Total Health Breakthroughs: Free Natural Health Newsletter and Alternative Health Articles

In This Issue:

To Be Healthy, Take Control of Your Life

By Tim Reynolds, MD, FACP

I took care of a man in my clinic the other day who had retired a few months before.  He hadworked hard all his life; he was honest, hardworking and raised children that were fairly successful.  He was in my clinic because he was depressed.  He was depressed because he felt like he no longer had a reason to get up in the morning.

He didn’t want to go back to work but he also didn’t know what to do with himself.  He felt he was no longer contributing to society.  In addition, he was broke.  He wasn’t in poverty; he just didn’t have any money.  He and his wife live on a fixed income and it doesn’t allow them to do many things.  His 401k has taken a hit and his retirement plan doesn’t look like what he was told it would.

Even his marriage is on the rocks.  He and his wife are “at each other” all the time because they are always home together without a break.

I wish this story were unique.  I wish I hadn’t heard it before, but unfortunately I hear something similar daily.  People find themselves at the end of a road they didn’t even know they were traveling down.  They get to the latter part of life and wonder what they did that got them there.  Most of them are broke, embarrassed, and depressed.

They didn’t plan for where they were going.  They just got on the ship of life and let it drift to its own destination without wondering if it was where they really wanted to go in the first place.

If we have no plan, then we do not get excited about life and where we are going.  We cannot possibly know if we are getting closer to our destination if we don’t know what our destination is.

Many of us fear the future.  We fear what may be coming because we are allowing others to plan our future for us.  We sometimes become so paralyzed with the fear that we will make the wrong decision, that we make no decision at all.  That is the greatest tragedy.  We must plan what we want our future to look like and then take massive action to make it happen.

Read Michael Masterson’s book, Ready Fire Aim.  He offers some great advice on how to overcome your fear of decision-making.  His philosophy will help you start planning to get what you want out of life and then take the steps to make it happen.  Don’t worry if you make a mistake or change your course.  You can correct as you go.

I have a personal rule to not worry about things I cannot control.  That means I stopped worrying about the economy or Wall Street.  I no longer concern myself with what the President is trying to get through Congress.  I don’t care what the weather will be like next week.  I don’t want to know if my negative brother-in-law is any more or less negative than last week.  You see, these are things over which I have no control.

Interestingly, most people spend a large amount of their time explaining, discussing, worrying about, or whining about things they have absolutely no control over.  There is probably a good reason for this.  It helps them avoid working on the one thing they can control — themselves!

When we spend less time worrying about the President’s economic stimulus package and spend that same time planning our own stimulus package, it is so much more productive.

Imagine spending your time creating your own dream life instead of watching reality TV shows.  Take just a fraction of the time you spend worrying about things you truly have no control over, and spend the time instead on something you  can control — your own life and future.

Here is a challenge for you.

Shut off the news for two weeks.  Don’t watch anything negative at all.  Even though you may think you have to keep up on depressing world events, just try it for two weeks and see if you really miss anything at all.  You may be surprised to learn that you don’t.

Spend that time instead reading a positive motivating book.  Challenge yourself to read ten pages a day of something that will help you live the life you want to live.  Ten pages doesn’t seem like much, but trust me, the new habit will change your life.  I can tell you that it’s worked for me in my life, and I know it will work for you.

You won’t end up retired, broke and depressed when you stop worrying about the things you can’t control and start taking control of your life and actions.  Just get busy.

[Ed. Note: Tim Reynolds, M.D., is a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician.  He is a Managing Partner of Healthcare Express and the Chief Medical Officer of Urgent Care America.  Dr. Reynolds is also a health and lifestyle expert and sought-after speaker. For more information, click here.]

Reverse Aging:

A Natural Approach to Anti-Aging Skin Care

By Craig Klawuhn

One organ advertises aging more than any other — our skin.  Unlike the other effects of agingwhich may remain hidden, we all know what aging skin looks like — lines, wrinkles, dryness, discolorations and spots — not to mention sores and infections that take longer to heal.

While we are all on a quest to attain young and healthy-looking skin, more and more people are demanding natural health solutions that work in harmony with the body. Here’s what an ideal topical cream will do in order to achieve optimum balance with your skin:

• Cleanse the skin
• Nourish skin cells
• Ensure the proper moisture balance necessary for healthy skin
• Create a pH environment that closely matches the body’s natural state
• Boost the immune system with ingredients containing natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties
• Fight infection and heal wounds common with aging skin and cosmetic procedures
• Feed and hydrate the skin in a balanced environment that mimics the body

Modern research has uncovered unique combinations of natural ingredients that provide the benefits mentioned above. Two of these discoveries are lysozyme and sea salt.

Lysozyme is an amino acid enzyme found naturally in tears, saliva, urine and embryonic fluids.  These substances are all saline-based and contain natural anti-germ properties.     

Lysozyme attacks the cell wall of certain harmful bacteria. By nicking the cell in numerous spots, it gradually weakens the wall. When the osmotic pressure within the cell is too much for the weakened wall to withstand, the bacterium will burst and die.

Sea salt has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes.  It aids in the nourishment of dermal cells. Sea salt is very different from refined common salt because of the nourishing value of its 82 trace elements and minerals.

Combine these two ingredients and you have a natural product that matches the exo-cellular enzyme fluids of the human body, fights potentially harmful bacteria while protecting good bacteria, and provides an ideal environment for skins cells to be nourished.

Putting synthetic chemicals on your skin could be the worst thing you can do to protect it and address the signs of aging.  Instead, you can fight skin aging with products that contain natural, yet effective ingredients that have been proven to work in harmony with your skin and body.

[Ed. Note: Craig Klawuhn is a health marketing executive. He has been immersed personally and professionally in the natural product/nutraceutical industry for 33 years. One of his greatest passions is researching and discovering holistic products that heal people, animals, and ultimately, the planet we inhabit. For more information, click here.]

Healthy Recipes:

Blueberry Soufflés

By Kelley Herring

Dig in to this decadent, disease-fighting dessert. Not only is it low calorie (just 82 per serving!)and low-glycemic (thanks to all-natural ZSweet erythritol), but it’s also packed with powerful age-defying antioxidants like anthocyanins from the blueberries.

Time To Table: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Benefits
Good source of: Vitamin C
Preferences: Low Cholesterol, Low Fat, Low Sodium, Low Saturated Fat, Gluten Free

Ingredients
1 cup organic erythritol (try ZSweet)
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
1/4 cup spring water
3 large organic egg whites
1 tsp fresh organic lemon juice
2 tsp organic arrowroot
1 ounce organic almonds, sliced
3 cups organic blueberries

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, combine berries with 1/2 cup erythritol, water, vanilla and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Add arrowroot and continue to stir until thickened, about 1 minute. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add in the remaining erythritol, 2 Tbsp at a time, and continue to beat for about 3 minutes.

Gently swirl in 3/4 cup of the berry mixture, leaving streaks in the egg whites. Spoon remaining berry mixture into 6 ½-cup ramekins. Top with the soufflé mixture, sprinkle with almonds and bake until golden on top, about 6 minutes.

Nutrition Information
82 calories, 3 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 2 g monounsaturated fats, 2 g polyunsaturated fats, 0 mg cholesterol, 28 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g sugars, 3 g protein

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder of Healing Gourmet – the world's leading website on the power of foods to promote health and protect against disease. Her latest work is a revolutionary health transformation program called, Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Learn more here.]