Health and Fitness Tips

Herbs for cancer generally refer to herbal supplements that may support in preventing the onset of cancerous growths and promoting general well-being by boosting the body's immune system.

Here are Five Herbs that may help to fight cancer.

Echinacea: It is one of the best blood purifiers and an effective antibiotic. It helps to activate the human immune system increasing the chances of fighting off any disease. This popular herb has been used to help ward off the common cold and to relieve the symptoms of hay fever.

Dandelion: It is used traditionally as a remarkable healing and preventive herb. Dandelion is good for the liver and digestion and it is considered an excellent diuretic. It purifies and nourishes the blood, stimulates bile flow, increases stomach juices and relieves constipation.

Valerian: It has been used as a mild tranquilizer and sleep aid for over 1,000 years. It promotes better sleeping and to eliminate some of the anxiety of a cancer patient.

Astragalus: It is a traditional Chinese herb that has been in use for two thousand years, it is another cancer-fighting herb that has been shown to slow down metastasis (spread of cancer cells) and to stimulate the immune system’s T-cells. Astragalus also protects against the toxic effects of chemotherapy.

Burdock: It has been traditionally used as a "blood purifier" to clear the bloodstream of toxins, as a diuretic. It also contains proven anti-cancer compounds that have shown to be active against leukemia, lymphoma and various types of tumours. It has many medicinal qualities and has been used in many herbal remedies.

Your body has a remarkable ability to fight viruses and infection. But to do the job it needs the help of vitamins, minerals and the proper food to ward off the bombardment of diseases like diabetes and what is caused by our polluted and toxic environment.

While we all need minerals to promote good health, the diabetic needs far more than the average man or woman to maintain healthy levels. The diabetic kidney is often stressed from trying to eliminate excess glucose from the body and succeeds to flush out many of the vitamins and minerals along with excess glucose. This makes it vital to replace what has been lost.

Failure to supplement leads to blindness, kidney damage and the deadening of nerves in the feet. Without feeling, infection can set in. Untreated, gangrene can set in leading to amputation.

But it doesn't end there. If you're overweight you likely suffer from heart disease and high blood pressure that will lead to a shortened lifespan.

According to the media and the medical establishment, all you need to do is eat a proper diet and exercise. Unfortunately, this leaves out one key ingredient; supplementation. The simple fact is that the food we buy from our grocer's shelves lacks essential nutrients as they come from farms where the soil is depleted of the vitamins and minerals we need.

For diabetics, certain minerals are vital. If you hope to avoid the complications that afflict so many, you should be supplementing.

Among the most important minerals necessary for good health are:

CHROMIUM: 90% of Americans do not get the recommended 50mcg (micrograms) of chromium a day. According to the Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Science, 50 to 200 mcg is necessary for health. 200 to 400 mcg a day is best for the diabetic.

Chromium works with insulin in helping open the cell membranes to accept glucose. Without it, insulin's action is blocked. Not only does it improve insulin's action to get into the cells, but it has been shown to decrease fasting blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance and decrease cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as raise the HDL, good cholesterol.

Whole grains, cheese, beans, lentils and peas are good sources of chromium. Brewer's yeast is one of the best sources.

The high incidents of Syndrome X can be blamed on a lack of this nutrient. It's currently estimated that some 2 billion people currently exhibit some of the conditions of Syndrome X. Either chromium GTF or as chromium picolinate make good supplements.

MAGNESIUM: Low intake of magnesium is a major risk factor leading to diabetic complications, especially retinopathy. Blindness and heart disease are linked to a lack of magnesium. The RDA recommendation for healthy men is 350 mg per day and 300 mg for women. Between 300 to 600 mg is considered ideal. Many fall far short of this recommendation and only get between 143 to266 mg.

Our highly refined diet lacks magnesium. Magnesium, like chromium is involved in glucose metabolism. Mineral supplementation can help improve insulin response and glucose tolerance. It also helps the improve the fluidity of red blood cells. Most magnesium comes from seeds, nuts, legumes, tofu and green leafy vegetables. As a diabetic, you should take magnesium aspartate or magnesium citrate which is easily absorbed. To help the cells absorb this mineral, you should take at least 25mg of vitamin B-6.

POTASSIUM: It is the major mineral that resides inside all cell membranes. It has an electrical charge that helps the cell membranes better assimilate glucose. Sodium, contained in salt, is found outside of cell membranes and it's believed that the ratio of sodium to potassium is off-balance and is one of the many reasons why insulin cannot open the cell doors to accept glucose.

Diets that include high potassium levels have been shown to lower the risk of many degenerative diseases including cancer and helps to lower blood pressure naturally. Plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the best sources of potassium.

MANGANESE: Animals deficient in manganese, it has been shown, have lower insulin output. It functions in many enzyme systems including those involved in blood sugar control and thyroid hormone function. Diabetics have only half the manganese of normal people. Good sources are whole grains, fruits and nuts, provided they are grown on well fertilized soil. A good daily dose of manganese for diabetics is between 3 to 5 mg.

