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Four Moves to Checkmate Insomnia

Insomnia is a key contributor to the aging process and the breakdown of the immune system. A famous Taoist physician, Ge Hong, who lived during the Han dynasty in the third century, promoted a set of exercises to treat and prevent insomnia. Recent studies done in China have shown if these four exercises are performed for 2 to 4 weeks sleep quality of chronic insomniacs drastically improve.

For the first exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent. With your hands, pull your knees towards your chest and breath naturally. Hold this position for 1 minute, then relax, straighten your legs and rest your hands at your side.

For the second set, remain on your back, inhale, and stretch both arms upward above your head. As you exhale, bring your hands down and massage your body from chest to abdomen, then rest your hands at your sides. Repeat this with every breath for about 1 minute.

The third set is also preformed lying down on your back: Make fists with both hands and place them under your back as high as possible toward your shoulder blades, on either side of the spine. Take three breaths, then reposition your fists downward one notch and repeat, moving downward every third breath until your fists are at waist level. At waist level, take five breaths, then position your fists on either sides of the tailbone and take five more.

Lie face down for the fourth and final set. Place your hands under you abdomen, now slowly inhale, filling your abdomen and chest, now feel the energy permeate your whole body. Then slowly exhale and visualize negativity leaving your body. Make sure to pause after each exhalation and relax every muscle, do this for one minute.

It is easy to go into your doctors office and get a prescription to combat your insomnia but trying these simple exercises are more convenient, easy and stress relieving. Keep in mind that medications stress out your body and have some major side effects, remember to look for a natural, healthy aging alternatives.

Bend, Don’t Break and Preserve Longevity

Today, healthy aging is somewhat of a big deal, we are always looking for the best secrets to preserve our youth and agility, the next best thing that will lead us to the fountain of youth. Immediately, we look to the local drugstore or doctors to help us in our never ending quest for beauty but shouldn’t we look to the earth and natural healing methods to accomplish this goal. There are many natural products that are tried and tested that may give you the same results without the harsh chemical or side effects and reactions. It is possible, that we are so chemically charged, it is hard for us to re-transform and re-connect to the earth. Flexibility to transform can help us in this quest to longevity.

Bamboo is “prized” in Asia not only for it’s sprouts as food, it’s inner stem as medicine and it’s stalk for construction material, but for it’s significance in Asian culture as a symbol of flexibility. The bamboo plant is supple and able to survive the most devastating storms. Likewise, in life, we face unexpected happenings and those who are able to adapt successfully lead more healthy and fulfilling lives. Studies done in China have shown if a patient possesses flexibility as a personality trait, often they recover from illness 50% faster than those who stubbornly stick to their ways. Try not to be overly attached to a certain outcome; stay focused on the course you have charted for your life, but know and understand that there will be barriers and obstacles that will present themselves where you will have to take a detour to get back on track. Be flexible to different options in life and don’t let it break you but instead allow you to bend and bounce back. Leading a stress free life is important in the quest for longevity – so weather the storm differently from how you normally would and being seeing the change today.

Longevity for Your Hair

For many people all over the world, hair loss is more stressful than getting older. Hereditary factors obviously play a role in premature hair loss, approximately 90% of men and 70% of women can attribute their hair loss to a hereditary condition called Androgenetic Alopecia, for many others hair loss can be reversed by natural methods.

The first step to treating your hair loss naturally is to start eliminating hair care products that contain harsh chemical ingredients that destroy hair roots and strip follicles of vital nutrients needed to sustain normal hair growth. All your hair care products should be natural or contain natural ingredients. Secondly, eliminating stress is a key factor in controlling hair loss. This can be done with a good diet and regular exercise like yoga or tai chi.

In addition to this, Dr. Maoshing Ni, a 38th generation doctor specializing in longevity recommends a Chinese herb called arborvita. This particular herb stimulates follicles, improves blood flow and strips away root clogging oils. Dr. Maoshing has been using this herb for over 20 years with good success. Do remember that any type of treatment used does have different effects for different people. Before you resort to other methods being offered for hair rejuvenation try the natural root first.

Last Long with Andropause

Menopause effects millions of women all around the world everyday, likewise men go through a similar stage in life called andropause, the male version of menopause. Andropause starts around the ripe age of 50, when hormone levels in the body start to decline, often resulting in a lessened desire and ability to perform sexually. In addition to this, most men at this age also have a buildup of plaque in the circulatory system, in turn reducing the blood flow to the penis. Experiencing the above can result in erectile dysfunction, for many men the most disturbing aspect of aging.

Chinese medicine has a long successful history of reversing the decline of male sexual potency. There are many herbal remedies used including deer antler velvet, ginseng root, morinda root, Chinese Senega root and horny goat weed, among others, is used to increase circulation, activate testicular function and stimulate the hormonal system. Studies done have shown that horny goat weed has a moderate androgen-like effect and stimulates the sensory nerves in the penile area. In health food stores look for or ask for “Dragon Male Formula”.

Also recommended for patients with erectile dysfunction is plenty of cardiovascular exercise, reduce stress, get adequate amounts of sleep and eat a diet rich in zinc, which can be found in oysters, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, beans and legumes, brown rice and wheat germ. These are all natural, healthy, alternatives instead of resorting to Viagra, why not optimize on a healthier method for a longer-lasting effect?

