The good thing about inflammation is that it is an intricate part of the protective and healing systems of the body.  When we are injured, the body isolates the damaged area with inflammation.  With this process, the body uses white blood cells to remove damaged cells and simultaneously replaces these damaged cells.  Athletes are constantly breaking down cell structure when they work out or compete, and if properly nourished they replace these cells with stronger cells to cope with the increase in activity.  The same can be said in disease.  If bacteria, viruses, molds, parasites, or any other micro-organism invades our bodies and starts damaging cells, this same inflammatory process kicks in and destroys the invaders and the damaged cells replacing them with healthy cells.  This inflammatory process is designed to be very accurate with specialized killer cells that target foreign invaders, phagocyte cells that devour any foreign protein or waste by-products of cellular break down, and many more white blood cells with many different actions.  We were designed to thrive in a hostile environment.  The worst action you can take in this ‘tear down and replace’ system is taking anti-inflammatories.

The bad part of inflammation is when non- lethal substances trigger an immune or inflammatory response.  These are called anti-gens and are commonly seen in hay-fever and food allergies.  When you breathe through your nose, little nose hairs stop and trap foreign proteins into your mucus, then sending them out in a watery stream.  Thus, our nose “runs”, which is a protective mechanism.  If we take some drug to stop this running process and the offending invader stays in our sinus then the inflammation (histamine) process starts which blocks it from entering the body.  By taking anti-histamine medication it will then gain access into our inner body and since it is foreign our immune cells attack it and remember it, thus we become sensitized to it and react with each new contact.  Other proteins entering the digestive process are broken down into individual amino acids and other components absorbed through the G.I. tract and put back together as our protein.  This protein is then accepted by our immune system.  When we take pain killers that destroy our stomach lining, we allow foreign proteins direct access into our blood stream.  The immune system attacks these food proteins making us allergic to that particular food.  This can also happen with the use of anti-biotics.

The ugly part of inflammation occurs when foreign proteins are injected into our bloodstream.  Foreign proteins, of course will be attacked by our immune cells.  If these proteins resemble proteins that we personally manufacture then the immune system can be triggered against our cells that make that similar protein.   When our own protective system is targeted against our own cells we end up with what is called an auto immune disease.  In the creation of vaccines the target bacteria or virus is grown on animal tissue.  The problem is that the final product contains that animal tissue, because it cannot be separated from the serum.  These proteins in this animal tissue can be very close to human proteins, especially if primates are used to make the vaccines.

In conclusion when we have good inflammation we need to help the body do its work, not fight against the natural process by taking anti-inflammatories.  In helping we should give the nutrients necessary to repair damaged tissues.  Along with fresh vegetable juices we would use Dr. Christopher’s amazing Complete Tissue and Bone formula capsules internally.  This same formula, in massage oil, would also be applied liberally over sore areas to help further repair the damage.  This would be followed by the powerful Cayenne Ointment to help with the heat process and to relieve pain.

When we have the ‘bad part of inflammation’ we want to help the body discharge the antigens.  Dr. Christopher’s Nose ointment will help drain the contaminants.  Also we can boil a pot of water, take it off the heat, spray in Dr. Christopher’s MPR essential oil formula and breathe in the steam and oils to open up and drain out the offenders.

With both the ‘bad’ and ‘ugly’ inflammation we would use Dr. Christopher’s highly effective Immune Calm formula to lessen the unnecessary attack mode on its own cells, while not compromising its protective effectiveness.  This would be followed with the repair formula Complete Tissue and Bone.  For best results, the dosage on both of these formulas would be a minimum of 5 capsules 5 times a day for two weeks and then label dosage thereafter.  In my 30 + years as an Herbalist I have never seen anything as effective for allergies and auto-immune diseases as these two formulas.

David Christopher is a Master Herbalist and the director of The School of Natural Healing. He also co-hosts the popular radio show “A Healthier You” and is a popular international teacher and lecturer.

