Menopause and exercise: lose the weight and cut your risk of breast cancer

Menopause is the one life phase that most women will all experience. Despite horror stories of night sweats and insomnia, it doesn't have to be that way, and fitness plays a big role during this life transition.Whether you've exercised faithfully for years or you haven't been active, physical activity during and after menopause offers many benefits.

For starters, it can prevent weight gain. Women tend to lose muscle mass and gain abdominal fat around menopause. Even slight increases in physical activity can help prevent weight gain.

Exercise can also reduce the risk of breast cancer. Whether it's a walk around the block on your lunch break or swimming a couple of laps at the gym, getting at least 15 minutes of exercise daily could reap serious rewards for your health – not just your waistline. And that's especially true for women.

According to the American Cancer Society, around one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. A new study from Oxford University researchers highlights the importance of physical activity for post-menopausal women looking to lower their risk.

Researchers looked at over 125,000 postmenopausal women, studying their body fat composition and also their self-reported physical activity. Over 1,100 subjects developed breast cancer during the nearly three-year follow up. Further analysis concluded that women with higher body fat (average 45.4 percent) were at nearly a 50 percent greater risk for breast cancer than women with lower body fat (average 27.6 percent).

But even without considering body fat, just having 15-35 minutes of vigorous exercise every day was enough to cut the risk of breast cancer by a fifth. By maintaining a healthy weight, you can lower the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

The research list goes on to show how activity reduces many other diseases. Menopause weight gain can have serious implications for your health. Excess weight increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Regular physical activity can counter these risks.

We all know that hormone changes can wreak havoc on your mental state too. Physical activity can improve your psychological health at any stage of life.

The bottom line – physical activity during and after menopause can relieve stress and improve quality of life. So whether you're nearing menopause or are experiencing it now, get your walking shoes on!

For more tips on how to not only feel physically and mentally better, check out The Hot Guide to a Cool Sexy Menopause by Nurse Barb Dehn, America's most trusted nurse practitioner, at www.basichealthpub.com and www.amazon.com

Learn the 100 perks of having cancer

This concludes our three-part blog series on breast cancer in honor of October awareness month...

How often do you hear the words “healthy”, “happy” and “cancer” mentioned in the same sentence? That is precisely what gives 100 Perks of Having Cancer (Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It) its unique character. Its authors not only “talk the talk” of living a healthy lifestyle with a positive attitude on the cancer journey, they also continue to “walk the walk”.

Author Florence Strang's perks, which are a combination of inspirational and humorous anecdotes, have made her audiences laugh and cry. Susan Gonzalez's tips are sought after because of their educational content with a witty twist. Together they provide a valuable resource which will inspire and motivate their readers, while keeping them smiling.

So why two authors for this book? Six months after being diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, Strang found herself faced with a life altering choice.  With just over a 50 percent prognosis of survival, she realized that she had a difficult journey ahead.  She could choose to face this journey by focusing on the harsh, ugly realities of cancer, or she could choose to confront it with a positive attitude.

As a psychologist, she was acutely aware of the mind-body connection and the health promoting benefits of a positive attitude.  Although under attack from a difficult chemotherapy treatment, she convinced herself that cancer was not that bad.  In fact, it even had its perks.   She then issued herself a challenge to find 100 perks of having cancer, and to honor this commitment, she decided to blog her efforts (www.perksofcancer.com).  Little did she know at that time the thousands of people her blog would help in the months that followed.

While she was well educated on the psychological aspects of cancer, she found herself overwhelmed by the amount of information out there regarding the health aspects of it.  She soon discovered  fellow Stage 3 breast cancer survivor and registered nurse, Gonzalez, who truly lived up to her blog persona of The Savvy Sister.  Gonzalez seemed to know all the latest do’s and don’ts regarding cancer, and could assimilate and summarize large amounts of information into articles that were not only immensely educational, but also entertaining.  While Strang found herself tuning in to Gonzalez's blog for healthy living tips on exercise, nutrition, medication and supplements, Gonzalez would visit Strang’s blog for its humour and inspiration. As Strang neared the end of her perks challenge, she invited Gonzales to join her in writing a book, which would address the needs of body, mind and spirit.

