Right thinking, right attitudes, and good health

Some good thoughts from infopreneur and fitness teacher Matthew Furey:

"Most of what we think of as health begins -- and often ends -- with right
thinking, right attitudes.

Remember that "health" is derived from an old English word meaning "whole."

When you're in good health, you're "whole." I can't think of a better way of thinking about that complex myriad of things we call "health."

The people I admire most have made a fundamental choice to live life to the fullest.
There thoughts and actions convey a belief in the saying, "Never Stop Growing."

Continue to learn, continue to improve you life. Continue to look for ways to do better with less effort.

The other day I was talking to Vince. I've been coaching him to become a very prosperous Internet entrepreneur. And the great thing about him is that he listens, applies himself, goes for it and comes up looking for something else to create.

In our conversation I told him, "In the beginning, when you create a business the
right way, it seems like a lot of upfront work. At first you may not see much
reward. Then the rewards start to come. And once that happens,
you've got the wheel rolling."

"At first you had to create the wheel and push the wheel. It was hard to make the wheel move. Then, as you got the hang of it, you could not only push
the wheel, you could push it at a fast pace."

"After this, you realized that you could come up to the wheel, give it a push kick, and it would be good for another 100 miles."

"Then the wheel has so much momentum that you can give it a push with your little finger and it's good for a couple hundred miles."

"Yet, the ultimate is when you're a few thousand miles away from the wheel, it's
still moving and all you have to do is picture it moving and blow a little air on it
once or twice a day."

"When you hit that level, you'll know what Zero Resistance Living is all about. You
will have reached mastery."

Improving your life is NOT a one-shot deal. It's an all-the-time deal. Yet, the
great thing is that it can always be improved, even with seemingly little
effort.

Once you begin to understand the awesome power of your imagination - that's when
life becomes truly awesome, if not magical.

How can you grow as a person today. Go into your mind's eye and find out.

There's a LOT more of YOU that can be tapped."

How water can heal your body, help you lose weight, and make you feel better!

How water can heal your body, help you lose weight, and make you feel better!


Water: the Miracle of Life

Water truly is the miracle of life. It’s the one substance in all of creation whose absence you notice most quickly. Because it’s the one we feel, the one we need, the one we want more than any other.

And yet it’s the one we take for granted most often.

We take it for granted because it’s almost always there.

We take it for granted because it doesn’t cost much.

We take it for granted because it’s one of the substances we’ve never (in our lifetimes at least) had to worry about much.

We fret about the cost of oil. And yet -- compared to water! -- oil is pretty unimportant.

Or we complain if there’s a shortage of something or the other.

And yet almost everything that we complain about is something that we could -- if push came to shove -- live without.

But we can’t live without water. Not now. Not ever.

A Basic biology lesson

We can’t live without water because most of what we -- humanly speaking -- is water. Some 70% of our bodies are composed of this precious fluid of life.

And we’re constantly being reminded of how much water plays a part in our lives.

Think of a time when you’ve been thirsty. Really thirsty. Fortunately, most of us have never really had this happen, but try to remember a time when you had nothing to drink for a while, and your mouth got really dry.

Not a very nice feeling, is it?

Thirst is your body’s way of telling you:
“Hey, up there! Yeah, you, with the mouth! I need something to drink!”

Thirst is your friend. Thirst is the body’s way of telling you about your need for water.

A short history of water

It’s only in the last hundred years or so that clean, pure water was easily and readily available. And only in certain parts of the world is it still true.

Until water filtration systems came into general and widespread use, cholera was a constant water-borne fear. If you were to bring someone from, say, 1387 to the 21st century, they would be astonished that water is simply available, right from the tap. No preparation, no fear, no potential danger.

And no effort, too! There’s nothing like watching people in some 3rd world countries, still carrying buckets of water from a stream to their home. Water is a precious and carefully-guarded item in such areas.

Even in some somewhat civilized areas, water has to be thought about. A few years ago, my son and I went to China and Mongolia for a few weeks. Another American we met in Mongolia’s capital of Ulaanbaatar was astonished that we drank the tap water there. She and her companion said that they never drank tap water in a 3rd world country.

Well, she was a far more accomplished traveler than I was (or am) and I respected her opinions. But all of the guidebooks said that Ulaanbaatar’s water was safe, and I took their advice. (And didn’t get sick, I might point out!) But still no one even has to think about drinking water safety in most parts of North America, Europe, or Australia. That’s a blessing that’s easy to forget. And one that we should remember more frequently than we do.

So when you wake up tomorrow morning, and turn on the tap for a glass of water (I’m hoping that will soon be one of your first actions when you get up) pause a moment to think of all those throughout the world for whom water is still something to think about, something that needs taking care of. And count your blessings. We have a lot of them.

Intravenous Vitamin C Kills Cancer Cells

Recall how hydrogen peroxide is poured on wounds to kill germs. Well now researchers clearly show high-dose vitamin C, when administered intravenously, can increase hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels within cancer cells and kills them. I.V. vitamin C was also demonstrated to kill germs and may be an effective therapy for infectious disease.
With a growing body of evidence mounting, National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers conceded today that intravenous vitamin C may be an effective treatment for cancer. Last year the same researchers reported a similar study but the news media failed to publish it.
The latest study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, confirms the work of Nobel-Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling who conducted cancer research in the 1970s with vitamin C. Dr. Pauling's studies were discredited at the time by poorly conducted research studies at the Mayo Clinic.
Unlike cancer drugs, I.V. vitamin C selectively killed cancer cells, but not healthy cells, and showed no toxicity. The ability of intravenous vitamin C to kill lymphoma cells was remarkable almost 100% at easily achievable blood serum concentrations.
For inexplicable reasons, NIH researchers continue to maintain high-dose oral vitamin C can produce a limited increase in serum vitamin C concentrations. However, their earlier study published in 2004 clearly showed oral-dose vitamin C can achieve three times greater blood concentration than previously thought possible, a fact which negates the current Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin C. [Annals Internal Medicine 140:5337, 2004] NIH researchers refuse to issue a retraction of their earlier flawed research which mistakenly claimed humans cannot benefit from high-dose oral vitamin C supplements.
The NIH also offered no explanation why it has taken 35 years to confirm the work of Dr. Linus Pauling.

