Chronic stress doesn’t always have a simple solution. It doesn’t usually have a single cause. There is no doubt, however, that a sense of powerlessness lies at the center of that emotional cyclone. Whether the stress is due to financial concerns, a job you hate, a relationship doomed to fail, an imminent or recent loss, or any number of issues, if you could have changed it, you would have changed it. You either can’t, or at least you can’t see how to change it right now, so you worry and fret and cry and shake your fist at the universe or you suffer quietly while stress eats you alive.

There are a number of things you should never do to deal with stress and there are a number of things you can do that will help get you through to the other side.

What Should You Avoid When You Are Dealing With Stress

Too often our “go to” coping mechanisms are short term solutions that may make us feel better for the moment but are guaranteed to make us feel worse in the long run. You know what they are:

• Alcohol
• Junk food
• Caffeine
• Nicotine
• Drugs

Have any of these ever actually helped? Aren’t all of these coping methods a form of self abuse?

When stress is overwhelming, it is time to take exceptional care of our bodies and our psyches, not add to physical and mental stress.

What You Should Do To Deal With Stress

When it comes to dealing with stress, mindset is everything. We can always count on life to throw challenges at us. How we deal with them is the key. My favorite analogy is a wave. You can stand at the shore and get bowled over by the force of it, or you can learn to ride the wave. The choice is yours.

Life will never be fair or just. Your job is to be the best version of you, that you can be, regardless of the circumstances. Part of that process is knowing that most of the things in your life are in your control. Most of the things that happen to us, are due to our choices. Those that aren’t –well, those are the times when all we can do is control our reaction.

When your mind is swirling with the problems at hand, write them down. Start a journal. Use pros and cons lists to problem solve, when you can. If nothing else, getting it down on paper helps you to stop reliving and rehearsing–churning the events around and around.

Create a “to do” list. Divide it into short, fast tasks and long tasks. Now prioritize. Start with the short list and accomplish something.

Sleep. Schedule a solid eight hours a night for sleep. If you are suffering from insomnia, see the link below. (And keep your journal beside your bed to write down anything that is occupying your mind when you try to sleep).

Breathe properly, and deeply. Meditate. Take up yoga or Tai Chi.

Exercise. At the very least, walk, dance, use a rebounder, or jump rope–just move each day.

Do something for yourself each and every day. Many of us, especially if we are parents, have forgotten that we have needs, too. Find a small thing (or a big one!) to do for yourself each day. A bubble bath, a massage, a nature trail–whatever feeds your soul.

A Healthy Diet

Stress takes its toll on the body. Your adrenals are overworked and likely exhausted. You are at high risk for illness because your immune system is probably not working at its best. This is the time to eat the best possible diet. Avoid all processed foods. Do not eat anything with artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, MSG, GMOs, or trans fats. Make fresh, raw, organic produce the mainstay of your diet–more vegetables than fruit. All meat should be organic. Remember to add healthy fats to your diet. Avoid conventional dairy and gluten. And don’t eat sugar!

Supplements and Herbs to Help You Deal With Stress

The following supplements will help you feel more relaxed, help you avoid illness, and help you sleep:

• Vitamin B complex
• Tryptophan
• Calcium Magnesium
• Vitamin C and D
• Multi-vitamin
• Omega 3s
• Melatonin and Valerian Root (if insomnia is a problem)
• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula and Brain Tonic

Vitamin B Complex

While a few of the B vitamins are regularly recommended for stress, it is always best to take B vitamins in a B complex form, as B vitamins work together. Research has also shown that taking one B vitamin alone over time can actually cause deficiencies in other B vitamins. B vitamins are nature’s valium. They soothe the nervous system and aid in many functions in the body and brain. They may also help you sleep. On the other hand, when dealing with stress, a little extra B-5 can be a big help. There are some complex B supplements that add extra of one or two B vitamins depending on what the formula is designed to do.

L-Tryptophan

L- tryptophan is an amino acid our body needs in order to make serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is the basic “feel good” neurotransmitter, whereas melatonin is needed for sleep.

Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium and magnesium work together. Magnesium is calming to the body. You can take it as a supplement, or soak for 40 minutes in epsom salts.

Vitamin C and Vitamin D

In times of great stress, the immune system is often suppressed. Vitamin C and D aid the immune system and may keep you from catching a virus at an already difficult time.

Multi-vitamin or Total Nutrition Formula

Times of high stress are a good time to ensure all of your nutritional needs are met. A daily multi-vitamin and/or Total Nutrition Formula will aid you get all the nutrients your body requires. See how to make your own Total Nutrition Formula in the “Further Reading” section below.

Omega 3s

Krill oil, flax seed oil, fish oil, or a good oil blend will help with stress and aid in concentration and mood stabilization.

Melatonin and Valerian Root

If L-tryptophan and B vitamins have not reversed your insomnia, add melatonin and valerian root to your nightly routine.

Shillington’s Nerve Sedative

This is a tincture that contains the following: valerian rhizome, hops flowers, passion flowers, lobelia, black cohosh root, blue cohosh root, wild yam root, and skullcap.

Shillington’s Brain Tonic

This is a tincture that contains the following: organic and wildcrafted gingko biloba, gota kola, kola nut, calamus, and rosemary.

A healthy diet and exercise is enough for most of what life throws at us. For those with compromised health and for those dealing with very difficult situations, we highly recommend a combination of B vitamins and a fat supplement (they work hand in hand), L- tryptophan, Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula, and his Brain Tonic. No pharmaceutical chemical cocktail can even come close.

