Ideally, we should eat organic as much as possible, but it can be helpful to know which fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of pesticides, hormones, and other additives.

FRUITS:
Peaches, Apples, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Imported Grapes, Pears, Plums, Oranges, Raspberries, Domestic Grapes

VEGETABLES:
Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Lettuce, Spinach, Potatoes, Carrots, Green Beans, Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Cauliflowers

Try to avoid non-organic produce that is listed above. Not only are there high concentrations of pesticides on any given food, but multiple pesticides are easily found on food. Sweet bell peppers, for example, contained 64 pesticides in a single crop. On the other hand, the foods that ranked in the lowest-level pesticide category were:

FRUITS:
Pineapple, Mango, Kiwi, Bananas, Papaya, Blueberries, Watermelon, Grapefruit

VEGETABLES:
Avocado, Frozen Sweet Corn, Frozen Sweet Peas, Asparagus, Cabbage Broccoli, Eggplant

It is still a good idea to buy organic when possible, but through these guides and making wise choices, you can greatly reduce your level of pesticide exposure.

www.bambooyogini.com

Steam inhalations combine the benefits of steam and antiseptic herbs to effectively treat disorders of the respiratory tract, such as bronchial and nasal congestions, colds, hay fever, influenza and sinusitis.

To prepare a steam inhalation, place 50g of preferred dried herbs, in a bowl or saucepan – chamomile, horsetail, peppermint, sage and thyme are suitable.

Pour 1 litre of boiling water over the herbs. Cover your head and the bowl with a towel, close your eyes and inhale the steam for 20-30 minutes twice daily.

We are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals everyday. They are everywhere, in the air you breathe, in the food you eat and in the soil in which we plant our seeds, and in the water we drink.

These pollutants manifest themselves as a variety of symptoms; decreased immune function, chronic fatigue, hormonal dysfunction, obesity, lethargy and much more. An overload of toxins in your body will lead to chronic illness, we need to reduce this accumulation of poisons and decrease the damage to help our bodies rejuvenate.

Organic fruit and vegetable juices are the cleansers of the human body. They purify the blood, cast out accumulated toxins from the cells and help in the production of new cells to replace those which have either depreciated or been destroyed by disease and our bad dietary habits.

Organic juices will quickly supply you with generous amounts of minerals, vitamins, trace elements and enzymes without the toxic effects of drugs.

With juices, you can eliminate or prevent many chronic and degenerative diseases, revitalise your blood, sharpen your nerves, rejuvenate glandular activity and restore the acid-alkaline balance of the system.

Echinacea Purpurea is one of the most exciting therapeutic herbs available today, it is a unique herb related to the sunflower plant family. Echinacea has been widely used by Native Americans for hundreds of years as an antiseptic, an analgesic and for the treatment of snakebites.

Recently Echinacea has gained world-wide recognition as a natural alternative to antibiotics. There is a concern that antibiotics are failing because of over-use and the resultant increase of drug-resistant bacteria. Echinacea helps to increase immune function, reduce the effects of colds and flu’s, fight off viral, bacterial and fungal infections, purify the blood and flush waste from the lymphatic system.

There are more than 300 separate studies that have confirmed echinacea’s major physiological effects. Researchers have found that echinacea’s immune- stimulating properties are due to a rich host of polysaccharides and phytosterols unique to this plant which help to activate macrophages, key immune system elements that are directly involved in the destruction of bacteria, viruses, other infectious agents and cancer cells. Macrophages produce much of their lethal effect by generating free oxygen radicals as well as producing a key protein called interleukin-1.

Echinacea is one of the primary remedies for helping the body rid itself of microbial infections. It is often effective against both bacterial and viral attacks, and may be used in conditions such as boils, septicaemia and similar infections. In conjunction with other herbs it may be used for any infection anywhere in the body. For example in combination with yarrow it will effectively stop cystitis. It is especially useful for infections of the upper respiratory tract such as laryngitis, tonsillitis and for catarrhal conditions of the nose and sinus. In general it may be used widely and safely.

Children these days lead very busy lives, with school, homework, extra sporting activities and busy social calendars.

Just like adults children too can get ‘rundown’ with the busy pace of modern life.  We all know our children need good sleep and good food for great health, and the use of herbs and supplements can also assist.

Herbs have a long tradition of use and many are good for boosting chidren’s immune system.  Herbal medicines can be given in tincture or in herbal tea form.  Good quality raw honey can be added to teas to improve the flavour.

Some herbs and supplements to consider are:

Garlic is helpful against bacterial, viral and fungal infections and can be added to whatever you are cooking for dinner.

Eyebright is an excellent remedy for problems of the mucous membranes - it is wonderful for reducing mucous congestion in the nose, throat or sinuses.  Made into a tea and wiped over eyes, it can assist in treating itchy, red or weeping eyes and conjunctivitis.

Echinacea is a popular and well known immune boosting herb.  It is useful in upper respiratory tract infections and is best used at the onset of a cold or flu.

Astragalus is good for building immune resilience, especially in children prone to repeated infections and to assist build children’s health when recovering from a recent infection.

Rose Hips provide one of the best natural and freely available sources of Vitamin C.  They will help the body’s defences against infections and especially the development of colds.

Vitamin C is good for boosting the immune system, is anit-viral and can also improve recovery.

Cod liver Oil is a natural immune booster.  It is high in vitamins A and D.  Vitamin A aids in mucus membranes and upper respiratory infections, and builds the immune system.

Water intake is also very important as children can become easily dehydrated.