How to make decisions and stick with them

From Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich:

"Accurate analysis of over 25,000 men and women who had experienced failure, disclosed the fact that lack of decision was near the head of the list of the 30 major causes of failure. This is no mere statement of a theory - it is a fact.

Procrastination, the opposite of decision, is a common enemy which practically every man must conquer.

You will have an opportunity to test your capacity to reach quick and definite decisions when you finish reading this lesson, and are ready to begin putting into action the principles which it describes.

Analysis of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes well beyond the million dollar mark, disclosed the fact that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly, and of changing these decisions slowly, if, and when they were changed. People who fail to accumulate money, without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, if at all, very slowly, and of changing these decisions quickly and often.

The majority of people who fail to accumulate money sufficient for their needs, are, generally, easily influenced by the "opinions" of others. They permit the newspapers and the "gossiping" neighbors to do their "thinking" for them. "Opinions" are the cheapest commodities on earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by "opinions" when you reach decisions, you will not succeed in any undertaking, much less in that of transmuting your own desire into money.

If you are influenced by the opinions of others, you will have no desire of your own."

Easy Weight Loss

A really easy, fast way to weight loss is walking a lot. If the other things you've tried haven't worked, or if the results aren't quite what you're looking for, try walking twice a day.

This is the time of year when walking outdoors is easier. It's usually cooler, and less humid, but not so cold as winter.

Aim for walking 2 miles a day. One mile in the morning, and one in the afternoon.

Most people are notoriously bad about mental distance measurements, so I suggest using your car to stake out a full mile.

As an alternative, use the rough rule that most healthy adults walking a fairly brisk pace will walk at 3-4 miles per hour. So if you do a fast 20 minute walk, you've probably got your time in.

20 minutes is also good because most people can get their walking in during a break at work in the morning. Even better, probably, would be walking in the early morning before the day gets going (you're more likely to get it done) but some folks have trouble fitting that in.

Either way, get a mile in during the morning. Then aim for another mile in the afternoon or evening. When walking, breathe deeply and steadily. The results will surprise you.

Snooze and you lose ... pounds, that is

If you want to find a way to lose weight faster, and you think there is nothing new under the sun, then what I’m about to tell you will really make you nod off.

According to Dr Kenneth Goodrick at Baylor University, a good night’s sleep is a vital ingredient for weight loss.

He believes that lack of sleep robs people of the energy they need to exercise and sets up a vicious low-energy cycle that sabotages your weight loss program. Often when energy reserves are low, people turn to high-fat and high-sugar laden foods or caffeinated drinks for energy pick-me-ups…all of which interfere with weight loss efforts. Some may drink 10 to 15 caffeinated beverages a day, which has a adverse effect on sleep quality. It’s a double whammy.

This is not the only fascinating connection between sleep and weight gain. Researchers have found there are two hormones involved. Leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, and grehlin, which increases food intake and is thought to play a role in long-term regulation of body weight. Sleep deprivation lowers the levels of leptin and raises levels of grehlin. This is thought to be the reason why obese people suffering with sleep apnea often put on weight faster than others.

Goodrick says, “Sleep is a time for the brain, the body, and all the hormones to get regulated and restore themselves to the baseline values for the next day. If you have caffeine, or inadequate sleep, you don’t have a chance for all of those restorative processes to get finished. So you’re ending not quite fit, or metabolically where you should be”.

What is a good night’s sleep? Participants in a US study who got less than 4 hours of sleep each night were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who sleep between 7 and 9 hours a night, the recommended amount. Those who slept only 5 hours each night were 50 percent more likely to be overweight, and those who slept 6 hours a night were 23 percent more likely to be overweight.

It’s official, for good health we all need to wake up and get a good night’s sleep.

Beta-Glucan May Prevent Anthrax When Taken Orally

"In a 2002 study, a group of researchers used oral Beta Glucan to treat mice infected with Bacillus Anthracites. With the high incidence of anthrax vaccine complications, an alternative preventative approach is sorely needed to deal with this frightening disease. Non specific immune stimulation methods, such as macrophage activation would be an excellent option.

The way that anthrax works is by secreting two toxins: edema toxin and lethal toxin. The first of these stimulates an outpouring of fluid into the lungs, while the latter inhibits nuetrophil phagocytosis and triggers destructive intracellular reactions, destroying macrophage cells. This is especially threatening because of the fact that the lethal toxin prevents the macrophages from releasing their immune messengers, including TNF-alpha.

The study in question showed that orally administered Beta Glucan greatly stimulates the levels of TNF-alph released from the macrophage, which overcomes the inhibition caused by the anthrax lethal toxin. Because of this, the mice that were treated with Beta Glucan experienced a significantly higher survival rate.

Beta Glucan was also shown to stimulate the effectiveness of neutrophils. In fact, one study indicated that the efficiency of neutrophils was increased as much as 50-fold by this powerful supplement, allowing for much faster and more precise immune reactions."