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We get many requests for testimonials so I would like to share with you where you can find them and invite you to share yours with us so others can benefit from your successes.
On The Herbal Legacy website www.herballegacy.com you can type “testimonials” in the search bar and then pick the one you want to read. You can also click on the tab “Ailments and Programs”, or “Single Herbs“, select the one you want and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will find the testimonials for that ailment or herb. Here is a sample from the single herb list: 
 

Cayenne
Deep Cut: A person in our audience told how he had cut deeply with a sharp instrument the inside of his hand, fingers and palm. The blood spurted out in streams. He poured a large amount of cayenne pepper into the wound, and within seconds the blood flow slowed down to congealed dripping and the bleeding stopped entirely before many seconds had passed. With a goodly amount of cayenne covering the wound, he then wrapped it. He was so excited about the rapid results he could hardly wait for the regular herb meeting. But, as he said, the “punch line” was lost, because instead of a nasty ragged scar to show how severely he had been hurt, the area was healed and there was no scar.

The School of Natural Healing website www.schoolofnaturalhealing.com has a link on the left hand side “Testimonials about The School of Natural Healing” here is one from there.

I have an 8 year old daughter, Katie, who has Down Syndrome. She has suffered chronic ear and sinus infections for years. We were constantly in the doctor’s office for another round of antibiotics. I knew that they were harsh on the body and was extremely concerned for her. One day I expressed my concern to her pediatrician that there must be something we could do to strengthen her immune system or eliminate something from her diet. I was laughed at and told it was just the lot Katie had been given and she would always be sick. I was furious.
I looked around for an alternative, signed up for the School of Natural Healing and Katie has not been back to any doctor in almost a year. We have all but eliminated milk from her diet and when she does start in on a sinus or ear infection we start her on Dr. Christopher’s Infection Formula and Kid-e-Mune and the results are immediate.

We also have people who email them in. Here is part of one that we recently received:

Hypothyroidism
This began when I passed the mirror one day and noticed a big lump on my throat.
Everyone encouraged me to go to the doctor’s and have it checked. They verified it was a goiter. Nurse Carol told me that if I did not take the prescription for Levothyroxine, I would die! (How’s that for terrorizing patients!)  She said my heart would enlarge and I would develop an enlarged heart and cardiovascular disease.  I continued to say thank you but no thank you.  She felt the goiter and said it felt like a “simple” goiter.  She could detect no nodules or lumps.  She insisted I at least take the prescription home.
I did.  I looked it up in the Drug Formulary.  The first side effect was 13% bone mass loss.  My mother took this drug and developed osteopenia very quickly.  The second side effect was, can you believe it, cardiovascular disease!!  So, I was darned if I did, and darned if I didn’t.
I called David Christopher and told him about it.  He asked me how I felt about it.  I told him there was no way I was going to take that medicine!  He said “then let’s get started”.
Some of the suggestions he made were:

I love reading and hearing about the wonderful healing that goes on with people. I know life is much better when we are healthy. Please send us some of your successes. You can reply to this newsletter or send them to registration@snh.cc. We would love to hear from you.

Have a Healthy and Happy Day!

Doreen Spackman is a Master Herbalist graduate and employee of the School of Natural Healing.

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Think of some major muscles in the body, you may come up with muscles such as the bicep, hamstring or quadriceps. These are well known surface muscles. A muscle that is very important to our overall health, and often never heard of, is the psoas muscle (pronounced so-as). The psoas runs through the pelvic bowl, down over the front of the hip joint, and attaches at the top of the femur (thigh bone). It is the only muscle connecting the spine to the leg.

The psoas is critical for balanced alignment, proper joint rotation, and full muscular range of motion. A constricted psoas can often cause low back pain, knee strain or exhaustion. A chronically tightened psoas continually signals to the body that you are in danger because the physical tension triggers the fight or flight response from the nervous system. This constant tension will eventually exhaust the adrenal glands and deplete the immune system.

