Month: March 2019

Can Feng Shui Help You Live Better?

Posted on by My Health Store

Feng Shui. Is it a buzz-word, or is there something in this ancient body of knowledge that can inform and enhance modern living? A definition of feng shui is a helpful place to begin answering that question.

Feng shui originated in China, and is essentially an environmental science that is applied to create a proper flow of energy.

The philosophy and practice of feng shui is to contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities through the art of placement, for balanced energy flow. All societies possess in some form or another the knowledge that feng shui contains.

Today in the West, the practice of feng shui can advise us in creating surroundings in which we feel supported and at ease, whether at home, at work or around the community.

Many of the principles of feng shui are common sense, such as using natural lighting, fresh air ventilation, and cleanness to help both our bodies and minds remain healthy.

At the same time, feng shui contains other environmental concepts that might not seem so obvious as potentially beneficial or harmful. In fact, some harmful arrangements go unnoticed until we recognize a problem area in our life and take steps to correct the problem. Once our surrounding are properly ordered, we can connect to the energy around us that allows us to experience desired changes for the better.

Have you ever noticed that some spaces instinctively feel right?

Whether they were created by intentional design or by someone with a subconscious gift for placement and flow, there are feng shui principles at work bringing the place into harmony.

According to feng shui, two opposite forces – yin and yang – always act together to create energy.

When these positive and negative forces are balanced, we experience well-being. When one dominates, the imbalance can be harmful to well- being. While yin and yang are opposites, they are nevertheless inter-connected. Without the concept of ‘soft,’ we wouldn’t be able to truly understand ‘hard.’

More examples of yin-yang forces include still-moving, high- low, hot-cold. At extremes, the opposites change into each other: ice can cause burning, and sunstroke can cause shivering. The object in feng shui is to bring these opposites into balance.

A second principle of spaces that feel right is the idea of Chi. Chi doesn’t have a western equivalent, but loosely can be translated as the life force of animate things, the power of the sun and weather, the quality of the inanimate or of the environment. In short, the energy. When Chi is blocked in our bodies, acupuncture is used to help it flow and restore health. Where Chi is blocked in our homes or other surroundings, proper re-arrangement will get it flowing smoothly and gently once again, restoring peace and harmony for the occupants.

You could find resources online or at your local library that give very detailed and specific instructions about balancing yin and yang or enhancing the flow of Chi. But you don’t need to start with books and research in order to immediately improve your surroundings and therefore your quality of life. The most practical and beneficial place to begin applying the principles of feng shui is so simple as to be deceptive in its power~. Begin by getting rid of clutter.

Pick a place to begin that will give you momentum.

In other words, start small and complete the job. Organize a drawer, empty a closet, clear a table top. Toss or give away what you deep down know you should, and then neatly put away the rest. Now, notice how you feel around that clear and clean place. If you like the feeling, continue.

Over time, de-clutter everywhere. When that’s complete, if you like the feeling of uplift and renewal that results, you’ve reached the point when it’s time to get the resources and books. Use them to delve into the fascinating art and science of feng shui.

Why Should We Detox?

Posted on by My Health Store

Every day we brush our teeth, take a shower, and wash our hair, but we never clean out the toxic overload inside us.

Our bodies come with a highly sophisticated waste disposal system, which normally purges toxins, metabolic waste, by-products of digestion and other debris. However, we have over-stimulated, but sedentary lifestyles and we live in a highly toxic environment. Reports suggest we are exposed to up to 300 volatile organic compounds in our homes alone. In short, our systems are overwhelmed and the body’s natural defense mechanism is beginning to malfunction and symptoms of toxic overload such as fatigue, confusion, and aggression are occurring in many of us.

Over 100 million Americans suffer from some form of the digestive disease.

In fact, more Americans are hospitalized due to diseases of the digestive tract and Colon than for any other group of disorders. It is estimated that the total cost in lost work, lost wages, and medical bills are over $50 billion per year.

So, if we are to tackle toxic burdens before they manifest themselves in illness, we will take the strain off our immune systems and feel much healthier in the process.

Dangers of Soda Pop

Posted on by My Health Store

Soda Pop accounts for more than a quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States. More than 15 billion gallons were sold in 2000. That works out to at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child.

Let’s take a look at some of the major components of a can of soda:

Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body’s ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.

Sugar: One can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.

Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.

Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

Tap Water: I recommend that everyone avoid drinking tap water because it can carry any number of chemicals including chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, cadmium, and various organic pollutants. Tap water is the main ingredient in bottled soft drinks.

Soda is one of the main reasons, nutritionally speaking, why many people suffer health problems. Aside from the negative effects of the soda itself, drinking a lot of soda is likely to leave you with little appetite for vegetables, protein and other food that your body needs.

If you are still drinking soda, stopping the habit is an easy way to improve your health. Pure water is a much better choice. If you must drink a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water.

Dangers of Splenda

Posted on by My Health Store

Is Splenda Really As Safe As They Claim It to Be?

As of 2005, only six human trials have been conducted on Splenda (sucralose). Of these six trials, only two of the trials were completed and published before the FDA approved sucralose for human consumption. The two published trials had a grand total of 36 total human subjects.

36 people sure don’t sound like many but wait, it gets worse, only 23 total were actually given sucralose for testing and here is the real killer:

The longest trial at this time had lasted only four days and looked at sucralose in relation to tooth decay, not human tolerance.

McNeil Nutritionals, in their marketing pitch for Splenda, emphasizes that Splenda has endured some of the most rigorous testings to date for any food additive. Enough so to convince the average consumer that it is in fact safe. They claim that over 100 studies have been conducted on Splenda. What they don’t tell you is that most of the studies are on animals.

Is It REALLY Sugar?

There is no question that sucralose starts off as a sugar molecule, it is what goes on in the factory that is concerning. Sucralose is a synthetic chemical that was originally cooked up in a laboratory. In the five-step patented process of making sucralose, three chlorine molecules are added to a sucrose or sugar molecule. A sucrose molecule is a disaccharide that contains two single sugars bound together; glucose and fructose.

The chemical process to make sucralose alters the chemical composition of the sugar so much that it is somehow converted to a fructo-galactose molecule. This type of sugar molecule does not occur in nature and therefore your body does not possess the ability to properly metabolize it. As a result of this “unique” biochemical make-up, McNeil Nutritionals makes its claim that Splenda is not digested or metabolized by the body, making it have zero calories.

It is not that Splenda is naturally zero calories. If your body had the capacity to metabolize it then it would no longer have zero calories.