White Flour Contains Diabetes-Causing Alloxin

You may want to think twice before e ating your next sandwich on white bread. Studies show that alloxan, the chemical that makes white flour look "clean" and "beautiful," destroys the beta cells of the pancreas. That's right; you may be devastating your pancreas and putting yourself at risk for diabetes, all for the sake of eating "beautiful" flour. Is it worth it? Scientists have known of the alloxan-diabetes connection for years; in fact, researchers who are studying diabetes commonly use the chemical to induce the disorder in lab animals. In the research sense, giving alloxan to an animal is similar to injecting that animal with a deadly virus, as both alloxan and the virus are being used specifically to cause illness. Every day, consumers ingest foods made with alloxan-contaminated flour. Would they just as willingly consume foods tainted with a deadly virus? Unless they had a death wish, they probably would not. Unfortunately, most consumers are unaware of alloxan and its potentially fatal link to diabetes because these facts are not well publicized by the food industry. How does alloxan cause diabetes? According to Dr. Hari Sharma's Freedom from Disease, the uric acid derivative initiates free radical damage to DNA in the beta cells of the pancreas, causing the cells to malfunction and die. When these beta cells fail to operate normally, they no longer produce enough insulin, or in other words, they cause one variety of adult-onset type 2 diabetes. Alloxan's harmful effects on the pancreas are so severe that the Textbook of Natural Medicine calls the chemical "a potent beta-cell toxin." However, even though the toxic effect of alloxan is common scientific knowledge in the research community, the FDA still allows companies to use it when processing foods we ingest. The FDA and the white flour industry could counter-argue that, if alloxan were to cause diabetes, a higher proportion of Americans would be diabetic. After all, more consumers consume white flour on a regular basis than are actually diabetic. This point is valid, but it does not disprove the alloxan-diabetes connection. While alloxan is one cause of adult-onset type 2 diabetes, it is of course not the only cause. As the Textbook of Natural Medicine states, "current theory suggests an hereditary beta-cell predisposition to injury coupled with some defect in tissue regeneration capacity" may be a key cause. For alloxan to cause injury to an individual's beta cells, the individual must have the genetic susceptibility to injury. This is similar to the connection between high-cholesterol foods and heart disease. Eating high-cholesterol foods causes heart disease, especially in people who have family histories of heart disease. The link between alloxan and diabetes is as clear and solid as the link between cholesterol and heart disease. If you've been eating white bread for years and you have a family history of diabetes, all hope is not lost for you. Studies show that you can reverse the effects of alloxan by supplementing your diet with vitamin E. According to Dr. Gary Null's Clinicians Handbook of Natural Healing, vitamin E effectively protected lab rats from the harmful effects of administered alloxan. Now, you're not a lab rat, but you're a mammal and vitamin E is definitely worth adding to your daily regimen of nutritional supplements, especially if you have a history of eating foods made with white flour and are at high risk for diabetes. Even if you are already diabetic, some simple changes to your diet can help treat your diabetes. First of all, stop eating foods made with white flour. Even though you already have diabetes, vitamin E supplements can still help you, as can many common foods. Garlic, for example, does wonders for diabetes. As Dr. Benjamin Lau states in his book Garlic for Health, "When fed garlic, the rabbits' elevated blood sugar dropped almost as much as it did when they were given the antidiabetic drug tolbutamide. Researchers postulated that garlic may improve the insulin effect." If you can't handle the taste of natural garlic, you can take it in widely available supplements. Aloe vera is a traditional diabetic remedy in the Arabian Peninsula, and its therapeutic characteristics are now gaining worldwide acceptance in the treatment of diabetes. According to both human and animal research studies, aloe vera lowers blood glucose levels by an unknown mechanism. According to the Clinicians Handbook of Natural Healing, this natural hypoglycemic effect extended over a period of 24 hours. Adding onions to your diet (along with the garlic) can also significantly reduce your blood sugar level. Additionally, as Dr. Michael T. Murray writes in The Healing Power of Herbs, studies show that ginseng controls glucose in both diabetic humans and diabetic laboratory animals. It all comes down to asking if putting yourself at risk for diabetic coma, blindness, limb amputation and death is worth eating white bread. If you're willing to risk your quality of life and your life itself, then go ahead and eat all the foods made with white flour you want. However, if you want to stop poisoning yourself with alloxan, a known toxic chemical, then make a few simple dietary changes. Eat groceries made with whole -grain wheat flour, not processed white flour Animal experiments have shown that animals which have their Beta cells destroyed by alloxan are able to regenerate Beta cells after a few months when taking GS, a herb grown in India. The Beta cell is the cell that produces insulin. Diabetics needing insulin treatment (Type 1) have been able to decrease their insulin after GS therapy. A Physicians Guide to Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 112 In the mid-1980s, however (when herbal remedies again were popular), pata de vaca's continued use as a natural insulin substitute was reiterated in two Brazilian studies. Both studies reported in vivo hypoglycemic actions in various animal and human models. Chilean research in 1999 reported the actions of pata de vaca in diabetic rats. Their study determined that pata de vaca was found to "elicit remarkable hypoglycemic effects," and brought about a "decrease of glycemia in alloxan diabetic rats by 39%." In 2002, two in vivo studies on the blood sugar-lowering e ffects of pata de vaca were conducted by two separate research groups in Brazil. The first study reported "a significant blood glucose- lowering effect in normal and diabetic rats."... The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs by Leslie Taylor, page 382 When beta cells in the pancreas fail to secrete enough insulin, the body loses its ability to metabolize carbohydrates and to reduce glucose levels in the bloodstream. Researchers believe that some people have weak free radical defenses in these beta cells, and that free radical damage to DNA in beta cells, resulting in dysfunction or cell death, helps cause maturity-onset diabetes. It is known, for example, that many chemicals including alloxan, paraquat, and certain chemotherapeutic agents can stimulate excessive production of oxy radicals in the nuclei of beta cells. Freedom From Disease by Hari Sharma MD, page 94 ...nearly two decades later, researchers at RNT Medical College in India induced diabetes in rabbits with intravenous injections of alloxan. When fed garlic, the rabbits' elevated blood sugar dropped almost as much as it did when they were given the antidiabetic drug tolbutamide. Researchers postulated that garlic may improve the insulin effect by either increasing the pancreatic secretion of insulin or by releasing bound insulin. Garlic for Health by Benjamin Lau MD PhD, page 22 Commercial yeasted breads, even the whole-grain varieties, often have other problems. They typically contain flour bleach, which forms alloxan, a compound known to cause diabetes in animals by destroying the beta cells of the pancreas (Clinical Nutrition Newsletter, Dec. 1982). ... Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford, page 452 Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is generally recognized to be due to an insulin deficiency.1 Although the exact cause is unknown, current theory suggests an hereditary beta-cell predisposition to injury coupled with some defect in tissue regeneration capacity. Causes of injury are most likely hydroxyl and other free radicals, viral infection, and autoimmune reactions. alloxan, the uric acid derivative used to induce experimental diabetes in animals, is a potent beta-cell toxin, causing destruction via hydroxyl radical formation. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 1197 In this study, mice received intraperitoneally melatonin in doses ranging from 100 to 450 mg/kg. Results showed that such treatment proved plasma glucose increase due to alloxan- induced pancreatic toxicity. The Clinicians Handbook of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 88 Bleached white flour. Not only have the bran and germ been stripped away, but bleached flour also contains a substance from the flour bleach (alloxan) which causes diabetes in animals. Unbleached white flour should also be avoided since it is stripped of essential nutrients. The Enzyme Cure by Lita Lee with Lisa Turner & Burton Goldberg, page 123 Aloe vera also exhibits a hypoglycemic effect in both normal and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. A small human study shows benefit in diabetics. Five patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes ingested half a teaspoonful of aloe 4 times daily for 14 weeks. Fasting blood sugar in every patient fell from a mean of 273 to 151 mg/dl with no change in body weight. The authors concluded that aloe lowers blood glucose levels by an unknown mechanism.... Textbook of Natural Medicine, volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 587 Results of this study showed that rats given vitamin E before being administered either streptozotocin or alloxan provided protection against the diabetogenic effects of each. It was also observed that rats with a depleted antioxidant state due to a vitamin E and selenium-deficient diet showed increased diabetogenic susceptibility to normally nondiabetogenic doses of streptozotocin. The Clinicians Handbook of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 312 Noting that the dried sap of the aloe plant to be a traditional diabetic remedy in the Arabian peninusla, this study examined its ability to reduce blood glucose levels in 5 non-insulin- dependent diabetics and in Swiss albino mice made diabetic with alloxan. Results showed that the intake of 1/2 teaspoon of aloes daily for 4-14 weeks significantly reduced the fasting serum glucose level fell in all patients. Fasting plasma glucose was significantly reduced in diabetic mice by glibenclamide and aloes after 3 days. The Clinicians Handbook if Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 369 This study examined the effects of exudate of Aloe barbadensis leaves (oral administration of 500 mg/kg) and its bitter principle (ip administration of 5 mg/kg) on plasma glucose levels of alloxan-diabetic mice. Results showed that the hypoglycemic effect of a single oral dose of aloes on serum glucose level was insignificant in while that of the bitter principle was highly significant and extended over a period of 24 hours. The Clinicians Handbook of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 369 Ginseng exerts numerous pharmacological effects in humans and laboratory animals, including ... improved glucose control in humans and diabetic (alloxan-induced) rats; The Healing Power of Herbs by Michael T Murray ND, page 269