Here are Shillington’s recipes:

Doc Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula Recipe (or click to purchase)

• 2 – parts Valerian Root
• 2 – parts Lobelia Seed Pods
• 2 – parts Passion Flower
• 1 – part Hops Flowers
• 1 – part Black Cohosh
• 1 – part Blue Cohosh
• 1 – part Skullcap
• 1 – part Wild Yam

Doc Shillington’s Brain Tonic Recipe (or click to purchase)

• 15 – parts Gingko Leaf
• 1 – part Gotu Kola Herb
• 1 – part Calamus Root
• 1 – part Rosemary Flowers
• 1 – part Cayenne Pepper
• Optional:- 1 part Kola Nut

Parts are by volume. Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol (100 proof vodka) and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

Conclusion

While not much focus was put on it, breathing properly is actually the most significant thing most people can do to alleviate stress. Life is all about focus and perception, and opening up your lungs to take in deep soothing breaths and getting your body well oxygenated changes one’s perspective. If you take nothing away from this article, get a B vitamin complex, the Nerve Sedative formula, exercise, and learn How to Breathe.

Recommended Supplements:

• Stress B Complex – Thorne Research
• Adrenal Cortex – Thorne Research
• Shillington’s Brain Tonic
• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• Ashwagandha Root – Gaia Herbs
• American Ginseng – Gaia Herbs
• Astralagus Root – Gaia Herbs
• Adrenal Health – Gaia Herbs

Further Reading:

• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• I’m Depressed
• Natural Remedies for Depression
• How to Breathe
• Yoga – A Beginner’s Guide
• Natural Remedies for Anxiety
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue
• How to Be Happy
• Desk Jockey Yoga

Sources:

• Supplements That Fight Stress – The Dr. Oz Show
• Better Brain Chemistry with Tryptophan – Life Extension Magazine

Let’s face it, for most of your life your penis has had a mind of its own. How many times has it chosen the most inopportune moment to stand at attention? And now that you are older, it has become obstinate. Once again it is uncooperative, but now it refuses to rise to the occasion.

Sexual response is complicated. It is dependent on a combination of physical and emotional factors that either work together or work against your desires. If you find yourself having difficulty obtaining and maintaining an erection, the first thing you need to do is get your mind straight. If you let your fears get in the way, you’ll set up a trigger that will shoot you down–literally.

You’re not 18 anymore. Face it. It’s a fact. Your manhood is not at risk. Neither is your relationship. If you rely on one part of your anatomy to please your partner, you have bigger problems to solve. Know that you can please your partner with or without an erection. Once you put this problem into perspective and not let it get in the way of intimacy, half the battle is won.

So what are the physical causes of erectile dysfunction? There are many, but most of them come down to blood flow. If you are doing anything to your body to inhibit blood flow and healthy circulation, you need to stop. The first question is whether or not you smoke.

Over time, smoking constricts blood vessels. Blood flow is essential to erections. If you smoke, drink excessively, or take drugs, you need to decide which is more important to you. It’s that simple. It doesn’t matter if these are habits you’ve indulged in all your life. You knew they were bad for you, and they have taken their toll on your vascular health.

If your vessels are clogged with cholesterol and plaque, your prostrate is swollen, you are obese, you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or you are popping a dozen prescribed pills, it is not too late to turn it all around and regain your health.

Step One – a Healthy Diet

A truly healthy diet is the foundation to eliminate any disease or dysfunction. The basis of a truly healthy diet is produce. A full 80% of your diet should consist of fresh, raw, organic produce–more vegetables than fruit. Stop eating processed foods. Don’t eat anything with artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives. No MSG, no high fructose corn syrup, GMOs, trans fats, or chemicals you can’t identify. If you eat real food–not food from a box or can–this is pretty easy. You need to eat a wide variety of nutrient dense foods, healthy omega 3 fats, and protein. If you eat meat, eat organic meat. Conventional meat is filled with hormones and antibiotics, plus the animals were probably raised on GMO feed. While you’re at it, eliminate sugar and caffeine.

This diet will eliminate nearly every disease, including type II diabetes. Your blood sugar will level out and your organs, immune system, and circulatory system will receive the nutrients they need to revitalize and heal. See link below for more information on a healthy diet.

Dietary additions that can help your circulation and vessel health:

• Garlic – Fresh garlic is good for you in every way.
• Turmeric- The curcumin in turmeric has many benefits and helps with circulation.
• Cayenne – This pepper is the best for the circulatory system.
• Goldenseal – Orangeroot (another name for goldenseal) helps detoxify the blood.
• Omega 3s – Oily fish, flax seed oil, fish oil, or blended oils with Omega 3s create better circulation and less inflammation.

Step Two – Detox and Eliminate Candida

If you’ve been eating the typical American diet and taking antibiotics, you gut is totally out of balance and your body is filled with toxins. Cleanse your body so it can focus on healing. To learn how to detox and kill Candida, see the further reading section below.