 The psoas is traditionally considered a hip flexor. Hip flexors are muscles that bring the trunk and leg closer together. Also a posture stabilizing muscle, the psoas assists in straightening the lumbar (lower spine). In actions where one side contracts and not the other, the psoas aids in bending to the side.

Since the psoas is a muscle of flexion, exercises that incorporate those kinds of moves are said to strengthen it. A good exercise is the standing lunge.

Lunge By Steps:
1-    Stand with your legs parallel and a straight posture; your tailbone pointing toward the floor, the top of your head reaching for the sky, and your shoulders relaxed.
2-    Bend your right knee and step straight back with your left leg onto the ball of your foot. Go as far as you are comfortable, but don’t let your right knee (front leg) bend past your toes.
3-    Keep your hips even. Think of your hip bones as headlights that have to point forward. Your chest is open, slightly lifted to the sky and your gaze is straight ahead.
4-    Rest your hands on your right knee for stability.
5-    Straighten your back leg, but don’t lock your knee. Let the lift come from the hamstring (back of the leg). Now, if you feel steady, increase the stretch*. But don’t do it by sagging into the left hip (common mistake).

*The way to increase the stretch is to keep your lower ribs and hip bones in the same plane and pull up through the core of the body and abdominal muscles to bring the pelvis up and back, opening the front of the hip joint. Use your abs in a way that feels like you are scooping your tailbone between your legs. This will help protect your lower back.

6-    Hold the stretch about 30 seconds as you breathe deeply. You might think of it as breathing “into the stretch”.
7-    Release the stretch by supporting some weight on your hands and stepping the back foot forward to parallel legs position.
8-    Repeat on the other side.

A healthy functioning psoas guides the transfer of weight from the trunk of the body to the legs.   It provides a diagonal support through the trunk, forming a shelf for the vital organs of the abdominal core. In walking, a healthy psoas assists the joints in moving freely and joins with the diaphragm in massaging the spine as well as the organs, blood vessels, and nerves of the trunk, stimulating the flow of fluids throughout the body.  A healthy psoas contributes to the sensations of feeling grounded and centered in the body which creates a sense of relaxation and calm that can affect your total well-being.

Mishelle Knuteson is certified in Rapid Eye Technology (RET) an emotional release therapy, teaches classes in The Art of Feminine Presence and a Master Herbalist ~ graduate of The School of Natural Healing. Mishelle currently works as an Educative Master Herbalist (MH) for The School of Natural Healing and as Office Manager of Christopher Publications.

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Growing up on the American diet most of us aren’t aware of the best way to prepare grains, nuts and seeds so our bodies can utilize the nutrients. We grew up thinking white flour bread was beautiful and delicious, nothing could be better, especially home baked bread. Today many have evolved to think whole wheat bread is the best option and who can deny that hot, homemade, whole wheat bread, fresh out of the oven tastes great? But this reminds me how Dr. Christopher taught that you can’t expect to grind wheat to face powder, cook it at high temperatures and think it will rebuild and nourish the body. “Dead food begets death.”  Live foods give life! Proper preparation will nourish and rebuild our bodies.

Whole grains that have been processed at high temperatures are extremely toxic. Are there any puffed grains or flat flakes in your whole grain breakfast cereal? These are not only void of nutrients but hard to digest. These highly processed whole grains also affect the blood sugar and destroy the enzyme phytase that aids in the breaking down of phytic acid.

 Nature has placed phytic acid in the bran of whole grains and also enzyme inhibitors to protect grains for long time storage. If the grains are not pre-soaked or fermented before consumption the phytic acid combines with other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc and inhibits their assimilation in the body, which can lead to mineral deficiencies and eventual bone loss.

Sprouting, overnight soaking and fermenting the grains helps to neutralize nature’s protection of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. This in essence starts the digestive process giving us the ability to properly break down the grains, nuts, and seeds making it possible for our bodies to receive the minerals and nutrition within them. Soaking seeds in warm water also promotes growth of the beneficial enzymes which increase vitamin and mineral content, favorably B vitamins.

