Our bodies are polluted with toxins every day. Some toxins, like those found in medications and the foods we eat, are consumed deliberately. Others, like carbon monoxide, infiltrate our bodies when we were driving or walking. Over time, these pollutants can harm our immune system, encourage digestive problems and bring about other health conditions. Detoxing your body regularly purges the toxins and helps your organs function properly. Here’s your body detox blueprint:

#1 - Add fiber to your diet. Fresh fruits, vegetables, black beans and almonds are perfect. If you have trouble eating these foods regularly, use a psyllium husk supplement.

#2 - Drink plenty of water throughout the day. You should drink at least two quarts of water each day. Drink three, if possible.

#3 - Drink green tea to help cleanse the liver of toxins each day.

#4 - Take steps to reduce your stress. This can include yoga, meditation, or simply modifying your behavioral and emotional reactions to events.

#5 - Do cardiovascular exercises. One of ways your body naturally purges toxins is through sweat. Exercise daily and sweat them out.

#6 - Practice deep breathing. Most people breathe shallowly, preventing oxygen from fully circulating through the blood. Breathing deeply oxygenates and cleanses the blood.

Detoxification is often neglected, but plays an important role in your overall health. The accumulation of pollutants in your body can have a long lasting impact if left unchecked. Help your body purge toxins by following the detox blueprint above.

It’s estimated that up to 15% of adults cope with insomnia and far more deal with short-term

sleep problems. The effects go far beyond grumpiness and feelings of sluggishness. Prolonged

lack of sleep has several impacts to your health including the onset of depression,

anxiety-related issues and even physical illness. Finding a way to eliminate, or at least

reduce, insomnia begins with identifying the cause.

There are a number of reasons why people suffer from insomnia. Stress is definitely a

leading cause as is the use of caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants. But, poor sleep

habits can make matters even worse. For example, not having a normal time when you go to bed

prevents your body and mind from knowing when they’re tired.

If you’re dealing with insomnia, there are several steps you should take to get a good

night’s sleep. First, set a sleeping schedule. It’s a crucial step to training your mind to

prepare itself for sleep each night. Second, get rid of as many stimulants as you can from

your diet. That includes caffeine, alcohol and even tobacco. Third, you need to get into the

habit of exercising each day. Lack of activity makes your mind restless, keeping you up at

night.  I have also heard some people say a bit of apple cider vinegar on your pillow will

hepl.

A lot of people who suffer from insomnia can sleep restfully each night by making those few

changes in their lifestyle. If you’ve tried these things and still can’t get to sleep, you

need to talk witha health care professional.

Back pain can be debilitating. The sharp jolts of pain can shoot through your spine and travel the length of your legs. It can prevent you from walking, sitting, or even sleeping comfortably. It often manifests when muscles and nerves become strained or inflamed. Those who suffer from chronic back pain may be able to gain relief by modifying their lifestyle. Here are 3 tips for getting relief:

#1 - Lose Weight

Carrying extra weight around puts a burden on your spine. Even being 20 pounds overweight can lead to stressed muscles. Review your diet and try eliminating non-healthy foods. Bring your weight down to reduce the pressure placed on your spine.

#2 - Try Yoga

Many of the poses taught in yoga are designed to stretch your spine to relieve pressure. It has the secondary benefit of increasing the strength in your back muscles. Stronger muscles are less likely to be strained easily. Try the Cobra posture by laying on your stomach. Slowly, raise your head, shoulders and chest from the floor. Then, lower them. 15 minutes each day should relieve some of the pain.

#3 - Acupuncture

Acupuncture has helped many people gain relief from persistent back pain. While doctors are hesitant to recommend it, acupuncture has a long history of providing relief for a host of ailments including back pain.

Those 3 tips have provided relief to many people who were suffering from pinched nerves, stressed back muscles and inflamed joints. If your back is keeping you from an active lifestyle, drop a few pounds, try the Cobra posture and consider acupuncture.

Metabolism is usually associated with weight loss. But, keeping your metabolism elevated throughout the day does more than just help you maintain a healthy weight. It improves the clarity of your mind and increases your energy levels. Even if you have a naturally slow metabolism, you can take steps to boost it, improving your health and the way you feel.

The foods you eat and the timing of your meals determines when your body burns or conserves fat. Prolonged periods without food send a signal to your metabolism to slow down and conserve energy. Overeating strains your system and reduces your energy levels. The key is to find the balance.

Keep a journal for several weeks and note how you feel after meals. Don’t rely upon the labels to tell you what constitutes a serving. Instead, observe how your body feels. A balanced diet should be comprised of 25% of the right kinds of fat, 25% lean protein and 50% complex carbohydrates. The carbohydrates should be low on the glycemic index. Eat small meals interspersed with a few snacks.