Step Three – Balance Your Hormones and Take Supplements To Help Your Body Heal

Supplements Proven to Help Erectile Dysfunction

• Panax ginseng, called “herbal viagra.” 600-100 mg 3 x a day
• Rhodiola rosea, take 150-200 mg a day
• DHEA is an natural hormone produced by the adrenals–helps to make testosterone
• L-arginine is an amino acid that helps relax blood vessels
• B vitamin complex for healthy nerves and blood vessels
• Take Magnesium with calcium or soak in epsom salts for 40 minutes)
• Maca Root restores sexual health without raising hormone levels
• Saw palmetto berry treats enlarged prostate symptoms, like pain and irritation, and stimulates male hormones, libido, and fertility
• Damiana leaf contains aphrodisiac properties and improves the sex drive
• Yohimbe bark has been used to treat erectile dysfunction
• Siberian ginseng root revitalizes the adrenals, where hormones are produced
• Garlic promotes a healthy circulatory system
• Brazilian ginseng root and American ginseng increase energy and enhance endurance
• Sarsaparilla root gives the body an elevated dose of testosterone
• Ginger root increases circulation in the body
• Korean ginseng and Chinese ginseng warm the body and help deal with stress
• Kola nut kills prostate cancer cells

Shillington’s Male Energy Formula Recipe:

This is an amazing formula for balancing men’s hormones. You can make it here or purchase Shillington’s Male Energy Formula on Green Lifestyle Market.

• 2 parts American White Ginseng
• 2 parts Korean Ginseng
• 2 parts Chinese Ginseng
• 3 parts Yohimbe Bark
• 3 parts Damiana Turneria Aphrodisiaca
• 3 parts Siberian Ginseng
• 2 parts Sarsaparilla Root
• 1 part Saw Palmetto Berry
• 1 part Oat Seed (Green Immature)
• 1 part Kola Nut
• 1 part Ginger Root

Parts are by volume. Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

Combine this formula with Shillington’s Prostate Formula for prostate health, sexual performance, hair regrowth, more energy, healthy adrenals, better workouts and muscle growth and recovery, and many other male-related hormonal issues.

Unfortunately, we don’t have Shillington’s Prostate Formula recipe.

Step Four – Exercise

No, we can’t leave out exercise. You need to get your circulatory and your lymphatic systems moving, and there is no better way than exercise. You can walk, do yoga, or go to a gym. Just get moving. It would also help to do hot and cold hydrotherapy right on the crotch (see further reading).

The most important element to regaining sexual function is to know that there are many steps you can take to regain your health. In the meantime, as you are working towards your goal of a healthy revitalized body, you can still enjoy intimacy. Old dogs do learn new tricks, you know. Play and have fun. Just letting go of performance fear can do wonders.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Male Energy Formula
• Shillington’s Prostate Formula
• Shillington’s Blood Detox
• Maca Root Capsules Gaia Herbs -or-
• Maca Root Powder- Wise Woman Herbals
• Magnesium Complex Liquid

Further Reading:

• 80% Raw Food Diet
• Detox Diet Plan
• Cheap and Easy Detox – The One Gallon Challenge
• How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem
• Hot & Cold Hydrotherapy

Sources:

• Erectile Dysfunction – Mayo Clinic
• 5 Natural Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction – Healthline
• Maca Restores Sexual Health without Raising Hormone Levels – NaturalNews.com

More than 12% of men and about 7% of women will have to deal with kidney stones at some point in their lives. Once you have suffered through them, statistics say you’re more likely to have them again.

Kidney stones aren’t always a problem; they typically pass through urination, without causing symptoms. On the other hand, when stones grow to sufficient size, they can impede the urinary tract and can cause incredible pain, perhaps the worst humans experience.

Anyone who has ever suffered from a kidney stone, whether they needed surgery, or passed it, knows that statistics say they’ve got an 80% chance of recurrence. Kidney stones have a tendency to open people’s minds to natural medicine.

What Causes Kidney Stones

Most individuals with kidney stones have a chemical abnormality that contributes to the tendency to form the stones. Regardless, in almost every case, people who get kidney stones don’t drink enough water; they often drink lots of coffee and soda instead.

Conventional doctors will tell us that common causes include too much calcium, too many vitamin supplements, too much animal protein, and genetics.

Genetics can lead to a predisposition to kidney stones, but learned behavior (diet) within the family is much more likely to be reason the stones run in families. Certain drugs, cheap and ineffective supplements, soda, factory farmed meat, factory farmed dairy, table salt, tap water, and an acidic diet can all lead to the formation of kidney stones.

For the most part, the high calcium theory has been thoroughly debunked, and only the most out of touch doctors will still offer it, (though there are plenty of them). It has been proven that limiting calcium doesn’t eliminate the problem; it has the opposite effect – making it worse.

An acidic, conventional, modern diet leads to problems like kidney stones.

A diet of fresh, unrefined, whole foods prevents kidney stones.

Different Types of Kidney Stones

Typically, a kidney stone is formed by a super-saturation of minerals and acid salts in urine that crystallize into a stone. This type of kidney stone is typically caused by highly acidic or highly alkaline urine, or by not drinking enough fluids (or drinking the wrong kind of fluids).

Other types of stones include: Struvite stones (typically found in women as a result of urinary tract infections), uric acid stones (a byproduct of poor protein metabolism due to factory farmed animal product consumption) , and cystine stones which are rare (a result of a hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete large quantities of specific amino acids).

How to Prevent Kidney Stones

Magnesium citrate, a complex B vitamin with extra vitamin B6, lots of stevia sweetened lemonade along with a healthy diet will not allow kidney stones of significant size to form.