Gluten is a protein in grains that is hard to digest. It taxes the digestive system. Those grains containing gluten; barley, oats, rye, and wheat should especially be sprouted, soaked, or fermented. Currently numerous people have allergies to grains, nuts, and seeds but with the proper preparation of these foods many have tolerated them just fine.

Throughout history previous cultures sprouted, soaked, and fermented grains, nuts and seeds. An example of this is in the Old Testament when “pulse” was eaten by Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. This gave them amazing health benefits.

Some cultural examples of historic grain preparation include: Mexican pozol (corn cakes) which are fermented for a few days and can be for up to two weeks using banana leaves. When making injera (bread) Ethiopians fermented teff (grain) for several days. Oriental and Latin American countries fermented rice before using. In India idili (rice and lentils) fermented for two days or longer. African corn was soaked overnight before adding it to dishes. They also used millet or corn to make a sour porridge. In Europe, grains were soaked overnight or longer before serving as cereal or porridge and their bread was made from sourdough starters. American pioneers also made sourdough breads and the Welsh soured a porridge made from oats.

There are many books available on sprouting for the different grains, nuts and seeds. It is best to soak grains and the larger nuts and seeds for at least 24 hours or more.  To ferment them use lemon juice or a good apple cider vinegar from the health food store that contains the friendly flora or “mother”.  A little in the soaking water will suffice. (see recipe below)

I have witnessed in my own health and others how these simple changes in our food preparation will improve your health. Increased energy and vitality will be yours!

Yvonne Lunt Salcido is a Student Advisor for and a Master Herbalist Graduate of the School of Natural Healing. She is a current student at Utah Valley University majoring in Health and Wellness Education.

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Have you ever been unable to breathe well? What a desperate feeling! What an equally helpless and panicky feeling to watch as a small child or other loved one struggles to get breath to sustain life.
If you know what I am talking about you have probably been through the conventional route of treatments. Antibiotics, possibly inhalers, maybe even oral steroids like cortisone. Some people may wonder what is wrong with these conventional treatments.

Before getting into the natural herbal treatment of bronchitis, consider the regular drug treatments that are given. Medical textbooks say that you will find inflammation of the bronchial walls and/or spasm of the muscles surrounding the bronchioles when bronchitis is occurring. These can be brought about by infection or irritation to the area.

When we use antibiotics, we treat bacterial infection. If there is viral infection then antibiotics do no good at all. An antibiotic will not kill a virus. The antibiotic will also be useless if the bronchitis is due to an irritation - either chemical or allergic. Even if the condition starts with a bacterial infection, an antibiotic is not effective in getting rid of the inflammation or bronchial constriction. The only positive action of an antibiotic is to kill bacteria. Their side effects can range from mild digestive distress such a diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting to fungal infections, kidney damage, deafness, and even fatal anaphylactic shock. They are Russian roulette in a pill. I personally will not take them unless there is absolutely no other effective remedy for a situation. I have not found that situation yet.

Inhalers can be helpful as a temporary crutch in some types of bronchitis. They can contain a drug that relaxes the muscles surrounding the bronchial tubes or a drug that reduces the swelling in the wall in the bronchial tubes. They also have side effects including increased blood pressure, nervousness, tremors, headache, bronchospasm, anaphylactic shock, oral thrush infection, and weakening of the muscles of the larynx. These are only a few of the problems reported. Among all drug treatments for bronchitis, these are the least harmful.
Oral steroids such as cortisone are drugs that treat only the inflammation (swelling) in the walls of the bronchial tubes. They do not do away with the cause of the swelling.  The side effects of these drugs would take a couple of pages. Among them are suppression of our own natural steroid production, disruption of the menstrual cycle, worsening of diabetes, acne, weight gain, fragile skin, depression, insomnia, osteoporosis leading to bone fractures, and so forth. In short, they can possibly ruin your health. There must be a better way!
I am so relieved that there IS a better way. One of the best remedies of which I am aware is a tea made from a combination of Mullein and Lobelia in a 3:1 ratio. When you hear this story, you will be able to understand my gratitude to our Creator for these herbs.
A few months ago I found out that my little grandson - going on three- had been sick with bronchitis for at least three weeks. Two rounds of antibiotics later he was still suffering. Mama and Papa were getting very little sleep as he struggled to get his breath. Brothers and sisters were irritable because they weren’t sleeping well either. My grandson looked bad. When I found out about this, I immediately went out to the farm and educated Mama on how to use these herbs. She did it. A tea of these herbs was made and applied to the chest. When I followed up with a phone call the next day I was told that he was breathing easily and all had slept better!