Fighting Menopause One Hot Flash at Time

In Chinese culture menopause is usually referred to as a woman’s “second spring”, because it is the end of a woman’s childbearing years and the beginning of a new phase of life empowered by accumulated wisdom. However, physically, debilitating symptoms can occur as estrogen levels in the body begin to slow down: hot flashes, insomnia, headaches, mood swings, dryness, diminished skin elasticity and memory loss are a few that may occur.

Facilitating menopause and this transition can be an easy one, Dr. Maoshing Ni recommends eating foods that are high in phytoestrogens, plant estrogen that is a weaker form of the body’s hormone. Such foods include, apples, brown rice, cabbage, carrots, beans and legumes, beets, citrus, cornmeal, potatoes, radish, fennel and soy.

Soy is a great choice because it is rich in genistein, which, like estrogen, protects against osteoporosis and other aging symptoms. Many other beans also contains similar amounts of this particular substances, such as: black-eye peas, pinto beans, mung beans, fava beans, adzuki beans, northern beans, yellow split peas, kidney beans, lima beans and black turtle beans are all high in phytoestrogens. In addition, regular weight bearing cardiovascular exercise, as well as energy based exercise forms like tai chi and yoga are essential for a flourishing “second spring”.

Be Proactive with Probiotics

Most people around the world has occasionally had recourse to antibiotics, a key player in the Western model of fighting disease. If we take a closer look at the word: anti means “against”; bois means “life”. An antibiotic destroys small, harmful bacteria within our bodies, although, does not distinguish between the good bacteria, such as intestinal bacteria and damaging invaders. This is one of the main reasons diarrhea is a frequent side effect of antibiotics.

Antibiotics can also lead to other side effects such as upset stomach, nausea and in women vaginal yeast infections. Taking a supplement of lactobacillus, a pro-biotic, or promoter of “good bacteria”, will restore the healthy organisms needed to digest our food. Not only does, lactobacillus promote good bacteria growth but it also inhibits the growth of H. Pylori, the microbe that is responsible for up to 90% of stomach ulcers. Pro-biotics come in many different forms and do not necessarily have to be ingested in pill form. Yogurt, cheese and milk are a few foods you can enjoy with pro-biotic content.

I don’t remember ulcers ever helping anyone live to a ripe old age!!

Natural Vitamins instead of Petrochemical Pills

There are many health seekers today that take an array of vitamins and minerals by the handful everyday with the belief that they are effective health aids in the journey to longevity. This is often not the case, for many vitamins and minerals found on the shelf of our local drugstore. Often because of the supplements low bio-availability, absorption, what people are consuming and excreting from the bladder and bowels are not being metabolized, used by the body for which it, the vitamin, was intended for. Many vitamins are synthetic, a product derived from an artificial process or with artificial ingredients, which contain very little or no biological activity.

Supplements with the highest bio-availability use extracts from organic, whole foods. The most ideal way to take vitamins and minerals is in powder or liquid concentrates or oils made from bee pollen, barley, wheat, grass, kelp, spirulina, chlorophyll, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, flax, and fish oils, as they do not contain fillers and binding agents found in pill forms.

But of course, by eating a well balanced diet varied in whole foods, nutrients will absorb in the body the way nature intended, NATURALLY!

Anti-Aging Pearl Powder

The rarity of the pearl, which is why pearls have been valued over many centuries, has been due to the fact that fine pearls are very rarely produced in the wild, and took killing many mollusks before one was found. The Chinese are the number one producers of pearls and praises these rare gems for it’s purported anti-aging properties.

Pearls have been crushed and turned into powder for over 2000 years in Chinese medicine. Traditionally, pearl powder is used in herbal remedies and ointments. The pearl powder in massaged into the skin to prevent mature skin from aging, to clear surface inflammation and acne, improve vision, and calm the mind and spirit. Recent studies have shown that there are a variety of proteins, amino acids, trace elements and minerals in pearl powder which have the actions of anti-inflammation, relieving pain, lowering hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia, etc.

Rich in minerals that benefit the skin, natural pearl powder has much more to offer than it’s beauty as an adornment.

BitterSweet Truth about Artificial Sweetners

These days there are so many stipulations to achieving good health it blows me away that anyone can keep up. Similar is my amazement in the number of “health-conscious” individuals that do not think twice about drinking a diet pop that is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose or saccharin. All of which pose a danger to one’s health and longevity. Saccharin, for example, has been found to be carcinogenic, producing bladder cancer in rats. The majority of people are misinformed in believing or thinking that these calorie-free substances will help them achieve their weight-loss goals, yet NO, that’s right NO studies demonstrate that artificial sweeteners make any difference at all in weight management.

Next time you are in the mood for something sweet, enjoy apples, grapes or cherries. Once you re-tool your palate, these good for you treats will taste as good as candy!

Spices and Digestion

Digestion is a very complicated process that takes many organs working together to break down, absorb and process the myriad nutrients in your food. Without healthy digestion, there may be a build up of toxins in your body and malnutrition may occur causing rapid aging and degenerative diseases. You are able to detect poor digestion by the following symptoms, bloating, gas, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea and fatigue.

If you are suffering from these symptoms there is a way to combat your poor digestion with herbs and spices from your kitchen cupboard. Many common herbs and spices are helpful aids for proper digestion. Some of these include dill, oregano, basil, coriander, rosemary, bay, ginger, fennel, anise, and cardamom to name just a few. You can use these herbs and spices in your everyday cooking or you can steep them as tea and enjoy them after your meals. Who needs Peptobismol when the cure is within arms reach around the corner in the kitchen.