Harvard researchers found that 180 mg of magnesium and 10 mg of B6 taken daily can actually prevent 92.3% of kidney stones. Other studies show huge reductions with magnesium alone at 500mg a day.

Diet is crucial.

Fresh, raw, organic produce is the foundation of a healthy diet. Avoid refined foods including table salt and sugars and flours. Drink lots of water. Spring water from a clean source has numerous health benefits, and distilled water is very pure and good for you if you consume enough produce. Drink lemonade sweetened with stevia each day. Lemons also reduce the likelihood of kidney stones.

If you drink coffee, switch to tea. Studies show that black and green tea reduce the chances of developing kidney stones. Don’t eat conventional factory farmed animal products.

Avoid poor quality, unhealthy supplements. Especially avoid poor quality protein powders, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and various mineral supplements.

Other foods that prevent and help eliminate kidney stones include raw apple cider vinegar, dandelion root, olive oil, kidney beans, and watermelon.

Natural Remedies for kidney stones

Drink a half a gallon of cranberry, stevia lemonade per 100 pounds of body weight every day. See sources below for the recipe. Be careful with cranberry juice long-term. Short-term, it’s fine for helping pass a stone and for treating a urinary infection. Cranberry juice contains polyphenolic compounds that dissolve kidney stones and flush them out of the body through the urine. But long-term use has been shown in some studies to possibly cause stone formation, probably due to its high oxalic acid.

Drinking half a gallon of water or lemonade (see above) each day for every 100 pounds of weight is crucial to passing and dissolving existing kidney stones.

Also drink a cup of apple cider vinegar and eat a tablespoon of unrefined blackstrap molasses each day daily, to balance the body’s pH.

If you’re shopping for a tincture or a tea (or would like to make your own) look for the following herbs that have been shown time and time again to help remove kidney stones painlessly and quickly:

• Nettle leaf helps maintain the flow of water through the kidneys and bladder and helps keep crystals from forming into stones.
• Hydrangea root behaves as a powerful diuretic and also an antilithic herb, which ejects and prevents kidney stones
• Gravel root provides defense against kidney stones and increases the flow of urine. Gravel root also plays a role in maintaining an alkaline body by expelling excess uric acid, a cause of kidney stones
• Marshmallow root eliminates toxins and soothes cell membranes in the urinary system, making it easier to release kidney stones
• Horsetail herb helps regulate the calcium stored in the body and soothes urinary tract inflammation
• Uva ursi leaves increase renal circulation and limits the acid content in urine
• Corn silk reduces the risk of recurring kidney stones and helps treat bladder infections
• Goldenrod flowers fight urinary tract infection and help flush out kidney stones

We recommend Shillington’s Kidney Stone Dissolve Formula, and his Kidney Bladder Formula. You can make your own, and here are the recipes:

A part is a part by volume and not by weight unless otherwise specified.

Kidney/Bladder Formula – Recipe

• 2 – Parts Juniper Berry (Mono Sperma is best)
• 1 – Part Corn Silk
• 1 – Part Uva Ursi Leaf
• 1 – Part Horsetail Herb
• 1 – Part Pipsissewa Leaf
• 1 – Part Burdock Herb
• 1 – Part Goldenrod Flowers
• 1 – Part Gravel Root
• 1 – Part Hydrangea Root

Check out How To Make a Tincture for the rest of the instructions for the tinctures, and checkout the product links below for recommended dosage information for all recipes.

Kidney/Bladder Tea – Recipe

• 2 – Parts Juniper Berries (Mono Sperma is best)
• 1 – Part Uva Ursi Leaf
• 1 – Part Dandelion Leaf
• 1 – Part Corn Silk
• 1 – Part Parsley Leaf
• 1 – Part Horsetail Herb
• 1 – Part Goldenrod Flowers
• 1 – Part Orange Peel (or Lemon Peel)
• 1 – Part Peppermint Leaf
• 1 – Part Hydrangea Root
• 1 – Part Gravel Root

Kidney Stone Dissolve Formula – Recipe

• 1 – Part Hydrangea root
• 1 – Part Gravel root
• 1 – Part Marshmallow root

Kidney Stone Dissolve Tea – Recipe

• 1 – Part Hydrangea root
• 1 – Part Gravel root
• 1 – Part Marshmallow root

Read Inexpensive, Easy Detox – The One Gallon Challenge for a recipe for cranberry stevia lemonade.

Check out Shillington’s Body Balance to balance your PH. Take Total Nutrition Formula instead of cheap, problematic multis.

Of course prevention is preferable. This is one battle you never want to fight. If you recognize yourself as a person who doesn’t drink enough water, as one who drinks a lot of coffee and sodas, or you have a highly acidic diet, now is the time to change your habits.

If you have ever suffered from kidney stones in the past or are suffering from them now, combine both the prevention instructions and the remedy to end the current attack and prevent future occurrences.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Kidney Stone Dissolve Formula
• Shillington’s Kidney Stone Dissolve Tea
• Magnesium Complex Liquid
• B Complex #6 – Thorne
• Shillington’s Kidney Bladder Formula
• Shillington’s Kidney & Bladder Tea
• Shillington’s Blood Detox Formula
• Total Nutrition Formula

Further Reading:

• How to Make a Tincture
• Inexpensive, Easy Detox – The One Gallon Challenge
• Cheap and Easy Detox Diet Plan
• 80% Raw Food Diet

Sources:

• http://www.nytimes.com
• http://www.dryarnell.com

Everyone worries. Everyone gets anxious. It’s a natural part of life. For some, anxiety is a big part of their life. For some, anxiety is a clinical disorder that rules their life.