Boost your metabolism and burn fat faster

Here is a simple health habit that will help you boost
your metabolism and burn fat faster.

If you want some help achieving that trim and fit body, make it a
positive habit to drink green tea daily. Here are just of few of the benefits you will receive from this positive habit:

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently
published research demonstrating that a substance found in green
tea called catechin polyphenols increases your metabolism and also increases
the rate at which your body burns calories. Burning more calories
is your ticket to a leaner body.

Green tea is also loaded with antioxidants, which have been shownto protect you from cancer and many other diseases. Other studies have shown that green tea may help you control your appetite.

Shangri-La Diet: discussion board

I've created a discussion board for the Shangri-La diet, over on Yahoo groups. It's a place where people can share ideas and thoughts about their experiences with this means of gently and easily losing weight. Check it out here, and join the discussion:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/shangri-la-diet/

How to lose 9 pounds, fast

I mentioned a few days ago about the Shangri-La diet.

To sum it up, this "diet" (not really a diet, more of a way to control your hunger) involves eating some calories in order to change your body's "set point" so you don't feel the hunger pangs that sometimes make us eat more than we should.

Seth Roberts (who devised the system) suggests teaspoon or so of extra-light olive oil (or some other relatively taste-free oil) or a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in a glass of water.

I'm not the biggest fan of white sugar, so I've been trying out the olive oil. I take a teaspoon an hour or so before breakfast, another mid-morning, and another mid-afternoon. Simple and easy.

And surprisingly, this really does work. You don't feel the hunger ragings that some of us with higher metabolisms feel.

I'm not heavy. I was at 191 when I started, and I'm just shy of 6 feet. But I wanted to trim off a few pounds, and get down to around 180. I figured that cutting out the snacking that I tended to do would help make that happen. It does.

Will you do me a favor?

I'm serious.

I'm asking for help with my blog.

If you are reading this regularly, and if you're enjoying it or being helped by it, will you recommend it to someone today?

It can be one "someone" or a group. Whatever works for you. But you'll be helping me get the word out.

And I'll do my best to justify your recommendations. I don't give "usual" ideas for making you look and feel young. You can get those from TV medicine ads. What I try to do is give suggestions that work, that are easy to implement, and make a difference in your life.

See you tomorrow.

Treating and preventing cancer

OK, this is the first day when it has actually felt like Fall here in North Carolina. We finally got some rain (the last day we got an inch of rain or more was on June 3rd!) and now the leaves are falling. And it's actually quite nice looking outside. We've grown tired of the dusty feel in the air. That's gone now.

So why am I discussing this when the title of today's entry is about cancer? Because we're entering the season when folks don't get enough sun. Summer's the one time when people are most inclined to get some stuff. Some never get enough sun: they've been told to -- as one Australian told me, "slip on a t shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat." But most of you know that I take the opposite tack: I think you probably need more sun. And the darker your skin is naturally, the more sun you need. And when it's winter in the northern hemisphere, you almost certainly won't get enough sun naturally from September to April or May. But here is some important information from Dr. Mercola on sun, health, cancer, and you.

When someone says you're wrong

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage."

Ralph Waldo Emerson,

poet and essayist

What to do for a headache

Probably one of the most common reasons people take pain medicine is because of a headache.

Simple, garden-variety headaches are an annoyance that almost everyone has at some point or another. They are irritating, they hurt, and they keep us being our best or having fun.

Taking a pain medicine for a headache is often a case of masking the symptom (the headache) without taking care of the cause.

What's the cause? Often, it's dehydration. Your body has insufficient water, and the vascular system in your head is reacting to that.

The answer's pretty simple. If you get a headache, and don't know why you've got it (you haven't gotten hit by a baseball or something else), drink 2 or 3 glasses of water. The water should be at room temperature. Not iced, in other words. If possible, give yourself a few minutes to relax. After an hour or so -- usually, much faster -- your headache will be gone.

Your attitude affects your life

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."

Charles Dickens

The other time to take pain medicine

I mentioned my first "exception" earlier: when you've had surgery or some other artificial procedure. So when's the other exception?

