Happy Holidays Everyone

Happy Holidays Friends!

Pro Biotics Should Be Your Family’s Special Winter Time Friend

Pro Biotics are your family’s friend all year round, but the Winter time brings with it physical

stresses from the cold as well as holiday stress. This is the time that we sneak sugar treats left and right. It’s also the time to spend with family and in-laws. I’m just saying … This is when your body needs to be guarded against flu and other virus’ because the perfect storm is brewing otherwise.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to your overall health, specifically the digestive system. If your gut is healthy, of course, your body feels more in balance.

There are many things that can cause an imbalance in the bacteria living in your gut. You always have some invasive bacteria from food and other sources that are being balanced out by the friendly bacteria that lives in the gut. If you take an antibiotic, it will shoot bacteria like a shotgun taking down all of the bacteria, both good and bad. When the friendly bacteria is killed off, the balance goes awry and you are overtaken by yeast or other bacteria. This can cause unstoppable diahrrea. It can be pretty serious. This is why people supplement their diet with a probiotic supplement or make sure to eat certain fermented foods that contain natural probiotics.

Probiotics are the ingredients that the yogurt makers brag about. This is also why it is recommended that you eat yogurt when taking an antibiotic to keep the friendly cultures up in your gut.

Some health professionals might say that you don’t necessarily  need to supplement, because your body will find a natural balance. Ask your nutritionist or an informed person at your  natural grocers and they will answer questions that you have.

Personally, I take a Probiotic daily and my digestion is great and I’ve passed over the flu and colds for the past several winters.

Checkout www.sunwarrior.com for more information about Probiotics.

Give Good Health For Christmas – A Reflexology Treatment

I’ve been a Massage Therapist since the 70’s. To this day, I still talk to people who would like to get a massage, but are shy about the prospects. It took many years for my Mother to let me work on her. She didn’t want to take her clothes off, and importantly, she didn’t want to get oil in her hair, and on and on with excuses.

Foot Reflexology doesn’t require much effort on the part of the recipient, and most shy peoples feelings about it are much different. They can sit back in a chair fully clothed, close their eyes and be pampered.

Foot Reflexology is an ancient practice recorded back as far as 2330 BC. Some symbols were recorded on statues of Buddha in India and China. Even Marco Polo translated a Chinese Book about the practice from Chinese to Italian in the 1300’s.

In Reflexology, specific points on the hands, ears, and feet are known to correspond to specific organs and systems throughout the body. By accessing those points with their fingers, a Reflexology Practitioner will encourage energy and circulation or flushing to the organ or system to prevent or remove stagnation. The points that I referred to are shown in posters and drawings all over the world.

There are certain aspects of the therapy that seem to be universally believed in, but some of the smaller details differ. The feet and body are divided into zones. Horizontally, the foot is divided into four sections in correlation to the body.  By looking at the picture shown, you can probably start to understand how a practitioner can feel the strengths and weaknesses in a clients body simply by exploring their feet for fluctuations in texture or temperature or even something more subtle.

The body is also divided into vertical zones which pass through every organ and system in the body. By accessing these points, the Practitioner will stimulate the deepest organs in the body. Another benefit is that this therapy is performed directly to the nervous system, the client often finds very deep relaxation during a treatment.

I recommend a Reflexology gift certificate for that person that is nervous about a full body massage. This therapy, when performed gently and deliberately can be an incredibly beneficial treatment.

Finding a reputable Reflexologist in your area can be done by accessing the National Certification

Board Directory, or by searching a Licensed Therapist through your state licensee directory.

After a great Reflexology treatment, by drinking lots of water, the body will flush toxins for a few days afterwards. This aids the body in a mini – detox and brings a fresh and rested look to the face and skin. Reflexology is also known to relieve pain and is performed for migraine headaches, arthritis, constipation, and too many ills to count!

The cost for a Reflexology treatment can range from $25.00 to $45.00 for a 30 minute treatment. Some Practitioners work on the ears and hands too, some just the feet. Ask your salon about a treatment before your next pedicure. This is a perfect way to begin the next year!

Comfort Foods May Cause Dis-Comfort

Why do your joints ache so much during the winter months? From my own experience and lifestyle, it’s my diet. No, I don’t just go into eating donuts and pasta when it starts getting colder, but I crave and find comfort in the foods that cause inflammation in the body. Yeah, sorry to say that almost all comfort foods cause inflammation. Let me clarify what the comfort foods are.

Oh, the holidays. What a wonderful time to eat cookies and fudge! The problem is (according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) that those ingredients ending in “ose” (fructose, etc.) trigger the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines which may cause your chronic arthritis pain to be worse. Be sure to read labels, and when possible make your own sugar free or low sugar fruit treats over the holidays.

Saturated fats are found in cheese, meats, pasta, and many of the other main dish meals served over the holidays. It can be helpful to fill your plate with salads, and vegetables, and avoid the dips. Trans fats are found in Mom’s breakfast treats like donuts, margarines, and frozen breakfast products.

Since you never know what type of oil the hors d'oeuvres and salad dressings are made with, you can eat before you go and pass on the snacks at the party. There are many other hidden items that can be found in festive holiday meals like gluten, preservatives, meats, and the best celebration treat, alcohol!

Here’s the bottom line; If you have chronic inflammation, be careful over the holidays. I like to trade off so I don’t have to suffer. If I want to eat dessert, I skip the bread and butter. These trade offs help me to keep my weight and my arthritis pain

under control.

Have a wonderful and pain-free holiday season everybody!
Eat more salad!