There are a few different clinical anxiety disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder are the most common. Other anxiety disorders include phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, separation anxiety, and childhood anxiety disorders.

Therapy and medication are the typical treatments for any anxiety disorder, but there are a host of alternative and complimentary treatments for anxiety disorders.

Whether suffering from a chronic disorder or just looking to overcome normal anxiety, proper breathing is the most important technique to learn. Be sure to read our article on How to Breathe in this issue. Perspective is the second most important thing to keep in mind. Staying away from caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and alcohol are also essential to alleviating anxiety naturally.

Perspective

Anxiety can take over the mind and make you feel as though the walls are closing in, the oxygen is disappearing, and time is moving so fast that the world is spinning out of control. While the hardest thing to do in the middle of an anxiety attack is to keep some perspective, it’s also the most important thing to do. Remember, “Right now I am not starving to death. Right now I have air to breathe. And right now all of my problems are either in the past or the future.” It may not feel that way, but it’s true. Everything we worry about is either in the past or the future.

Note from Michael Edwards, editor-in-chief: 

I went to prison for a crime I did not commit. I remember when I realized there was no way out of it. I was in a very small waiting room in court, shackled and chained, waiting for the inevitable. I had a huge decision to make. Should I take a plea or should I fight? I knew I was likely to lose and, if  convicted , would go to prison for at least 60 years. The walls began to move closer and closer toward me. The ceiling began to move away from me, higher and higher. I wanted to sit down, but I couldn’t move except to drop to my knees; my legs had turned to jelly. All of the oxygen seemed to be sucked out of the room, but there was no escape for me. My heart was beating so fast I felt it was going to shoot right out of my chest. I came very close to fainting. I was more terrified, hurt, and angry than I had ever been in my whole life.

I finally started breathing deeply. I told myself, “Right now I am alive, and that’s all that matters.” I said it over and over again. “No matter what happens today, I will survive. I will be better for it.” I also remembered that many people have had it much worse than me.  I reminded myself that life is all about evolving.

While the events above were situational, not the result of a chronic condition, getting through that moment allowed me to make it through many, incredibly difficult situations that followed. I am now a firm believer in the old saying, “Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” But I would add, “…if that’s what you choose.”

Proper Thinking and Visualization for Anxiety

Words we use during a stressful situation can have a lot to do with how we perceive the severity of the situation. Changing words and phrases can make a huge difference in the chain of thoughts to follow. Instead of “Oh, my God, my life is over!” consider, “Wow, things are getting interesting.” The latter says that life is a challenge, and that’s not a bad thing.

We humans think in words and images. And the images we focus on, and how we focus on them, are just as powerful as the words we use. Taking some time on a regular basis to practice healthy imagery pays dividends in the long run. While picturing yourself on a golden cloud or near a babbling brook can be very relaxing, being able to deal with an intense situation that requires immediate attention in a controlled manner is an important skill.

The first step is to look at what images cross the mind during stressful situations and analyze them. Are they in hyper color, black and white, vivid, dull, flat, rapidly moving, or picture images? Figure out the kind of images can lead to anxious emotions. Figure out how to view the same images in your mind without the anxiety.

For example, in a calm moment, think of an incident that gets your heart rate going. Focus on one of the images and then change the way the image is processed. Maybe black and white is less intimidating. Maybe shrinking the image to half its size or less makes it seem less intense. Should there be a white background or a color background around as a frame?

This technique is especially important for phobias.

The mind is in control of both the words it uses and how it sees the images. It takes some practice to master this control, but the results are amazing.

Yoga for Anxiety

Yoga offers meditation, proper breathing, and physical fitness. Yoga, practiced in its entirety, is one of the most powerful natural remedies for overcoming anxiety. Anyone who regularly suffers from anxiety should consider taking up yoga. Practicing Asanas (yoga body positions) can help maintain a healthy nervous system. Pranayama (breath control used in yoga) can help you gain better self-awareness and acquire a more peaceful state of mind. And meditation will allow you to master better concentration and focus. Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Yoga.

Exercise for Anxiety

Yoga can be wonderful exercise, but there are many other exercises the anxiety sufferer should consider adding to a routine. Any kind of exercise that allows you to “get in the zone” can be an awesome way to relieve and prevent anxiety. Bicycling, running, and many other popular exercises and sports can help you to achieve a euphoric state, that runners know as a “runner’s high.” It’s an amazing feeling with long term results that can have a very positive impact on anyone’s overall wellbeing. It takes considerable time to reach a level of fitness that allows you to get into this zone, but, while working up to this level, the body and the mind will be getting stronger along the way.

Vitamins, Minerals for Anxiety

Proper assimilation of vitamin B is essential for emotional wellbeing. Heavy metal toxicity and a diet with the wrong fats make it impossible for the body to process and assimilate vitamin B efficiently. Heavy metal toxicity is very common with people who suffer from mental health issues. Heavy metal chelating therapy can make a massive difference in the ability to deal with intenseemotions. A balanced fatty acid supplement like Udo’s Oil 3-6-9 with DHA can is the best way to get a full spectrum of healthy fats. Buried Treasure makes a few good quality liquid supplements with lots of vitamin Bs (available at most health food stores) and Thorne has a high quality B vitamin supplement we recommend as well.