This is one that happens every day. Or rather, every night: you should take pain medicines before you sleep.

Let's say your leg hurts. Every time you move while you're asleep, your body will feel the pain. And if you don't wake up, you'll at the least feel the pain. Which means you won't get the rest you need.

So, for temporary pain, take a light dose of pain meds before going to bed. Nothing heavy, but you want to sleep. Don't combine it with sleep meds, even natural ones, unless someone is carefully monitoring your situation.

Changing what you do to change your life

"If your day-to-day is making you miserable, your long-term prospects are not going to be much better."

David Dickter,
organizational psychologist

Being happy, despite the circumstances

"Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them."

Leo Tolstoy,
novelist and philosopher

When you SHOULD use pain medicines

I recommended this morning that folks avoid pain medicine in most circumstances. Well, here's the first of 2 when I suggest that you should take pain medicine.

The first is when you've had something artificially done to your body, such as surgery, dental work, or something like that. In the initial time after such a procedure, it's good to take the pain medicine. And the medicine should be taken before the pain gets severe. If you wait until you can't bear it, it just won't do the job as well.

The same thing applies if you've had an injury, such as a cut or a severe burn. Part of the healing process will involve pain, and there's no reason to suffer under such circumstances.

Speak frankly with your care providers (nurses, doctors, physical therapists and other such folks) as you begin healing. Find out how you can begin to wean yourself from the painkillers, and begin to live normally.

Coming up next: if you're in pain, what's the time of day you should always take painkillers? (At least a little).

Why pain is a good thing

While exercising yesterday, I pulled a muscle. Not a big pain, but my back has been achey since yesterday afternoon.

So why am I saying that pain is a good thing? Because pain is God's gift. Pain tells you something's wrong.

Because something is wrong: I've pulled something. And if I've done something wrong, I want to know.

You've no doubt seen people who have chronic pain. And they're usually on pain meds.

I'm not saying pain meds are bad. It's just that they are usually overused. Way overused.

If you have hurt your back, and you're on pain medication, you don't know if you're hurting your back worse. You don't know if a particular movement or exercise is making the situation worse.

I want to know this information. And that's what pain does.

If I put my finger on a hot stove, I immediately pull back. Why? Because I've hurt it. And I know at once.

If I have no feelings, I might leave the finger on the stove, and make for a far worse burn.

Almost everyone encounters minor pains in life. I am no different. What I have found different is that my pains seem to last for a lot shorter period that many folks I know.

Basically, if I'm having pains like that, I take no medicine -- nothing, no Tylenol, no Aspirin -- for the pain. And because I'm constantly getting feedback on whether I'm making it worse, I give my body space to heal.

There are basically 2 exceptions to this "no pain medicine" rule. I'll get to those later.

OK, so I admit it: I fell off the wagon

Most states have a state fair every year. North Carolina is no different, and I went to ours today in Raleigh with 2 of my children. And I had a wonderful time.

So what am I writing about? I ate too much. I ate more carbs than I should, and I ate the kind that aren't best for you. I knew I would. And part of living healthy is living, and sometimes living leads to excesses. I really don't sweat it very much. Nor should you.

Because the reality is that when you fall down (not that I consider this falling down, but you know what I mean) you get up and don't look back. Oh, maybe look back just enough to figure out what you did wrong, but don't dwell on lapses. So if you go to a party and eat too much, or if you're traveling, and can't exercise as you'd like just resolve that you'll try to do better next time.

As long as your lapses aren't frequent, and aren't huge, month-long binges, it's not a big deal. Because life is sometimes about taking risks. And if you're not doing that, what's the point of living, anyway?

How to deal with foot pain

OK, so you were bad.

Maybe you're a woman, and you wore those high heels that you think are so hot.

Or maybe you're a man, and you liked the shoes, and wore them even though they didn't quite fit. What to do?

First, take off the shoes. Give your feet a break.

Now, take a tennis ball. Just a plain, ordinary tennis ball. Sit down on the couch with a remote, and put the ball on the floor. Now, gently run your foot over the tennis ball. Back and forth, up and down, sideways. All over. Do that for maybe 10-15 minutes. Repeat on the other foot, as needed.

Now keep shoes off your feet for as long as you can. Give them some time to rest, and your feet should feel a lot better.

Video about the Shangri-la diet

A useful video introduction to the Shangri-la diet:

While browsing at Barnes and Nobles

OK, so last Friday night, I was in the mood to snoop around at a bookstore.

I don't do this that often. I used to be obsessed with bookstores, and when we'd go to New York every Christmas to visit my wife's family, I spent huge amounts of time (and no small amounts of money) in obscure NYC bookstores, and my wife would grumble about how much space my books took up.

But online book shopping has done something to me. I just don't do the physical bookstore thing very often. But occasionally, like a dog returning to his vomit (see 2 Peter 2:22) I want to go visit one, and my wife had to be some place and nobody else was around, so I went to the Barnes and Nobles here in town.

And I found a fascinating book, dealing with the Shangri-La diet.

In case you haven't heard about this, I suspect this will be the next fad diet, coming hard on the heels of Atkins and others.

And like Atkins, it sounds like this one works. (And, by the way, despite what some idiots say, Atkins not only works, but it's good for you. I've got friends who've been on it for years, complete with low cholesterol).

The point of this diet (and it's almost not a diet) is to lower your hunger point. The author of the book on the diet says that we eat like cavemen, meaning that when we see food, we start eating, as if we were going to be without food for a long time.

I don't agree with his premise (the whole idea of us having been "cavemen", but that's for another time) but given widespread availability of cheap food, it's no wonder that we eat. And a lot.

So, far starters, check out the author's blog. I'll be talking more about this later on:

http://www.blog.sethroberts.net

How the way you think changes your life

"We lift ourselves by our thought. If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself. Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always everywhere."

Orison Swett Marden
1850-1924

How To avoid dangerous staph infections

There's some nasty stuff floating around out there. We're entering the time of year when infections pass around more quickly. Here's some advice from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) about avoiding a specific form of treatment-resistant bacteria. Heeding this advice will help you avoid a lot of other germs, too.

"Good hygiene is the best way to avoid infection from a potentially dangerous drug-resistant germ called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. A new government report suggests that more 90,000 Americans annually get an invasive form of the disease, which can be deadly.

