-thinking, living a healthy lifestyle is not only done with the utmost simplicity, but they love it. As for individuals who grew up around unhealthy-thinkers, trying to be healthy is a prodigious challenge.

If you are struggling to accelerate your quest to optimum health, then you can be sure that a change in thinking is the first step to fulfilling this mission. Altering diet or engaging in exercise can improve your health dramatically, but the improvement will not be everlasting if you’re struggling to keep the momentum. You need to ask yourself: do I want this, or do I want to want this? In other words, you need to ensure you really want to embark on the necessary path to health revolution, ultimately experiencing the beneficial end result of the health transformation. Truly wanting great health will result in all of the activity leading to your goal being enjoyable, while only longing for the end result leaves you feeling with a sense of struggle.

To truly desire great health, try visualizing what your life and body would be like once you have it. Think about how you would look and feel after having achieved your short-term goal, and then think about it again after having achieved a long-term goal. Want to kick it up and notch and really amplify progress? Imagine you are incredibly healthy and have the perfect body in the present. Feel the feelings that would be running through you if you had exactly what you wanted right now. By visualizing and imagining you have the health you want right now on a daily basis, you are training yourself to achieve that goal consciously and subconsciously.

If you want things in your life to change, you have to actually change things in your life. Change starts with a single thought which leads to a single life-changing decision.

According to the FDA, you should always seek medical advice from your orthodox medical doctor before attempting any natural healing protocol. If you do, I suggest you find one that knows what natural healing is and how it works using herbs, nutraceuticals and other adjunctive remedies. Only practitioners using drugs are allowed to claim they treat, prevent or cure disease. Natural healing practitioners may not make that claim even if their protocols actually do.

What to do and not to do – How to be Well Through Natural Healing

If you don’t know by now, pathogens are not the causes of dis-ease. They are a sign, signal or symptom of the true underlining cause; and that cause is The HONSTEC Syndrome. Of all the components of this acronym, E is most vital. E stands for Energy-in-Motion. All life depends on harmonious free flowing energy. After all, without life force energy, we cease to exist.

The other six components of this syndrome are contributing factors to the loss of energy, both at a cellular level and the body in general. Pathogenic organisms are merely opportunistic scavengers attracted to toxic, nutrient imbalanced, dehydrated hosts; humans. Regardless, there are steps they we can take to minimize exposure to and proliferation of these pathogens. Here are a few ideas.

To help avoid any infection, you should first stop doing those things that contribute to sickness and start doing those things that contribute to health. Here is a short list:

Stop –

1. Eating junk food; fried, preserved, microwaved, cooked-to-death, commercial, pesticide-laden “stuff.” There is no vitality, energy or nutrients to speak of.

2. Drinking soda filled with sugar, phosphoric acid, preservatives, dyes and other toxic chemicals. Sodas are extremely unhealthy.

3. Eating sugar! Sugar is the number one additive that compromises the immune system, creates an acid pH, lowers tissue oxygen and contributes to sickness and dis-ease. If you do eat any sugar at all, you must do something to negate, block or burn it off. Along with soda, sugar contributes to osteoporosis and the loss of vital minerals.

4. Smoking cigarettes, cigars or use of any tobacco.

5. Eating or drinking commercial, pasteurized diary products — especially if you have a lung infection. To the contrary, raw, UNpasteurized diary provides nutrients and healthy probiotics and therefore is good to consume in moderation.

6. Using your cell phone without an ear piece or Bluetooth connection.

7. Drinking alcohol in excess. One portion; glass of wine, beer or drink per day can easily be metabolized by the body and liver without complications, more than that and you risk having problems including dehydration and nutrient depletion.

8. Avoiding the sun. The sun is the single best way to acquire much needed vitamin D3. Do not use sun screen; however, do not get a sun burn.

9. Negative thoughts about you and your life or your friends or loved ones. Negative thoughts are toxic and will help to create sickness and dis-ease. The number one negative emotion is fear. Fear is usually generated from not knowing. Education and taking effect action remove fear.

Start -

1. Hydrating the body by drinking at least 64 oz. of pristine distilled water daily with added electrolytic minerals. Add an alkalizer to insure an alkaline pH, negative ionic charge and to neutralize the effects of chlorine.

2. Detoxifying the body on a regular basis.

3. Remineralize and fortify the body with a full complex of mineral supplement.

4. Regulating and normalizing glucose.

5. Modulating the immune system with any one of many foods and products including garlic, onions, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, Asian mushrooms and more.

6. Relaxing by getting plenty of rest and sleep.

7. Oxygenating through regular, effective exercise.

8. De-Stressing by practicing stress releasing techniques like EFT or the Healing Codes.

9. Washing your hands each time you touch possible contaminated articles and especially after shaking someone’s hand. Wash your hands at least three or more times per day. Do NOT use anti-bacterial soap as this only lowers your resistance to infections over time.