Deficiencies in amino acids are strongly correlated with anxiety disorders. Platinum Plus is a very high quality amino acid supplement we highly recommend for those dealing with any kind of chronic anxiety.

Diet for Anxiety

When the body isn’t healthy, the body isn’t working right. When the body isn’t working right, the head isn’t working right, either. It is not possible to put junk in the body and expect proper performance from the whole body (including the brain) for most of the life of the body.

Eating well means eating lots of whole, fresh, raw vegetables and fruits. There are so many nutrients in raw produce that are very important for good health, and in all likelihood many more we are yet to discover. Getting everything the human body needs to function optimally on supplements and dead food is not possible.

Almost everyone could benefit from an increase in fresh raw fruits and vegetables in their diet.

In addition, cut out caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. Choose whole unrefined unprocessed grains like brown rice instead of white rice (it’s an acquired taste, but once acquired, white rice tastes bland and empty). Oats are also a good food for those looking for natural remedies for anxiety.

Herbs for Anxiety

Kava kava, skullcap, California poppy, and valerian are herbs used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Bugleweed and oats are also good for soothing the nerves.

A tea that helps with anxiety can be made with equal parts dried lavender, oats, linden flower, and catnip.

When buying oats, look for preparations that contain the oat seed along with the straw.

Essential Oils for Anxiety

Lavender, geranium, bergamot, cedarwood, and peppermint essential oils are all good for relieving anxiety. Adding 10 to 20 drops of essential oil to a bath makes for a relaxing and calming experience. If possible, try getting a full body massage with any one of these essential oils.

Acupressure for Anxiety

CV 17 or the Chest Center, also known as
“Sea of Tranquility”, is located on the middle of the breastbone, below the fourth rib. It is about four fingers wide above the base of the bone. With eyes closed and proper breathing, apply steady gentle pressure to the point for about one minute.

Another point lies three fingers down from the wrist between the two main tendons running along the inner forearm. Press the thumb straight into the point with enough pressure to feel discomfort and knead the point with small circular movements for about one minute.

A foot massage, especially when done with the knowledge of reflexology, can relieve stress and help you relax.

Stress Relief Using Meridian Tapping

This kind of Emotional Freedom Technique starts with focusing on a specific problem, physical feeling, or emotion, and assessing the degree of discomfort. Then, one taps certain points of the body in a specific sequence while focusing on the issue. After the process is done, a second evaluation of the level of discomfort is made. Usually, there is much less discomfort after the second time. This technique is an amazingly powerful natural remedy for anxiety. Go to Stress Relief Using Meridian Tapping to learn more.

Conclusion

Learning to deal with anxiety in a natural and healthy way (without drugs) will require adaptation to a new lifestyle. This will involve considerable effort and utilization of multiple techniques. Anxiety will always be a part of everyone’s life from time to time, but it’s not the stress that kills us – it’s the way we perceive and react to it that makes or breaks us.

Recommended Supplements:

• Stress B Complex – Thorne Research
• Adrenal Cortex – Thorne Research
• Shillington’s Brain Tonic
• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• Ashwagandha Root – Gaia Herbs
• American Ginseng – Gaia Herbs
• Astralagus Root – Gaia Herbs
• Adrenal Health – Gaia Herbs
• Vitamin D – Thorn Complex
• Krill Oil

Further Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress
• I’m Depressed
• How To Be Happy
• Sun Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Vitamin B6 and What You Should Know About it
• How Candida Leads to Depression
• How I Overcame-Depression Naturally
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Natural Remedies for Depression
• How to Breathe
• Yoga – A Beginner’s Guide
• Natural Remedies for Anxiety
• How to Be Happy
• Desk Jockey Yoga

An asthma attack can feel like a huge weight is sitting on your chest or like a giant is squeezing the life right out of you. The truth is, asthma can be deadly; a quarter of a million people die from asthma each year.

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways. The bronchial tubes become inflamed and swollen. Then bronchial spasms tighten and compress the airways. The narrower passageways are further compromised by an increase in secretions.

Most asthma sufferers are allergic to foods and/or environmental irritants. Environmental triggers include chemical irritants or industrial particles in the air in the workplace, drug reactions, cigarette smoke, air pollution, animal dander, dust, mites, cockroaches, and more. Many are sensitive to sulfites in food and drink. Respiratory infections such as a cold or bronchitis often can cause an attack. For some, asthma is triggered by exercise.

The first step or natural remedy to treating asthma is to stop ingesting cow’s milk and milk products. Known to increase mucous, cow’s milk is also one of the primary allergens in our Western diet. When milk is removed from the diet, chronic respiratory infections, ear infections, and asthma are often resolved without further treatment.

Vegan, gluten-free diets and rotation diets have also shown good results, but the primary consideration is allergen free and nutrient-dense foods. Eliminate all artificial flavors, coloring, and additives (MSG is a known trigger) and be sure to eat organic to avoid pesticides and fungicides.

Since most asthma sufferers are known to have several allergies, all allergens should be removed from the diet and environment.  Never smoke or allow smoking indoors and follow an elimination diet to see if allergies to other foods are a factor.

Asthma, allergies, and inflammation are all a sign of an unhealthy gut. If you suffer from asthma and any other chronic conditions, please see How To Heal Your Gut.