This staph infection sometimes first appears on the skin as a red, swollen pimple or boil that may be painful or have pus. It can be spread by close skin-to skin contact or by touching surfaces contaminated with the germ. (Wash hands every time you come home after being out in public).

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises:

* Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
* Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
* Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages.
* Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.

Handwashing is one of the very best ways to prevent infection and the spread of infection. The important thing is to avoid any soap containing Triclosan. Triclosan does promote S. aureus infection because it alters the pH or 'acid mantle' naturally occurring on skin, along with the naturally occurring S. aureus.

I suggest using pure and natural castile soap. This is inexpensive and available in most health stores. You can also add pure essential oils to this soap to make it much more naturally effective for prevention. Pure essential oils do not become resistant to bacteria.

Alcohol based hand sanitizers dry the skin and make it more prone to injury thereby increasing the risk of infection. There is a new hand sanitizer that is not acohol based. Use natural care products such as KettleCare (.com) to avoid toxic ingredients used in commercial lotions and even in some sold as "natural"products.

If you do have a cut or open sore or wound of the skin make sure it is washed and rinsed, patted dry (best to use a paper towel), covered first with a lubricant and then apply a clean bandage. I sugugest a natural ointment made with comfrey, cayenne or BF&C ointment. A little dab will do ya. Repeat frequently to assure the wound stays clean until healed."

How to make your bedroom quiet so you can sleep better

The sound level in your bedroom is one of the biggest keys to helping you sleep better. If it's not quiet there, getting restful sleep will be much harder.

Some hints: quiet goes without saying. If you make it quiet, try to block the sound. Think a fan, or one of those "quiet noise" devices. Or a CD that makes noises like ocean waves, or whatever. But ultimately, silence is a good thing, and if you can make yourself sleep without any sound devices, you're probably better off.

If you have to sleep at different hours (because of work or whatever) a masking device (such as a fan) is probably necessary. Likewise if you sleep in an area where there's a lot of traffic or activity at night.

Get rid of -- or turn off -- devices that will make noise during the night. A clock that chimes every hour may be something you don't even notice during the day, but at night it might make your sleep more restless. And while I don't turn off the phone's ringer, there are times if I'm really pooped that I'll turn it off. If the message is important, they'll leave a message.

Can vitamins kill you?

Earlier this year, results of a study were released (from the Journal of the American Medical Association) which indicated that taking vitamins might actually hurt your chances of living longer. Here's a very good analysis of this study:

More on a good night of sleep

People often avoid liquids after a certain hour for fear of waking up to pee during the night. Somehow, we've gotten the idea that rising during the night is a horrible event that will make us zombies the next day.

So people don't drink. And when we don't drink for 12 hours (or whatever), we're dehydrated. Which leads us to feeling tired, cranky, and a whole lot of other things.

One of the secrets to good sleep is not being dehydrated. Drinking a glass or 2 of cool water later in the evening will make you sleep better. Will you have to get up to pee? Maybe. But when you get up, do a couple of things.

First, don't turn on a light. You're probably sleeping in a room you've slept in for a long time. Unless you've got junk scattered all over the floor, you shouldn't have trouble negotiating the room, so walk slowly, and keep the lights off.

Don't look at the clock. Don't look at the clock. Because if you do, your mind will start operating, and you'll think about an appointment later, or paying your taxes or a test you've got coming up. Don't look.

Just get up and pee and go back to bed. Keep your mind in neutral. Think about a blank wall or whatever. But just cultivate the habit of disengaging your mind. And go back to sleep. When you wake up, you'll feel refreshed, without that kicked in the head feeling dehydration brings on.

Avoiding those mid-morning starvation blues

When I was a child, many folks around still did the traditional Southern breakfast: eggs, sausage or bacon, toast, grits, and maybe oatmeal.

There are few people who do that now. The closest thing to it is a run through the drive-through, to get a sausage biscuit.

The obsession with avoiding dietary fat has led many to eat what they think is a healthy breakfast: often coffee (with a non-dairy creamer) and a roll, or something like that. No (or minimal) fat. Or a breakfast cereal, with low-fat milk. The problem for most of these breakfasts is that they leave people feeling hungry within an hour or 2, and this leaves them ready for the munchies.

The reason people feel hungry mid-morning comes from 2 factors here. First, they are often eating a high-glycemic food (such as a roll made from white flour). Such foods cause blood sugar levels to spike, and the levels usually fall quickly, leading to a droopy feeling that we mis-interpret as hunger. Second, dietary fat causes feelings of fullness. Without any fat, it's hard to feel full long enough to make it to lunch time without snacking. Finally, many people have little or no protein with breakfast which your body likewise needs to feel full.

What I'd encourage is 3 fold, designed to hit all of these factors. First, try to avoid white flour foods. They aren't good for you, and lead to that tire around the middle. Instead, think whole grain toast, whole grain muffins or pancakes, and oatmeal or other hot cereals.

Get some fat! If you make oatmeal, put some butter or peanut butter in the recipe. Spread some butter (or peanut butter) on your toast.

Finally, get some protein. I'm a big fan of cottage cheese: it's quick, easy, and goes down easily for those who don't want anything challenging for breakfast. It's also high in protein. If it's too bland for you, put a little freshly-ground black pepper on top. Keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for a quick egg salad on your whole grain toast, or eat the eggs sliced on your toast. And if you haven't had fried or scrambled eggs for a while, you're in for a treat. Enjoy an egg or 2 with a slice of bacon and sausage, and you've got a fine, quick meal that will keep you going till lunch.

How to have a good nights sleep

The first secret to good sleep is to decide that you're going to sleep well. Sound funny? Well, it's the reality.

Because in almost every situation, your mind determines the reality you're going to have. If you dread sleep, if you feel like you're going to have a bad night tonight, or whatever, you probably won't sleep well.

Start with an affirmation that tonight's sleep will be good. Settle it in your mind. Envision yourself lying down, drifting to sleep, and sleeping soundly through the night. Very likely what you've envisioned will happen.

Sleep is important, and worth working on. And good, restful sleep is one of those things that ensure beauty. Determine that from now on, your sleep will be good.