10. Avoiding people that are coughing and sneezing or are obviously sick. Although only sick people get sick there is no need to be heavily exposed.

11. Eating a lot of alkaline foods. Pathogenic organisms typically do NOT thrive in an alkaline environment. Eat and juice the following now and forever:

A. Alkalinizing Vegetables

Alfalfa, Barley Grass, Beets, Beet Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard Greens, Chlorella, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Dandelions, Dulce, Edible Flowers, Eggplant, Fermented Veggies, Garlic, Green Beans, Green Peas, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Nightshade Veggies, Onions, Parsnips (caution: high glycemic), Peas, Peppers, Pumpkin, Radishes, Rutabaga, Sea Veggies, Spinach, Spirulina, Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Watercress, Wheat Grass and Wild Greens.

B. Alkalinizing Fruits

Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana (caution: high glycemic), Berries, Blackberries, Cantaloupe Cherries (sour), Coconut (fresh), Currants, Dates (dried), Figs (dried), Grapes, Grapefruit, Honeydew Melon, Lemon, Lime, Muskmelons, Nectarine, Orange, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Raisins, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Strawberries. Tangerine, Tomato, Tropical Fruits, Umeboshi Plums and Watermelon.

C. Alkalinizing Protein

Almonds, Chestnuts, Millet, Tempeh (fermented), Tofu (fermented), Whey Protein Powder, Super Kamut™.

D. Alkalinizing Other

Apple Cider Vinegar, Bee Pollen, Lecithin Granules, Molasses (blackstrap), Probiotic Cultures, Soured Dairy Products, Green Juices, Veggie Juices, Fresh Fruit Juice, Mineral Water, Alkaline Antioxidant Water.

E. Alkalinizing Sweeteners

Stevia, Xylitol (neutralizes).

F. Alkalinizing Minerals

Cesium: pH 14, Potassium: pH 14, Sodium: pH 14, Calcium: pH 12, Magnesium: pH 9

G. Alkalinizing Spices and Seasonings

Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Mustard, Chili Pepper, Sea Salt, Miso, Tamari, All Herbs including the following teas: ginger, cayenne, red clover, etc.

H. Alkalinizing Oriental Vegetables

Maitake, Daikon, Dandelion Root, Shitake, Kombu, Reishi, Nori, Umeboshi, Wakame.

I. Potassium Broth Soup

In a large cooking pot cut up fresh, organic vegetables such as cabbage, celery, potato, onions, garlic, beets, carrots, ginger and others. Pour distilled water to top. Simmer for a couple of hours then screen off the vegetables leaving pure vegetable broth. Drink as much as you want.

Remember, you don’t need to adhere strictly to the alkaline side of the chart, just make sure a good percentage of the foods you eat come from that side. Our bodies are alkaline by design and acid by function. The fluids that make up 75% plus of your body must remain alkaline for you to experience optimal health. Maintaining proper alkalinity is essential for life, health, and vitality. Simply, an imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition favorable to the growth of bacteria, yeast and other unwanted organisms. All leading biochemists and medical physiologists have recognized pH (or the acid-alkaline balance) as the most important aspect of a balanced and healthy body.

*Dr. James Chappell is a retired board certified chiropractic primary physician, traditional naturopath, clinical nutritionist, medical herbalist and master formulator with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Since 1971, he has been an avid health researcher and educator specializing in teaching and incorporating natural healing protocols for chronic, severe and so-called “terminal” illnesses. He does not treat patients or dis-ease. He teaches those interested in advanced natural healing. His books and nutritional products are found throughout the world. His services are sought globally, as well. Contact information: calldrjim@sbcglobal.net 805-646-1193.

There is often a large barrier between those in favor of eastern medicine and those in favor of western medicine. Methods of healing are drastically different, with western medicine being much more ‘unnatural’ than eastern. Eastern philosophy uses whole-food formulas to nourish the body’s natural healing abilities while western philosophy isolates and forces therapeutic actions to ‘treat’ disease.

Infographic | Eastern vs. Western Medicine

Eastern examination works with the elements earth, fire, wood, metal, and water to interpret the relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment. Western medicine uses vital signs like height, weight, and body temperate, and general appearance for health examination.

Due to the harsh, ineffective, and dependency-driven aspects of Western medicine, Eastern medical philosophies are regaining popularity. Pharmaceutical drugs are vastly overused, leading to detrimental health effects. These drugs are dished out by profit-driven health officials who simply would not profit if the world were to awaken to the plethora of free health-promoting substances.