Asthma sufferers may be deficient in vitamin D—most people are. If don’t you spend enough time in the sun or if you live at a high latitude, chances are you are deficient. Obesity increases the probability of deficiency as does dark skin. Other vitamins known to affect the severity or number of attacks are vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin B6. IN most cases one should take B complex rather than just one of the B vitamins for a long term treatment. And essential fats are…essential. The body needs omega 3’s to stop the inflammatory process.

A healthy diet and lifestyle are crucial and, of course, exercise is a major component of a healthy lifestyle. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, take heart. Andrew Weil, M.D. suggests you find a form of exercise that minimizes your symptoms due to built-in, intermittent breaks (tennis, golf, softball, etc). Along the same lines of thinking, we would recommend interval training as well as exercise that focuses on breathing technique such as Tai Chi and yoga. Dr. Weil suggests you learn to warm up slowly to the point you almost feel the tightness, then stop and stretch. If you are already into your workout, slow down. Revving up the pace and slowing down the pace before asthma strikes can eliminate the need for medication.

Cold air can trigger an attack. Breathe through your nose and cover your face to avoid this problem.

You must learn to breathe correctly, to fully expand your lungs, to exhale and inhale the way nature intended.  Dr. Weir also suggests doing manipulative work such as deep tissue massage like Rolfing to break up the restrictive patterns of nerves and muscles that have developed due to chronic asthma.

Alternative treatments for acute attacks abound. Mullein leaves can be steeped in boiling water. The vapor is inhaled to bring relief as does the mist from eucalyptus oil in a steamer.  Eucalyptus, horehound, lungwort, pleurisy root, and elecampane can all be brewed into a tea in any combination. Green tea is often recommended for its natural theophylline.

Asthma is the result of a toxic, unbalanced body. Remember, the primary cure for asthma is changing your lifestyle. Detox and change your diet. Eat fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables. Avoid allergens. And realize that reaping the benefits of this lifestyle change, while immediate in many other aspects, may take months to produce a noticeable change in asthmatic response. But the results will come.

Natural Remedies

Natural remedies work much better to control asthma when the diet is clean and breathing is done right. These protocols may be perfect for you if you are wanting to stop using an inhaler or other medication, but take things slowly and be careful.

Ginger

Ginger reduces inflammation along with many other beneficial properties that can help alleviate asthma. Make ginger tea or juice ginger immediately at the onset of symptoms, and do the same for migraines as well. Here’s a recipe:

Enhanced Golden Milk Tea Recipe

This is a new twist on an ancient way of experiencing the benefits of turmeric. Ideally, use all fresh, unadulterated herbs whenever available.

• 1 cup of warm coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of freshly grated turmeric with skin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger with skin
• 1 pinch of black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix it all up and drink. For the drink to be warm, warm up the coconut milk only, but be careful not to cook the other ingredients. Add them in when the coconut milk is not too hot to drink so as to preserve enzymes and other fragile micronutrients.

Essential Oils

Eucalyptus, frankincense, peppermint, lavender, clove, and thyme oil have all been shown to help with asthma, but eucalyptus oil, in particular, is interesting thanks to eucalyptol, a chemical that breaks up mucus and phlegm. Add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to warm water in a hot water pot or a steam inhaler. Lean over and inhale the steam. You can use a towel to catch the steam and breathe more in. This will expand constricted airways and relax lung spasms.

Supplements & Nutrition For Asthma Relief

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar has tons of health benefits, and if you’re prone to asthma (or have a sore throat or a sinus infection), try sipping it. Just sip it throughout the day, and especially if you feel the onset of an attack. It will also help balance the body’s PH which can reduce inflammation. We highly recommend Barrier Organics Root Cider; check out our review here.

Shillington’s Huff and Puff Formula is lobelia and mullein in a base of apple cider vinegar and grain alcohol. Lots of people use this formula instead of an inhaler. It is not only useful during an asthma attack, this formula can help detoxify the lungs, helping them to heal, and function better in the long run, too.

Shillington’s Herbal Snuff – Snorting goldenseal root powder, bayberry bark powder, cayenne pepper powder, and garlic powder will clear out the sinuses and open up the lungs, but it’s not pleasant and, therefore, is not for the faint of heart. But neither is an asthma attack. This snuff also works very well for migraines.

When COQ10 & Vitamin C are taken together, they are a powerful synergistic combination of antioxidants. Vitamin C is involved in the metabolism of histamine, and in studies with asthmatics, vitamin C decreased post-exercise nitric oxide and cysteinyl leukotrienes. There is considerable evidence to support that vitamin C can successfully treat asthma. Studies also show that patients with corticosteroid-dependent bronchial asthma can benefit from COQ10.

As stated, diet is key but anyone suffering from chronic asthma most likely needs to heal their gut as well. Check out the further reading below for more information.

Related Reading

• What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good
• Candida and Inflammation
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included

Sources:

• 9 Effective Essential Oils For Asthma Relief – Search Home Remedy
• Vitamin C and Asthma – the BMJ

The only way to restore your body to good physical health is by living a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition, detoxification, and exercise are all essential. The human body is miraculous. It is a system of checks and balances, a system built to endure and heal itself, if given what it needs.  It doesn’t need a quick fix or a magic bullet.

Health is never achieved by covering up pain or symptoms of disease. It is never achieved through treatment of a disease without addressing the needs of the whole body, even if that treatment is a natural remedy. Remember, health is systemic and holistic. All health and all disease are created on a cellular level.