I hope that this makes life better for someone you love.

Jim Spalding is a Master Herbalist graduate of The School of Natural Healing. Speaking, writing, and individually teaching have become his way of advancing the health of this country. For questions and other help, contact can be made through his web site athttp://natural-healingwithherbs.com/.

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This time of year is a great time to make a plan to develop better habits and put into practice the things that will enrich your life. In our home we think of goals we want to achieve in the New Year, some call them New Year’s Resolutions. But we often change the question and instead of asking “What goals do you want to set?” or “What did you write down for your New Year’s Resolutions?” we ask “What A.R.E. you going to do to ENERGIZE your life?”  ENERGIZE means to activate and give more life, just saying the word gives me energy! Here are 3 steps to energize your life today!

(A)ctivity- Physical activity helps our health in all areas; physical, mental, spiritual, and social. The benefits are extensive and include; longer life, improved memory, new brain cell development, lowers blood pressure, helps in prevention and control of diabetes, strengthens your heart, antidepressant, strengthens bones and muscles, reduces anxiety, increases self-esteem, reduces risk of developing and /or dying from heart disease, and helps you to sleep better at night. So what activity are you doing today? Starting is easier than you think because there is a beginning level for everyone.  Just 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference. This should be enjoyable, so jump up and down or put on some fun music and dance your heart out for a few minutes, use a cellerciser, or take the dog for a walk in the fresh air. It might be a new practice you are creating but it won’t take long before it is a healthy habit, so start today! Boost your energy and better your health. ENERGIZE your life! Let those happy cells come to life.

(R)est- Sleep is needed so our minds can process life, our bodies can repair and our organs rejuvenate. Resting helps keep your heart healthy, reduces stress and inflammation, and of course ENERGIZES your life! Need hints on sleeping better? How consistent is your “before bed” routine? Remember those things we were told to do before bed as children? They are the same things we tell our children each night. Go to the bathroom, brush and floss your teeth, say your prayers, and read a story (something relaxing). In our house we also make sure we don’t talk about stressful/sensitive subjects just before going to bed. It’s also helpful to talk about happy events of the day or of the past or write them in a journal. You could also write positive affirmations or a positive self-talk paper that can be read before going to bed. It could include “I am sleeping through the night from 10pm-6am” or “I will wake up refreshed and well rested”. Listening to relaxing, uplifting music can be very beneficial as well. This can all be done in about 15 minutes and that’s a lot less time than lying in bed just hoping to fall asleep. Write down your routine today and follow it each night until it becomes a beneficial practice in your life.

(E)ating- Food is so vital for energizing our bodies! The old adage is true “We are what we eat”. Are we eating live food that gives us life? I hope so! Our busy lives make the variety of readily available, pre-made “fast food” very appealing.  But, the drive through is the last place we should be looking if we want to ENERGIZE our bodies. The fastest and healthiest food there is, is fresh and whole from nature, food that is ready to eat with very little preparation or hassle. 

