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Copyright 2006, Steve Blake
How to Avoid Medical Problems While Traveling
By Steve Blake, Doctor of Holistic Health
P The foundations of Health: Activity, fresh food, good sleep and relaxation, and a clean environment.
P Colds: prevention and natural cure
- Prevention: Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, get enough exercise, get good sleep, and stay warm. Limit dairy products and white flour.
- First stage, sore throat: Drink lots of soothing, hot tea. We use licorice root (glycirrhiza glabra) and raspberry leaves (rubus idaeus) with a squirt of echinacea (echinacea angustifolia) tincture. Rest and stay warm. We use 1000 mg doses of ascorbated vitamin C as well as topical applications of echinacea tincture mixed with propolis to the throat to numb, coat, and heal.
- Second stage, mucous elimination: Let the mucus flow out and replace with plenty of hot tea and juices. Warmth and rest are needed.
- Last stage, lung cleaning: Continue warmth and rest and soothing herb teas for the throat. Gentle plant antispasmodics will help with the coughing.
P Giardia and Traveler’s Dysentery: one natural cure
P Arthritis: A natural approach. Alfalfa, dandelion, burdock root. Acid-alkaline balance. Sam-e, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate.
- Sam-e (S-adenosyl-l-methionine) is one of the best remedies for arthritis and other joint pain. It repairs damage to joints and helps to protect us from diseases of the brain and nervous system. Many important neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, and serotonin need methylation—which Sam-e promotes. Methyl donors like Sam-e have also been shown to protect against gene damage that leads to cancer.
- Glucosamine sulfate and the somewhat similar Chondroitin sulfate are both used for pain and arthritis. Glucosamine sulfate stimulates the repair of joint cartilage by supplying the raw materials needed. Chondroitin sulfate inhibits enzymes that destroy cartilage molecules. Chondroitin sulfate also facilitates maintaining the water cushions in cartilage; these water cushions are shock protecting and promote flexibility.13
- Many doctors who treat arthritis know about these natural products. With the use of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, the progression of arthritis is slowed and the symptoms lessened. With seventy million Americans suffering from arthritis pain, relief is sorely needed from this painful and disabling disease.
P Avoiding cancer: Fresh vitamins and dangerous chemicals.
P Choosing vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C timed-release, ascorbated and with bioflavonoids, Vitamin E the dl natural form with tocoferols, and calcium
- It is disappointing to see that most vitamins have hard-to-absorb minerals. Calcium from such sources as oyster shell, dolomite, and calcium carbonate are very poorly assimilated into our cells. The best forms are calcium ascorbate, calcium orotate, and calcium aspartate. All forms of calcium always depend on magnesium, lysine, and sunshine to be utilized properly in our bodies.
- In the body, estrogen helps the absorption of calcium. Postmenopausal women need more calcium to keep their bones solid because their natural estrogen levels decline with age. Because of the recently publicized problems with estrogen hormone replacement therapy, we should be encouraging natural estrogen production. This can be assisted with medicinal plants such as black cohosh, panax ginseng, and licorice root. Additionally, exercise helps strengthen bones.
P A few natural energy boosters: Ginseng, octacosanol, bee pollen, and chlorella
P Botanical Medicine in Mexico: Quinada, Jamica, Manzanilla, Echinacea.
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