By feeding your body small, balanced meals at regular intervals throughout the day, you send a continuous signal to your metabolism to burn fat. This helps maintain your energy levels and improves your focus. What’s more, if you are getting exercise, your raised metabolism will help your body shed unwanted pounds.

If you feel sluggish, hazy, or you experience a daily afternoon energy crash, eat the right foods at the right time and boost your metabolism.

Fat has largely gotten a bad name. Most people intuitively think of fat in terms of being

overweight. While some fats are unhealthy and you should avoid them whenever possible, other

fats are necessary for our bodies to function properly. Omega-3 fatty acids contain

nutrients that are valuable for our health and yet our bodies can’t synthesize them. In

order to take advantage of these fatty acids, we must ingest them by eating certain fruits,

vegetables, fish or by taking supplements.

Scientists have found that Omega-3 fatty acids have a positive effect on a wide range of

health conditions. For example, they can reduce the symptoms associated with ADHD,

rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain and even depression. What’s more, Omega 3s can support the

immune system, preventing pathogens, bacteria and viruses from spreading through your body.

Research is ongoing regarding the health effects of Omega 3s. While the medical community

didn’t immediately recognize the value of these fatty acids, they’ve been more willing to do

so in recent years. In 2004 prompted by mounting evidence from clinical tests, the FDA

upgraded the status of Omega 3s. In doing so, they claimed that existing research supports

earlier speculation that the fatty acids lessen the likelihood of developing coronary heart

disease.

While you can take a supplement, eating food is still the best way to get Omega 3s. In fact,

the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice each week. If your diet

won’t allow for eating fish that often, you can also eat broccoli, walnuts, spinach and a

number of other foods which contain Omega 3s. The key is to include them as a regular part

of your diet.

You may not taste them, but there are a lot of different chemicals present in the foods we

eat. Farmers use pesticides and chemical fertilizers on their crops to keep them safe and

increase their harvest. Plus, they feed their animals hormones and medications that protect

them from disease and cause them to grow more quickly. Unfortunately, no matter how well you

wash your food, there’s no way to avoid ingesting these chemicals. That is, unless you buy

and eat organic food.

Organic food is grown differently than regular food. They’re not treated with pesticides and

other chemicals. The animals aren’t fed hormones to promote their growth. Instead, natural

fertilizers are used and the animals are allowed to graze naturally. When organic fruit,

vegetables, dairy and meat reaches the stores, they’re free of the chemicals that are found

in traditionally grown food.

By eating only foods that are grown organically, you can avoid consuming the pesticides,

hormones and other substances that are always present in “normal” food. And while existing

research isn’t conclusive about the long-term health effects of these chemicals, it’s better

to avoid them.

The only drawback is that organic food costs more than conventionally grown food. This is

because the farmers use techniques that are more expensive and the amount of food that each

crop produces is lower. But, the higher price is worth paying to avoid the pesticides and

chemicals that are soaked into most of the foods on the grocery store shelves.

The foods we eat are increasingly filled with chemicals and other substances that can raise

the level of toxicity in our bodies. Over time, this rising toxicity can have a number of

effects on your health. Your body’s natural ability to filter toxins through the liver,

kidneys and bowels can suffer. If you’re not taking steps to regularly detoxify your body,

you may feel sluggish and even experience frequent bouts of discomfort and illness.

The goal of detoxification is to help your body maintain its natural cleansing process and

to purge the harmful toxins that have built up. Normally, your organs can filter out foreign

agents through urine, sweat and your body’s elimination process. However, their ability to

do so can decline if the level of toxicity remains high for long periods of time.

Ideally, a detoxification diet should focus on the kidneys, liver, lungs and bowels. Meat

should be avoided because it’s difficult to digest. Instead, raw vegetables that contain a

high level of fiber should be eaten. Coffee, teas, soda and other beverages should be

sacrificed for water. You should also exercise to allow your body to purge toxins through

sweat.

After detoxifying your body, you’ll find that you have more energy and feel better. Plus,

your immune system will be better able to withstand diseases, reducing the chances of your

becoming ill. Our bodies have an amazing ability to remain healthy despite the foreign

toxins that we consume. That being said, periodic detoxification is important to help our

organs perform efficiently.

I did find another articles about probiotics, but alas it was a commercial for a prebiotic product called InuFlora (from Naturally vitamins).  The argument being that probiotics taken orally cannot survive the acidic environment of the stomach.  Also they stated that these friendly bacteria help our immune system function.  These inulins are undigestible fiber and therefore do not contribute calories to your diet.