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be washed and/or cut quickly and ahead of time for a quick meal or snack every day of the week. Add a handful of nuts or seeds to help satisfy hunger and add a protein packed punch. Even in this cooler weather there are many fruits and vegetables available. Apples, oranges, tangerines, bananas, berries, pineapple, kiwi and mangoes would make a delicious addition to any combination of lettuce and sprouts for a healthy salad. Mix it up for a change of taste and texture. Also, experiment with time saving meals such as a low heated pot of soup for dinner that can be put in a thermos for lunches. Think seasonally, there are all kinds of squash, onions, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes to make a different soup each time.

So what A.R.E. you going to do to ENERGIZE and enjoy your life today?

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by David Christopher M.H.

Those of us reading this newsletter know that we should make healthy changes to our diet.  The hard part is knowing how to make these changes.  Perhaps it would help to know why we eat the way we do, not as an excuse for staying the same but as a guide to improve our well-being.

All herbivores and omnivores have an attraction to sweetness because it indicates high caloric and vitamin content of the food.  To be physically active we need energy and calories provide this energy.  This is not a “lose-lose” scenario.  Eating sweet foods is natural and necessary. But in this scenario the sweets we eat should be natural, in their whole fresh state, nothing added and nothing taken away.  Fresh fruit satisfies this necessity. 

Herbivores are supplied these sweet calories with grass (just notice the extreme sweetness of wheat grass juice).  If we have indulged in highly processed sweet “foods”, and have developed an “addiction” to this highly advertised merchandise then a remedy of barberry root extract, or any other extremely bitter herb is recommended.  The extreme bitter taste seems to counter the desire for sweetness.

The taste of bitter is normally disliked by people.  This may have roots in our hunter/gatherer days, when the taste of bitter was a warning.  Poisonous plants are acrid and the closest taste to acrid is bitter.  Medicinal plants tend to be bitter so when we are sick we have a better tolerance for this taste, perhaps even a craving.  Cravings for bitter coffee and beer may be an attempt, by the body, to obtain a remedy for healing.

Unlike fruits, vegetables are not as sweet and do not provide many calories, which makes them the best foods to help lose weight.  Vegetables are the best source for vitamins, minerals and other healing compounds which have bitter tastes. It is generally the slight bitterness of vegetables that cause their rejection at meals.  Flavorful herbs and spices, salt sparingly, and the richness of oils help counter the disagreeable taste that most Americans have for vegetables.

Correct food choices start at conception.  When soon to be moms eat nutritious foods during pregnancy, the child will be more prone to eat those nutritious foods as well.  The flavor and odors of what mothers eat are present in the amniotic fluid, which is swallowed by the fetus (they are also found in breast milk).  Fetal taste buds are mature at 13 weeks and taste receptor cells are functioning at 16 weeks.  This phenomenon is evident with American couples who adopt Asian babies. Even though these babies have no exposure to Asian foods they are attracted to the flavors of the food their biological mothers consumed while carrying them.

Adults and older children can change their food preferences by consistently eating these nutritious foods.  One of the ways of introducing these more bitter vegetables is to slightly sweeten them and then gradually reduce the sweeteners.

The next step to healthy eating is making sure that at least 50% of all food consumed is raw.  There are several “Non-Cook” books available to guide us in preparing these healthy raw additions. Melissa Chappells book, “Faves” is full of delicious raw recipes and is the newest addition to the excellent books published by Dr. Christopher Publications. 

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Are you feeling the after holiday guilt from overeating, lack of exercise, and maybe eating things not as healthy as you should? How would you like to guarantee a good night sleep every night, be your perfect weight, and have more energy? Our bodies are designed to work best when we are physically active. Now is a great time to evaluate your exercise and nutrition habits. Only about 12% of Americans report exercising vigorously for more than 20 minutes, three times per week and the actual number is reported closer to 3%.

A few benefits of exercise include: cancer prevention, improves cognitive function, helps to overcome the negative effects of a poor diet, promotes the creation of new nerve cells (neurons) in the brain, enhances the entire nervous system’s plasticity (helping to prevent injuries to the body), has a protective effect on the brain as people age, has positive effect on mental health especially with fighting depression and anxiety.