Sunshine, Vitamin D, and your health

This isn't the first day of Fall, but it feels like it.

We're had a warm and sultry September and early October, and this is the first day when it actually feels cool here in North Carolina.

The problem is that we are heading into that time when we're spending less and less time outside, and getting less and less sun exposure.

Which isn't good. Because we need more sunshine, rather than less.

That's not what you've been told for the last 30 years or so, when it's been preached that we should avoid sun exposure, slather on chemical-laden sunscreens, and wear a hat on the beach.

Scientists are finally coming around to understanding what humans have instinctively known for years: sun exposure not only feels good, but is good for you.

This article tells it better than I can.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-21-doctors-sunshine-good_x.htm

What I would encourage is this:

1. Get as much sun exposure as you can. When it's warm, go outside, uncovered, for at least 15-20 minutes per day.

2. When you can't (winter months, for most folks), go to a tanning bed. Start slowly, maybe a 5 minute tan first, and then work up to 10 or 15 minutes, 3 times a week. Make sure you use eye protection.

Your body needs UV rays to produce vitamin D. Get those UV rays from the sun, if you can, and from a tanning bed if you can't.

Another natural teeth-whitening tip

Here's an easy tip that can help remove stains, discoloring and tartar. Without harming your teeth's enamel! It's also thought to strengthen and heal sore gums. Here's how it goes.

Cut a fresh strawberry (yes) in half, and rub your teeth and gums with it.

Leave the crushed strawberry and juice on teeth and gums as long as possible -- at least 15 minutes. Follow by rinsing with warm water. Use only fresh strawberries, kept at room temperature.

Aiming high

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

Michelangelo Buonarroti
1474-1564, Italian Renaissance Painter and Sculptor

Inner Beauty and Outer Beauty

The outer beauty often reflects an inner beauty. OK, maybe I shouldn't speak of "inner beauty" but an inner order and harmony is often reflected on the outside. In other words, if your internal organs are out of whack -- if you have bad digestion, if you are constipated, if you eat badly, fail to get enough water, never breathe deep -- don't expect outer beauty. Your skin, weight, hair, nails and eyes are going to reflect the bad stuff going on inside.

If you're looking badly, do the obvious, outside stuff: get your hair done well, dress nicely, etc. But without taking care of the inner issues, these will never be more than stop-gap measures. The inner stuff takes some time, but it's also surprising how quickly you can make inner changes and how quickly those can reflect on the outside.

If you haven't already, start on the inner stuff today. It's the way to be truly beautiful, no matter what your age.

How to write a blog on busy days

This is one area where I haven't got an answer. (My wife says there are many such areas ... : )

But I haven't gone away. Just been wildly busy (I operate an independent nursing practice, and some days just kind of get out of hand). But I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a bit less wild, and I'll be back with more hints to make and keep you beautiful.

How to stop snoring

OK, so you snore. Your wife (it's usually a wife who complains about such things) can't sleep because you sound like a freight train coming through the bedroom.

And you go to your doc, who tells you that in addition to losing some of that weight (which you knew anyway) you need to have a sleep study. And maybe some nasal surgery. And when you relate the story at a family gathering, your brother-in-law starts telling you about his c-pap machine which helps him breathe better.

So are there natural remedies for your snoring? Here's one that's easy to use (you will find out literally within days if it's working for you), has no side-effects, and can't hurt you. And it costs $1.96 for maybe a year's supply. At least it did the other day, at Wal-Mart. That's just over half a cent a day.

The remedy is Vicks Vaporub. Well, not really Vicks: I buy the Wal-Mart generic brand. But either will do the job quite well.

Here's how to make this work. Rub a tiny (just a very thin layer) of the ointment on the skin above your upper lip. Put a bit around your nostrils, and another thin layer on your nose.

The Vicks people (and presumably the Wal-Mart people) don't sell these products with this remedy on the label. So they are not responsible for this idea. But I -- who used to snore my head off -- found that it worked almost immediately for me. I no longer snore, and I sleep much better.

A couple of other things will help. If you usually sleep on your back, try training yourself to sleep on your side. And if your neck is elongated, you'll be more likely to snore. So when you're going to sleep on your side, also try to rest your chin down a bit. This will sort of fold your body inward, and helps the snoring.

But the ointment will probably help all by itself. Give it a try and see if it works for you.

(PS ... If your bed is also a place for romantic activities, apply the ointment after the activities are completed. Your partner will probably not relish the smell. You have been warned. : )

The Water Cure, Part 3

Here's part 3 of the "water cure" video. Parts 1 and 2 are given below. I can't stress how important this information is. It's deceptively simple, but when put into practice, doing what's suggested here has changed the lives of many folks.

Cheap tooth-whitening rinse

OK, there's a malady called "bleaching anorexia," and it's the diagnosis for people who think their teeth are never white enough. I hope you aren't one of those people. They usually use far too many products, and sometimes their teeth fall out. Better that you should have teeth the color of Cheetos than to have no teeth at all.

Still, bright white teeth do make you look younger. So here's the rinse I promised yesterday. You can get a bottle at Wal-Mart or just about anywhere else for about 50 cents. It's called hydrogen peroxide.

So you'll pick up the bottle and it's going to have dire warnings about not using it internally. That's OK. I'm not asking you to swallow it. (Ugh). The dirty secret about hydrogen peroxide is that it's the main ingredient in almost all of the expensive whitening mouthwashes. With my way, you get it cheaper, and since it's not flavored, you won't be tempted to rinse all the time. My plan calls for once a day.

What I suggest is this: Take a cup in the bathroom, and put maybe 1/4 inch of hydrogen peroxide in the bottom. Then put maybe another 1/4 inch of water in the cup. Put it in your mouth, and rinse. Spit it out, and then brush, floss, and scrape your tongue. You should begin seeing whitening effects in a week or so.

In some south Asian cultures, folks chew the betel nut, and their teeth look like this:



It's thought to be beautiful. I'll bet whitening strips don't sell well in her town.

Do you really want to get better?

If you're reading this blog, I'm assuming the answer is yes.

But I'm not making a joke when I write this. Because there are people who have various types of illnesses or whatever, and -- deep down, they really don't want to get rid of whatever is -- we think -- bothering them.