An infographic comparing Eastern and Western practices goes on to show how an Eastern practice like acupuncture can provide faster and safer treatments than pharmaceutical medications. A migraine can be treated with one acupuncture session, compared to western medicine where you would be dependent on harmful pain medications. Similarly, 8-25 treatments of acupuncture can treat back/neck pain, while western medicine would tackle the issue with more everlasting pain medication.

While Eastern practices are growing in popularity, Western medicine still blankets over the majority of the population. Even though Eastern medicine is still picking up, more and more people are deciding to cut out conventional medicine while turning to more natural treatments such as vitamins and foods like turmeric. In fact, there have been 0 deaths from vitamins over the past 27 years and over 3 million deaths related to prescription drug use.

Sometimes it really is the thinking that makes it so. Spend your days focusing on your vibrant health and you will be vibrantly healthy. In contrast you could make it known that you lack a healthy lifestyle, and as a result you will continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle. While this belief is held by many, a recent study has come out with even mainstream scientists proclaiming the very real power of thought.

Scientists Find Promoting Own Wellbeing Leads to Longevity

During the 70′s more than 8,000 individuals participated in a study where they self-rated their health and were given a medical checkup. Three decades later the participants were reassessed. While taking in risk factors such as tobacco, chronic diseases, and high blood pressure, the scientists found that the individuals who responded positively were more likely to outlive those who replied in the negative. In other words, positive thinking promotes healing and quality health.

It is important to realize that your mind can sometimes be your own worst enemy, or it could be your savior. Increasingly, it is being recognized that a ‘mind over matter’ approach can actually produce noticeable results in your health.

Past research has found that savoring the moment and positive thinking can help to not only improve your current health, but also prevent future health complications. In particular, the findings found positive thoughts to be especially beneficial to those already suffering from diseases like coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.

One very ‘accepted’ example of how thoughts can produce self-healing is when patients demonstrate improved health benefits after being given placebos. It has been found that participants often respond positively to placebos due to the expectation that they are receiving a real medicinal solution. This leads to a mental response that stimulates healing through stress reduction and a number of other factors. This kind of self-treatment can be seen in one case where a woman’s own thoughts made her lose nearly 112 pounds.

Thoughts and thinking are very powerful tools in life. If you believe your illness is becoming worse, it will likely become worse. If you think it is becoming better, it will likely become better. Make every attempt to de-stress the brain, as it will be much easier to come to the realization that your own thoughts and beliefs really can cause self-healing. Search for the gold, and begin promoting your own wellbeing right away.

If you are struggling with any major health concern, it is important to realize that your mind can sometimes be your own worse enemy, or it could be the main reason for treating a problem. Increasingly, it is being recognized that a ‘mind over matter’ approach can actually produce noticeable results in your health.

Numerous studies abound on the nature of the mind body relationship, and how your mind can affect your biological functions. Much like how a hypochondriac may convince himself that he is sick, and subsequently ‘find’ (or make up) symptoms of his illness, a negative or even apathetic mindset may induce you into a lesser state of health.

Conversely, having a generally positive disposition or outlook with regards to your health may actually make you healthier. In clinical studies where patients are given placebos, they often will respond positively to them due to the expectation that they are receiving some form of beneficial medicine. Although not talking about placebo sugar pills specifically this kind of self-treatment can be seen in one case where a woman’s own thoughts made her lose nearly 112 pounds.

Proof that Your Own Thoughts and Beliefs Can Cause Self-Healing

What makes these test subjects have a positive response? Definitely not the sugar. An assumed belief that they are being positively affected by whatever they may have been given is what actually causes the change . If this is the case, then it means that your mental state plays a vital role in how your health progresses, or degenerates.

The power of the mind is immense. Its influence can literally bend reality to match its perspective. You can often influence a situation more by thinking about it meticulously, as opposed to simply acting. If you believe something to be true, you will conform the world around you to match this expectation.

If you believe that your illness is getting worse, it will probably get worse. If you believe that your treatment is helping you, you could actually cause massive self-healing to occur. Assuming a disposition will automatically prejudice your mind, and therefore cause your body to react either positively or negatively.

This applies to all things, not just health and wellness. Assuming a positive attitude and an optimistic demeanor will actually help you to overcome your trials in life, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional.

Though we face these trials, let them not be overwhelming or intimidating. Meet them with optimism and enthusiasm, expecting all the while to overcome them.

A new study has found that consuming fruit with a white interior, such as apples and pears, can protect your body against strokes — adding to the pile of research that suggests fruit consumption can help slash your risk of disease. Fruit with a white interior contain both fiber and flavonoids, two potent nutrients that researchers say is why these foods are so protective against stroke.