There are three types of exercise the body needs; Cardiorespiratory, Strength Training (Muscular Strength & Endurance), and Flexibility Training.

Cardio-respiratory Exercise, involves continuous, rhythmic movements of large-muscle groups, such as rebounding (cellersizer), walking, jogging, biking, aerobics, dancing and hiking. Benefits include: the heart pumps more blood per beat, slower resting heart rate, volume of blood increases, tissues receive more blood, the bodies temperature regulates better, blood pressure decreases, improvement in the body’s chemical systems (mainly in the liver and in the muscles). A healthy heart endures stress, emergencies and the wear and tear of life. This needs to be done 3-5 days a week.

Strength Training, sometimes called weight training or resistance training decreases the risk of osteoporosis and maintains muscle mass and function. This greatly improves the quality of life and prevents injuries. Muscular Strength uses the amount of force a muscle can produce in a single effort. Strong muscles are critical for everyday life, such as climbing stairs. Strong muscles help to keep the spine in proper alignment, preventing leg and back pain, and maintaining support for good posture. Muscular Endurance is teaching a muscle to hold a contraction and resist fatigue. This is critical for good posture and injury prevention especially to the back. Sign up for a class or check with your local gym to teach you the basics to avoid injury first. After you learn the basics you can do it at home. This needs to be done 2-3 nonconsecutive days per week using all the major muscle groups. Examples are bicep curls, abdominal curls, push-ups, and bench presses.

Flexibility Training, is teaching the body to have the ability to move the joints through their full range of motion. Pain free, flexible joints are important to good health and lifestyle. Inactivity causes us to become stiff and inflexible as we age. Stiffness leads to improper posture that can stress muscles and joints. An example of a great flexibility program is yoga. Flexibility exercises can be done daily and should be done at least 2-3 days per week exercising all the major joints.

Most importantly, find something to move your body that is fun and that you enjoy. Think of it as play time! Be creative, change things around, maybe invite a friend, but be consistent and maintain a healthy habit!

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An important part of Dr. Christopher’s Incurables Program is the sunbath.  He recommended that you “take a sunbath each day in the nude and not through glass but in the direct sun.”  There are two types of ultraviolet light from the sun, UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are longer and penetrate deep into the skin to produce a dark tan. When in the sun too long they cause wrinkles and sun spots.  UVB rays are shorter and cause the skin to burn. They are also the only rays that make vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually a steroid and is a powerful antioxidant.  It is an important nutrient in preventing cancer including skin cancers. It is important for proper immune function and to prevent autoimmune diseases.  It helps with proper brain function, diabetes prevention and is needed for absorption of calcium and phosphorus.

“Only allow two minutes on the front and two minutes on the back the first day. Then add two minutes front and back each day, but no more.”  You should never stay in the sun long enough to get burned.  The body stops making vitamin D once the skin starts to turn pink. When SPF sunscreen is applied it stops vitamin D production and may make you more susceptible to some skin cancers. 

“The sun is the world’s greatest doctor but must be used by building up the exposed time in the sun gradually so as to not burn.”  The best time for vitamin D production from the sun is 11:00 am until 1:00 pm or when the sun is the brightest.  That is when the UVBs are most direct.  They are not as effective when they come in at an angle and they are easily filtered out by smog, pollution, fog, clouds and windows.

“If it is a cloudy or cold day, use a sunlamp, but do not allow a burn.” The best source for vitamin D is from   natural sunlight, but in the winter, it is not possible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from the sun. Sunlamps or tanning beds are another option and some provide both UVA and UVB rays for vitamin D production.

Most salon tanning beds are calibrated to produce about 95% UVA light, but there are some that will produce both UVA and UVB rays.  The same caution should be used with a tanning bed as with sun exposure and they can safely produce vitamin D in the winter months. Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University has shown that vitamin D produced by UVB radiation from a tanning bed maintains longer lasting and more consistent levels of vitamin D than taking vitamin D supplements.  Dermatologists have found that tanning makes the skin give off endorphin’s  which improve feelings of well-being and make you feel happier.