ZINC: This mineral has a lot to do with several body functions from sexual health to immune function. Zinc deficiency leads to loss of appetite, susceptibility to infection, poor wound healing, skin disorders and deficiency in both taste and smell. It is involved with the synthesis and utilization of insulin and has anti-viral effects. It helps protect against the destruction of beta cell, the cells responsible for the production of insulin in the pancreas. Diabetics should supplement with 30 mg of zinc per day. Good sources of zinc are shell fish, organ meats, fish, pumpkin seeds, ginger root, nuts and seeds.

VANADIUM: It's missing in the average American diet. In the form of vanadyl sulfate it helps to control the rises in blood sugar in diabetics after meals. Good sources of vanadium are mushrooms, shellfish, dill, parsley and black pepper.

Far from being a complete list, these are the most important minerals and should be taken by every diabetic.

While taking minerals will help, the best advice for every diabetic is to lose weight, engage in vigorous activity and avoid the highly processed and refined foods that make up the daily staple of the average American diet.


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The author has been a diabetic for some 8 years now. Rather than use standard medications, he relies on a regimen of dietary and mineral supplements to control blood sugar. You can find more about essential nutrients at: http://www.newagediabetic.com

FRESH AIR - DEEP CLEANSING & HEALING BREATHS

Become conscious of how you are breathing and breathe deeply. Three times a day (preferably morning, afternoon, and night) set aside a few moments to practice deep breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose to the count of 4 seconds, hold your breath for 16 seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds. Do this in sets of 3, 10 repetitions each (30 times at each setting). Make sure you give these breathing exercises your undivided attention and concentration.

There is nothing more important to our well-being than the air we breathe. We can live without food for 3-4 weeks, without water for 3-4 days, but we can't live without oxygen (the breath of life) for more than 3-4 minutes! The deeper we breathe, the better the mind and body function. Breathe from your diaphragm (or bottom) of your stomach. The lungs extend beyond the rib cage with 2/3rds of the lungs sitting below the lowest rib. Filling the larger portion of the lungs with oxygen will literally explode your energy and scatter it throughout your body, feeding powerful doses of it to your brain and every single cell in your body. Place your hand on your abdomen and push it out as you breathe into the pit of your stomach as deeply as you can. Keep practicing this until you can breathe from your diaphragm without having to force it.

Visual breathing actually helps to make the mind and body even healthier. When you inhale, envision yourself breathing in positive energy and as you hold your breath, see that positive energy traveling through your whole body, all the way down to the cellular level, healing and making every cell in your body healthy. Also imagine that as this perfect energy is rejuvenating your mind and body, it is also cleansing it by sucking up the negative energy in its pathways, which you will release by exhaling and visualize yourself breathing it out. Breathe in health, breathe out illness - breathe in hope, breathe out fear - breathe in love, breathe out anger & resentment - breathe in success, breathe out failure, etc. This really does work! Remember, the body responds to the mind's commands.

After you have faithfully practiced your 3 sets of 10 repetitions, 3 times a day, for 3 weeks, you should find yourself deeply breathing naturally without having to focus. It is very important to follow these instructions precisely every day, in order to receive their full benefits. It takes 3 weeks to break a bad habit and the same amount of time to create a good habit. Ever so often, just check yourself and observe how you are breathing. If per chance you are not breathing deeper than before you started these breathing exercises or even as deeply as you wish naturally, then you may want to continue practicing until this healthy way of breathing becomes normal for you. Practice makes perfect, but only if you practice correctly!

Breath is the bridge between the conscious and the sub-conscious mind, particularly in meditation. By consciously conditioning yourself to breathe deeply, eventually you will train your sub-conscious mind to breathe this way on its own without even having to think about it; however, conscious, visual breathing exercises are healthy and beneficial to still implement in your daily life or anytime for reinforcement or relaxation. As a matter of fact, the reason people find smoking relaxing is that they are taking slow deep breaths that are powerful enough to calm their systems even while inhaling the drug nicotine, which in itself is a stimulant that would trigger anxiety and nervousness if not accompanied by these slow, deep breaths. Just think what the benefits would be for one who breathes in this manner, except without the cigarettes.

This tool is simple and can be used anytime, anywhere. It helps to lower stress, increase energy, aid in mental clarity, give greater control to the nervous system, put you in a more "kinesthetic" (feeling) state, and infuses every cell in your body with the most precious element which makes life on earth possible, oxygen. Use the power of your mind, along with the oxygen (positive energy) you inhale to heal yourself and your life and also use the force of your mind, in tandem with the carbon dioxide (negative energy) you exhale to cleanse yourself and your life. The brain (mind) is the control center for your body, spirit, and soul, thus these 3 parts, which work in unison to make up each individual, react to the brain's commands, so start consciously breathing your way to health, wealth, happiness, love, peace & serenity, and success.

The author of this article welcomes you to place this article on your own website, blog etc. Please keep all links and content intact without changing anything.

I am an author of health and wellness issues as well as a skin care consultant who has extreme knowledge in the area of moisturizing the skin properly.

For more information on great skin care tips and skin care products, please visit http://TyraSmartSkinCare.com