I met a guy a while back who had what is usually thought of as a debilitating illness. He went to someone who could help him, he changed his diet, started exercising, and basically got rid of his symptoms.

Someone there at the clinic wanted him to join a support group. His response? "A support group? What am I supposed to do, sit around singing 'Kum Ba Yah'?"

Because he had a family, a wife, children, a business to run, and things he was interested in. And his only interest was in getting rid of his problem. When he was rid of it, he had no particular interest in talking about it, or feeling miserable.

Notice how some people describe their illnesses: "I'm a cancer survivor." Or: "I'm diabetic." Or I'm whatever.

I am. What they are saying is that this thing -- whatever it is -- defines them. Defines their life.

The first step to getting rid of a health challenge is to stop thinking of it as part of yourself. Define it as a problem that's external to yourself, one that you can get rid of.

Because you can get rid of it. At least 90% of your "illness" is mental. Change the mental, and change your life.

That's the approach I'm taking here.

How to Floss Your Teeth Correctly: Dental Care Tips

You probably need someone to show you in real time how to floss. But until you get that, check out this video for step-by-step instructions.

How to make your teeth pretty

If your teeth aren't pretty, you aren't pretty.

Face it, folks, it's the truth. And like a lot of things, taking care of your teeth isn't all that complicated.

You know about eating better. I've nagged you about drinking lots of water. But here are the four things to do. They are easy, they don't take long, and doing them on a habitual basis will do lots for making your smile a beautiful one.

First, get a check-up and cleaning every 6 months. In most areas, this will run you maybe $100. And while I'm not a big fan of medical exams, having someone else look at your teeth will enable you to find out problems far ahead of when you start feeling a searing pain at 2 a.m. If you don't have a dentist, ask around. Ask 10 friends or family members, and names will start to recur. Just find one.

Second, brush twice a day. I'm not going to tell you to do it after every meal, though it would be good for you. Just thoroughly brush at night, and after breakfast. Use a soft toothbrush. And ask your dental hygienist (see the first recommendation) for instructions on better brushing.

Third, floss every night. Once you get the hang of it, this takes maybe 2 minutes. Again, your hygienist can show you how if you've never done it much before. This is one of the best things you can do to keep your teeth in optimal shape. Do it.

Fourth, scrape your tongue. Here's an experiment. Take a plastic butter knife (not a sharp one, please!) and scrape the serrated edge gently over your tongue. If you're like most people, you have a grayish film on the knife. This film is the host for an extended family of bacteria, all living in your mouth. You need to show them a new home. Buy a tongue scraper, and use it. Since these aren't familiar to most people, this page will explain more about them:

http://www.animated-teeth.com/bad_breath/t4z_tongue_cleaning.htm

Tomorrow: a teeth-whitening rinse that sells for 49 cents at Wal-Mart. Just send me the money you save on the Mega-Bucks Mouthwashes. I'm saving up for a trip. : )

See you then.

Water Cure, part 2

Today's busy, so I probably can't write too much. So for those waiting for my words of wisdom (heavy sarcasm here ; ), you'll have to check in tomorrow. For the rest of you, here's part 2 of the video about water and your health.

Using water to cure what ails you

I began drinking a LOT more water 10 years ago when a business associate recommended it. It's one of the best things I've ever done for my health, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. So, to close out our day, here's a video that tells the story of why you need water very well. This is part 1; I'll post parts 2 and 3 in the days ahead:

Enjoying salt in your diet

Anyone around me for more than one meal knows I am a fan of salt. Addicted might be a better word. (My blood pressure is low, in case you were wondering. Salt is a necessary part of your diet. Those who say that reasonable amounts of salt are dangerous have been misled).

If you don't like salt, you may simply be eating the wrong stuff. Plain, old, iodized salt is just salty. There's little taste. But salt is not only good for you, it tastes good, too.

If you've never enjoyed salt, go to a natural foods store. Or even a large grocery. And check out their salt selection.

Check out kosher salt, which is salt in larger crystals. Or sea salt, harvested from various sea beds. And you can go from there. Enjoy the taste, as well as the health benefits.

If you leave out the salt ...

... you will probably add too much sweetener.

The odd thing about human taste is that if the salt is left out, the mouth will read it as needing sweetener. I've found this happens when I accidentally forget to add salt to my oatmeal. It's like I just can't get enough salt in the dish to make it taste good.

Consumption of sugar has mushroomed: in the last 20 years, we've gone from consuming 26 pounds of sugar per person per year to consuming on average 135 pounds per year.

Which means the average American is eating 2-3 pounds of sugar per week.

Envision that with me: think about the 5 pound bag of sugar you buy in the store, and realize that -- if you are the average person -- you're going through a bag like that every 2 weeks.

Sugar is not good for you. This is well-known, well-documented, and not really open to question. So why has our sugar consumption gone up so dramatically?

I wonder if it's not because of the no-salt obsession that's gone on for the last 20 years. Without salt, you have millions of people reading that off taste as a need for more sugar. It wouldn't be the only reason, but I suspect this plays a greater role than we've imagined.

How to reverse greying hair

Well, I thought it would work.

My hair (I'm 52) is now what we euphemistically call "salt and pepper," but I like the original, darker, version better. So in January, I did some extensive Google searching to try to find out if there was a natural remedy.

(Hair dyes don't count).

One suggestion which seemed to hold some promise was molasses. No, they didn't suggest applying molasses to the hair, although that would certainly make it darker, at least temporarily, and would probably be a big hit with houseflies.

No, the suggestion was to eat molasses, and since I wasn't a big fan of the taste of molasses, I sought a way to make it easier for me to consume.

I found it: in my tea.

As I've mentioned, I have hot tea every morning. This is how I make it: I brew a quart of water. When it comes to a boil, I add 4 "regular" tea bags (regular black tea) and one flavored bag. I like the slight touch of flavor, and it's not overwhelming. Let it steep for 5 minutes.

In the cup, I put one tablespoon of molasses, a half teaspoon of stevia (the "sweet herb"), and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Pour tea over it, and add a bit of milk or cream, if you like. The remainder of the quart I let cool to room temp, dilute slightly, and drink for iced tea.

I don't think it's made my hair darker. But the taste is great.

That's all for now.