The Western diet may be very low in magnesium due to the over-consumption of processed foods, meats and dairy products.  It is not widely known that magnesium is an essential mineral for the human body.  Magnesium is necessary for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, essential for bone formation, muscle relaxation, blood clotting and the production of energy.

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency:

• Muscle spasms and cramps
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue and lethargy

If you have any of the above symptoms it may be worth supplementing with a good brand of magnesium to help maintain normal muscle and nerve function.  Magnesium may also keep bones strong, as magnesium is necessary to maintain density.  Magnesium supplementation is also helpful for the symptomatic relief of premenstrual syndrome, as it may help reduce mild premenstrual fluid retention.

The best dietary sources of magnesium are tofu, legumes, seeds, nuts, wholegrains, and green leafy vegetables.  Fish, meat, milk, and most commonly eaten fruit are low in magnesium.

People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should not take magnesium or potassium unless under the direct advice of a physician.

Magnesium supplementation can sometimes cause a looser stool, particularly if taken in the forms of magnesium sulfate  (Epsom salts), hydroxide, or chloride.

Hot Stone Massage Therapy dates back to over 3000 years ago.  Hot Stone Massage therapy is also known as Hot Rock Massage Therapy and was used in ancient India and China, and more recently North American Indians.

Hot Stone massage therapy combines the benefits of hydrotherapy and thermalism with the strokes of massage using Stones to create a deep, relaxing and healing treatment.  The heat of the massage stones warms the skin, which allows for the absorption of moisturizing and therapeutic oils, while simultaneously preparing the musculature of the body so the massage therapist can work into the deeper muscle layers.

The traditions and healing rituals in which the hot massage stones were used included laying the hot massage stones in patterns on the body, carrying or wearing stones for health and protection, using hot massage stones in the diagnosis and treatment of disease or during ceremonies such as sweat lodges or in medicine wheels.

Some native healers used hot massage stones to ease the discomforts experienced during menstruation, or applied cold massage stones to impede blood flow after giving birth.  The Roman Empire was noted for their creation of the Roman baths.

Many of these rituals still exist today in the form of hydrotherapy practices and the use of saunas, hot immersion baths, and marble stone/cold pools.  More recently, it is thriving today in many healing centres and spas throughout North America, Europe, and is catching on fast in other parts of the world.

Benefits of Hot stone massage are increased local circulation, improved blood flow to surrounding tissues, and greater ability to transport toxins and waste products from the area.

Spoil yourself!

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful.  If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness; but if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions.  If we train in meditation, our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we will experience a purer and purer form of happiness.  Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Usually we find it difficult to control our mind.  It seems as if our mind is like a balloon in the wind – blown here and there by external circumstances.  If things go well, our mind is happy, but if they go badly, it immediately becomes unhappy.  For example, if we get what we want, such as a new possession or a new partner, we become excited and cling to them tightly.  However, since we cannot have everything we want, and since we will inevitably be separated from the friends and possessions we currently enjoy, this mental stickiness, or attachment, serves only to cause us pain.  On the other hand, if we do not get what we want, or if we lose something that we like, we become despondent or irritated.  For example, if we are forced to work with at colleague whom we dislike, we will probably become irritated and feel aggrieved, with the result that we will be unable to work with him or her efficiently and our time at work will become stressful and unrewarding.

Such fluctuations of mood arise because we are too closely involved in the external situation.  We are like a child making a sandcastle  who is excited when it is first made, but who becomes upset when it is destroyed by the incoming tide.  By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances.  Gradually we develop mental equilibrium, a balanced mind that is happy all the time, rather than an unbalanced mind that oscillates between the extremes of excitement and despondency.  If we train in meditation systematically, eventually we will be able to eradicate from our mind the delusions that are the causes of all our problems and suffering.  In this way, we will come to experience a permanent inner peace, known as “liberation” or “nirvana”.  Then, day and night in life after life, we will experience only peace and happiness.

For further information on how to meditate www.how-to-meditate.org

Part of healthy living means eating the right food. Many people are turning towards organic food because it is healthy, with an increased amount of minerals and vitamins compared to mass produced food. Also, the producers and sellers of organic food are accountable and have a deep seated interest in helping the planet. Organic farming and practices are great for the environment.

Organic foods are produced:

• Without using harmful chemicals for pesticides and fertilisers
• Without harming or treating animals humanely
• Using sustainable practices, important for the environment both now and in the future

For more information or to try out some organic food visit http://www.macrowholefoods.com.au/home.html

The Skin is the LARGEST ORGAN in the Body, and is responsible for one-fourth of the Body’s detoxification each day, also making it one of the most important elimination organs. The skin is also known as the “3rd” Kidneys and the Lungs are known as the “2nd” Kidneys.

Toxicity can gather beneath the skin’s surface from such common influences such as improper pH levels in Body Soaps, Skin Creams and Anti-Perspirants, plus Synthetic Fibers worn next to the skin with any of them contributing to a variety of Skin problems and conditions.

When you do Skin Brushing, you help your Lymph System to clean itself of the toxins that collect in the Lymph Glands. A simple technique to improve the surface circulation on the Skin and keep the pores of skin open, encouraging your Body’s Discharge of metabolic wastes, and resulting in an improved ability to combat bacteria, plus helping your skin to look and feel healthier and more resilient.

The benefits of dry skin brushing are:

• Cleans lymphatic system
• Aides digestion
• Stimulates circulation
• Increases cell renewal
• Removes dead skin layers
• Strengthens immune system
• Improves exchange between cells
• Stimulates the Glands, thus helping all of the body systems to perform at peak efficiency

Dry skin brushing is best done first thing in the morning, for 5 mins, before taking a cool shower.