Health

What We're Doing

We take responsibility for our own health!
Good health permits true enjoyment of life, consequently it is the guiding principle behind all of our decisions. We read and research extensively about all aspects of health and take the following actions:
Exercise is essential to good health!
Plus it can mitigate less than optimum food choices. This is so important that we've created a separate exercise section.
No TV and no daily newspapers.
We don't have a television set in the house. A positive attitude is enhanced by reading a lot of inspiring, uplifting books, magazines, and internet articles. The TV issue is especially important; there is much written about its evils; read the article TV Does More Damage.
Eat lots of fruits & vegetables and some meat.
We've used only chicken, buffalo & venison for some time. We examined the virtues of a vegetarian diet, but still consume meat. Chet Day has a page with links to many vegan articles that may help with such a decision. The World's Healthiest Foods is a great site with tons of information.
Minimal sugar consumption.
We enjoy a few desserts, mostly with reduced sugar. Barbara's cooking page also discusses that more depth.
Avoid trans fats and hydrogenated products.
Use coconut oil & butter (no margarine). Read product labels and see how many items contain the word "hydrogenated", it's shocking. The World Health Organization recommended banning hydrogenated oils in 1978, but the FDA has taken no action.
Don’t overeat.
Eat slow and quit when full.
Never drink a soda of any type, diet or regular.
Totally empty calories and one of the worst things for the body. Research from a British University suggests that sodium benzoate, a common preservative found in many soft drinks, has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA. "What Happens To Your Body Within An Hour Of Drinking A Coke" is an interesting article that details some of the damage. Instead, drink lots of water.
No milk.
it's bad for you despite advertising claims. Pasteurized cow's milk is the number one allergic food in the U.S. Check the links and articles on Not Milk for more than you ever wanted to know.
Gluten-free Diet.
We started on a gluten-reduced diet on December 4, 2012, in an effort to alleviate Barbara's autoimmune problems. It's not much of a sacrifice, but eating out becomes a challenge. More information is presented on Barbara's Cooking page.

Thoughts In Other Areas

    Mind
    You are what you think!

    It’s hard to overestimate the importance of thought when related to any health issue. Most health problems are caused by stress, worry, negative thought or, at the very least, are aggravated by less than a positive outlook. Our consistent thoughts become our reality. This has been known for centuries and hundreds of books and articles have been published on the subject, but our culture still prefers to place the blame for all afflictions elsewhere and treat them with medications or surgery. Nonetheless, there are many effective techniques available for those who wish to learn more.

    * Jack’s favorite is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is a more recent approach to old problems.
    * Or read what Mike Adams has to say about the mind versus drugs.
    * And on a more esoteric level, meditation can also provide benefits.
    * Healing by Spiritual Affirmation by Paramhansa Yogananda was written over 70 years ago, but is still valid today.

    Our current experience is a precise reflection of our current and previous thoughts; there are absolutely no exceptions to this truth. Even if we might not like everything we are experiencing at this "time" we know that we can always change it and attract the experience we would wish for, simply by changing our thoughts. Change your Mind and change your life.
    Flu Types
    No, we aren't concerned about the so-called "Swine Flu" or "Bird Flu"; whatever they are calling it this year. They are just hoaxes perpetrated on the public. The avian flu scare would probably not even exist without the cozy relationship between large drug companies and the media. This article will really make you think about the drug companies and if you want to trust any of them.
    While we're mentioning flu shots, we also don't get the annual flu shots pushed on everyone. They are loaded with toxic agents (mercury and formaldehyde among others) and will not prevent the flu. We also discuss this on our Self-Help page.
    Favorites
    Dr. Joseph Mercola has our favorite site. There are many good articles on all aspect of healthy living and he also distributes a weekly newsletter. One of his recent quotes really got our attention: "Traditional medicine clearly kills more people than it saves. Prescribed drugs are the fourth leading cause of death and the first three, heart attacks, cancer and strokes are facilitated by physician ignorance of foundational concepts of nutritional physiology."
    • Baseline Of Health with Dr. Jon Barron covers it all and is Jack's favorite for in depth research.
    • Peter Ragnar is an amazing senior with some interesting health tips on his web site. He advocates a raw food diet and yet is very strong (for any age).
    • Chet Day's Health & Beyond has loads of practical information from someone who has worked to improve his own health. He even has crockpot recipes!
    • Mark Sisson's Daily Apple is a blog with many interesting articles by a guy who lives by the principles he espouses.
    • DoctorYourself.com: Information on about every subject you can imagine. Their slogan: "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. This especially includes your health care!"
    • Science Daily is an extensive site with all the latest research news in health and medicine. Another one where you could spend all day reading.
    • Health Supreme is an interesting site with a multitude of links to all kinds of health related information.
    • The Natural Health Perspective covers a complete way of living to optimize your health. Lots of great information here!
    Chemicals
    It's truly astounding how many chemicals we encounter in daily life, but you would think that the products used for skin care would be beneficial and healthy. The truth may be hard to accept, but most items like skin moisturizers are loaded with chemicals that are downright deadly. And if you really want to delve into this subject read the web site Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics - Ingredient Directory. DermaDoctor is another site with detailed information about this travesty.
    Soy
    Good Sites
    MedlinePlus is a comprehensive site with data on anything health related. It is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is the best place to look for information on conditions or afflictions. If you can't find it on these pages it must not exist. There are a number of specialized sites under the NIH umbrella and they are listed under Institutes, Centers and Offices.

    The Mayo Clinic has an extensive site with excellent treatment information.

    U.S. Medicare is the source of care for seniors.
    Nutrition
    The National Health Federation is a consumer-education, health-freedom organization working to protect individuals' rights to choose to consume healthy food, take supplements and use alternative therapies without government restrictions.

    The Weston A. Price Foundation is a great location for nutrition information along with much more.

    The Harvard School of Public Health has an excellent site with detailed answers to most questions of nutrition.

    AARP has good health information.