Yes, natural remedies are a safer, healthier choice than pharmaceutical treatments but they will never be a substitute for overall health. If you effectively treat an ailment with natural remedies but ignore your overall health, your body will eventually manifest disease in new ways, possibly more serious ways. Pain and acute illnesses tell us something is wrong. Are you listening?

Before you try a natural remedy, you need to know a few things.

First, herbal supplements, vitamins, minerals, tinctures, etc. are not all created equal. I have never found decent Echinacea at Whole Foods. I’ve never seen a high quality multi vitamin at GNC. Most of the herbs sold are weak and ineffective. Most of the vitamins sold are indigestible or downright toxic. We highly recommend Thorne and Standard Process supplements, Medi-herb and Dr. Shillington for tinctures, and Rose Mountain Herbs for organic and wildcrafted herbs.

Secondly, our bodies are unique. For instance, you may find you respond better to acupressure than aromatherapy. Personally, aromatherapy does very little for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not powerful.  I’ve seen it work. I’ve seen a pregnant woman sniff sage oil and start contractions, months before she was full term.

Be smart. Be safe. Do it right. If you suffer from a chronic illness or poor health, take the leap, change your lifestyle. You have only one body.

And finally, our disclaimer: Natural remedies may backfire. While prescription and over the counter drugs have a far greater likelihood of dangerous side effects, since big pharma has such a stranglehold over our society, we have to warn you that that no remedy is always safe. And we also recommend you consult with your doctor or health care practitioner for any serious health issue. Hopefully, your doctor is a naturopath. Remember, your health is your responsibility, and no one else’s.

Michael Edwards

Editor in Chief

Hair loss is caused by genetics, hormones, or poor circulation of the scalp (usually all three). Excess dandruff can cause hair loss, but this, too, is a sign of poor scalp circulation. Poor scalp circulation is a sign of overall poor blood circulation. Poor blood circulation is a sign of poor health.

Spending a few hours a day upside down while massaging the scalp would be the fastest way to promote hair growth, but it’s not very practical.

It is possible to stop hair loss and even reverse it with proper health and increasing blood flow to the scalp. The natural remedy for hair loss, first and foremost, is to restore the body to optimum health, making sure the kidneys are functioning properly, the liver is detoxified, the colon is clean and healthy, the body is not overrun by Candida, and blood circulation is not impeded by toxins.

Also, make sure you are consuming a diet high in plants like potatoes, bell peppers, sprouts, and cucumbers, all of which are high in silicon.

Nutrition Deficiencies

Make sure your diet is not deficient in iron, zinc, B vitamins, omega 3s, trace minerals, amino acids, or salt (not refined salt, but colorful mineral rich sea salt).

Natural Remedies

In addition, you can speed up the process with a few of these natural hair loss remedies:

• Apply olive oil and/or coconut oil to the ends of your hair, brush into scalp every night before bed. And wash your hair with baking soda and rinse with apple cider vinegar every day.
• Use hot and cold hydro therapy on the scalp to increase blood flow. Gently tap (with the back side of your brush) parts of scalp showing hair loss 50 times.
• Lay down with the head hanging off the bed and brush hair from the scalp to the ends 100 times a day. It should be noted that brushing your hair too much without promoting good scalp health with diet and other therapies may result in more hair loss.
• Consider using Morocco Method hair care. Use their hair detox kit, which works amazingly well. Or, skip the shampoo all together.
• This Inexpensive Easy Detox will improve the body’s blood circulation and decrease inflammation.
• Soak Amla Powder with water in cast iron overnight. Use this to wash your hair the following morning. Use this natural remedy three times a week.
• Saw palmetto has been proven as effective or more effective then Rogain at stopping and reversing hair loss. Even better than just saw palmetto, check out Shillington’s Prostate Formula (other ingredients within this formula also help stimulate hair regrowth).
• And remember that a poor diet and smoking anything can lead to hair loss. Eat more raw produce.

Onion Juice Reverses Alopecia and Gray Hair

Onion juice has been used for centuries treat thin graying hair and alopecia. Onion juice has many benefits to the hair follicles:

Onions are rich in sulphur and other compounds that are great for killing infections. Onion juice kills germs, parasites, some fungal infections; all can cause hair loss. Onions remove hydrogen peroxide buildup and reduce inflammation while providing enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other nourishment to regenerate hair floccules.

Studies have shown that daily onion juice applied topically can reduce and reverse greying and regrow hair. You can juice or crush the onion. Apply the onion juice daily to your scalp and lightly massage or brush it in. Leave the onion Juice on the scalp for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Start with a small amount, it’s tricky and it’s messy.

Conclusion

Baldness, or at least some hair loss, is unavoidable for some. But in most cases, hair loss is a sign of poor health and is therefore reversible. Restoring the body’s health can be a difficult lifestyle change, but the rewards are worth the effort. Hair regrowth is merely one of the benefits.

A very common cause of alopecia in men and women is hypothyroidism. If you have symptoms that could indicate a thyroid problem, check out Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies.

Recommended Supplements:

• Morrocco Method Hair Care
• Saw Palmetto – Gaia Herbs
• Shillington’s Prostate Formula
• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula
• Liquid Light – Sunwarrior
• Fundamental Sulfur Powder – Douglas Labs

Recommended Reading:

• Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• The Soap and Shampoo Conspiracy
• Reverse Gray Hair Naturally