CBS News reports:

“Two nutrients in particular,” Phillips said. “The first is fiber. Fiber has been shown to lower your blood pressure, probably the most important factor for reducing stroke risk. Another is a flavonoid that prevents plaque building up in the arteries, which also prevents heart disease.

“Both apples and pears, in particular, are high in those nutrients. Cauliflower, cucumbers, bananas — all of those things are high in those nutrients that prevent stroke.”

“The most important risk factors (for stroke), Phillips pointed out, “are high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Outside of that, if you cut out the smoking, you’re cutting your risk dramatically. Diabetes is a risk factor, and a previous history of heart disease or a family history of stroke, they matter also.

In a shocking new report, health officials have announced that an estimated 366 million people worldwide currently suffer from diabetes. In addition, 1 person dies as a result of diabetes every 7 seconds. What is even more troubling is the fact that diabetes is a preventable disease that is primarily surging due to excessive fructose consumption and poor exercise habits.  In fact, high fructose corn syrup (50% of which was found to contain mercury) is now the number ONE source of calories in the United States. For sources and further detail see our special report on the subject entitled Experts Agree – Sugar is a Health Destroyer.

The Boston Globe reports:

The federation called for concrete measures to stop the epidemic, urging officials focusing on chronic diseases at a United Nations meeting next week to commit to specific targets to prevent cases and to invest in more research.

“The clock is ticking for the world’s leaders,’’ said Jean Claude Mbanya, the group’s president, in a statement. “We expect action from their meeting next week at the United Nations that will halt diabetes’ relentlessly upwards trajectory.’’

The figures were announced in Lisbon, during the European meeting of the group, an umbrella organization that represents associations from more than 160 countries.

It estimated that diabetes causes 4.6 million deaths every year and that health systems spend $465 billion annually fighting the disease. That includes both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Generally considered to be an indicator of poor heart health, mainstream medical science suggests that increased cholesterol levels are a sign of poor health — particularly heart health. A new study unveils an interesting finding surrounding cholesterol levels, with researchers finding that higher cholesterol levels dramatically lower cancer mortality rates. In fact, the study reportedly managed to “confirm the significant association between low cholesterol and cancer mortality.”

GreenMedInfo reports on the study’s abstract:

The beneficial effect of lipid-lowering drugs (LLD) on cardiovascular risk is established, but long term safety data remain scarce. Our aim was to assess 10-year risk of cancer mortality according to blood lipoprotein levels and LLD exposure, in a general population.

Methods: Our analysis was based on the Third French MONICA survey on cardiovascular risk factors (1994-1997). Participants were randomly recruited from the general population of three French areas and were aged 35-64 years. Subjects with a history of cancer at baseline were excluded from the analysis. Vital status and cause of mortality were obtained 10 years after inclusion.

Results: There were 3262 participants and 177 deaths were recorded over the 10-year period (78 due to a cancer). The sample comprised 64% of normolipidaemic, 25% of untreated dyslipidaemic and 11% of dyslipidaemic subjects treated with LLD (4% statins, 6% fibrates and 1% other hypolipidaemic drugs). After adjustment for centre, age, gender, smoking, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and mean corpuscular volume, the hazard ratios (HR) for cancer mortality in subjects with non-HDL cholesterol<3.5 mmol/L (135 mg/dL) and in those with HDL cholesterol<0.90 mmol/L (35 mg/dL) were 2.74 (95% confidence interval: 1.66-4.52, p < 0.001) and 2.83 (1.62-4.96, p < 0.001), respectively. The adjusted HR for cancer mortality was 0.31 (0.11-0.86, p = 0.025) in people on LLD compared to untreated subjects.

Performing selfless acts of volunteering for others may result in a longer life, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. Volunteers who reported volunteering for altruistic values or a desire for social connections lived longer than people who didn’t volunteer. Similar benefits may be exhibited from working for a particular cause that you believe in.

ScienceDaily reports:

“This could mean that people who volunteer with other people as their main motivation may be buffered from potential stressors associated with volunteering, such as time constraints and lack of pay,” said the study’s lead author, Sara Konrath, PhD, of the University of Michigan.

Researchers examined data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which has followed a random sample of 10,317 Wisconsin high school students from their graduation in 1957 until the present. The sample is 51.6 percent female, with an average age of 69.16 years in 2008.

In 2004, respondents reported whether they had volunteered within the past 10 years and how regularly. They reported their reasons for volunteering (or the reasons they would volunteer, for those who had not done so) by answering 10 questions. Some motives were more oriented toward others (e.g., “I feel it is important to help others,” or “Volunteering is an important activity to the people I know best”) and some that were more self-oriented (e.g., “Volunteering is a good escape from my own troubles,” or “Volunteering makes me feel better about myself”).