Sources: Herbal Home Health Care by Dr. John R. Christopher

Primal Body, Primal Mind by Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT

Baby Boomer Diet by Donna Gates

Mercola.com/Tanning-Bed

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I have been very blessed these past few months to be an apprentice to my yoga teacher learning a healing therapy called Thai Yoga Massage. The origins of Thai massage can be traced back 2500 years to India. At this time the Thai Buddhist temple was an operation center for the health care of the common people. The walls of the temples bear epigraphs depicting the sen, the body’s energy line network. There are also various stone-carved statues eloquently holding Thai massage postures outside the temples.

Thai Yoga Massage is performed on the floor in loose, comfortable clothing. When a person receives a Thai Yoga Massage they also receive the benefits of practicing yoga. A Thai Yoga Massage session incorporates martial arts moves, rhythmic motion, palming and thumbing along energy lines, gentle stretching and breath work. A session not only stretches and tones the muscles, Thai Yoga Massage also improves circulation, relieves muscular tension and spasm, helps expedite metabolism, boosts the immune system, and balances the body energetically, inducing a calm mental state.  The recipient receives both a physical and an energetic massage.

The practitioner and the recipient perform a series of yoga positions that creates what many call a graceful or flowing “dance”. The practitioner uses his/her hands, feet, arms and legs to gently guide the recipient into various yoga positions. The practitioner works from a meditative state of metta (loving kindness) while moving in a rhythmic flow, transitioning from one posture to the next. There is a strong emphasis on safety and on using the least amount of effort to achieve the maximum results.

The systems of the body stagnate when they are not pumped, stretched or worked out. The body systems that are helped through Thai Yoga Massage are the skeletal, circulatory, muscular and nervous systems.

Skeletal System - The human being is the only animal that walks erect. Keeping this upright position puts a lot of pressure on the spine. The spine is designed to perform six distinct movements which are incorporated into the Thai Yoga Massage session: flexion and extension, left and right lateral flexion, and left and right rotation. Stretching the spine increases the space between the vertebrae and allows the fluids to circulate more effectively.

Circulatory System - The compression touch of palming (pressing on the marmas; pressure points or energy centers) and thumbing (tracing the sen lines; energy lines of the body’s organs) in Thai Yoga Massage acts as an assisting pump to the heart. This stimulates blood flow without causing any strain to the heart. The pressing and pulling of the extremities also stimulates circulatory pathways.

Muscular System - Muscles work on a “relax and contract” system. The muscle in action (an agonist) is balanced by the work of a muscle stretching in the opposite direction (the antagonist). The stretching and messaging in a Thai Yoga Message session activates the circulation of blood which will in turn increase the muscular relaxation and elasticity which effects the mobilization of the muscle. 

Nervous System - The nervous system breaks down into two categories; the autonomic nervous system that regulates involuntary action, and the somatic system which guides sensation and movement. Further breakdown of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic system, nerves that calm the body, and the sympathetic system, nerves that prepare the body for action. Thai Yoga Massage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which helps to lower the pulse, slow the breath and relax the body.

A short example of how Thai Yoga Massage has helped clients of my yoga instructor: She was on a trek with several youth. One young girl twisted her knee during the hike. By the end of the day her knee was swollen and it was painful for this young lady to walk. After just 15 minutes of palming and running the sen lines, the young girl felt better and by night fall she was running around with the rest of the group. In the morning her knee had swollen up a little yet the pain was gone. Another 15 minute session allowed her to hike all day with the rest of the group. There are numerous similar stories but not enough room to share them with you! 

My husband has been my willing recipient as I have been practicing the techniques of Thai Yoga Massage. He has two bad knees that affect his mobility from time to time. So far he is loving the results that he is getting through the sessions. We are hoping that with continued therapy he will recover faster from muscle stiffness and joint pain following racquetball games as well as enjoying greater flexibility in his daily life.

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