Together they share a vision of promoting the message that cancer does not have to be viewed as a death sentence.  Whatever the diagnosis or prognosis, it is possible to live a happy and healthy lifestyle following a cancer diagnosis. Whether you are a cancer warrior who is actively battling the disease, a cancer survivor, or a cancer avoider, this book has something for you.

To learn more about their remarkable journey, check out the book at http://basichealthpub.com/search?q=100+perks+of+having+cancer or at www.amazon.com

Eat your way to better breast health

This is the second installment of the three-part series on breast cancer during October awareness month...

When it comes to reducing breast cancer risk, you can’t change your family history. But you can change your nutritional habits and that could go a long way in decreasing your risk.

To help lower your risk, here are the five foods to eat and five you should avoid that the Johns Hopkins Breast Center suggests...

Extra virgin olive oil
The benefits:  Olive oil isn’t only loaded with risk-reducing antioxidants and phytonutrients -- including squalene which inhibits tumor growth -- it also has a higher monounsaturated fat content than other oils. Monounsaturated fats don’t oxidize in the body. Oxidation, a process that produces chemicals called free radicals, increases cancer risk.
Reap the rewards:  Add at least two tablespoons of olive oil a day to your diet, perhaps even tossing vegetables in oil, which will make veggies tastier and encourage you to eat more. Use one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for every cup of veggies. Although it can be high in calories – about 120 calories per tablespoon – studies have found that the more extra virgin olive oil in your diet, the lower your risk.  

Cruciferous vegetables
The benefits: Cruciferous veggies contain phytonutrients that stop the spread of cancer and halt cancer cells from forming. These phytonutrients also shift estrogen metabolism so your body produces a form of estrogen that doesn’t drive breast cancer.
Reap the rewards: Load your diet with broccoli, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale. To get a bigger cancer-busting bang, cook them in oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil, which will help your body absorb more nutrients.

Dark green leafy vegetables
The benefits:  Leafy veggies are loaded with folate, a B vitamin that strengthens your DNA. Low levels of folate have been linked to increased cancer risk.
Reap the rewards:  Choose spinach and kale, as the darker the leaves, the better.


Fatty fish
The benefits: Women who consumed fish oil supplements had a 32 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer after six years compared to non-users, according to a study from the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Fatty fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which may decrease inflammation in the body. Researchers believe chronic inflammation may encourage breast cancer development.
Reap the rewards: Although women in the above study took supplements, researchers recommend getting omega-3s directly from fish. Chomp at least two 3.5-ounce servings of fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel each week.

Tomatoes
The benefits: Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that not only gives tomatoes their redness but also protects against breast cancer by stopping cancer cell growth.
Reap the rewards: Your body absorbs lycopene best when tomatoes are cooked, concentrated or processed. Top sources include canned tomatoes, tomato sauces and tomato paste so you no longer have to feel guilty about indulging in pasta and pizza (as long as it’s veggie).


Reduce these foods: 

Red meat
Why it’s bad: Grilling red meat creates compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCA), which drive cancers. Red meat also contains amino acids that stimulate the production of insulin and increase oxidation in the body, both of which boost cancer risk. In one study, women who ate well-done meat three times a week increased breast cancer risk by over 400 percent. You don’t have to give up your meat-eating ways and turn vegetarian, but do limit red meat consumption, eating no more than six ounces a month.  

Grapefruit
Why it’s bad: Grapefruit may elevate levels of estrogen, which is associated with increased breast cancer risk. In a study from the British Journal of Cancer, women who ate a quarter grapefruit or more a day had a 30 percent increased risk of breast cancer. If you’re a grapefruit junkie, switch to other citrus fruits until more research is done, especially if you’ve had estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Vegetable oils
Why they’re bad: Vegetable oils, including soybean, safflower, sunflower and corn, are high in polyunsaturated fats, which increase cancer-promoting oxidation in the body. Replace vegetable oils with extra virgin olive oil or canola oil. Unfortunately, you should also eliminate mayonnaise (unless it’s made with olive or canola oil and contains no partially hydrogenated fats), margarine and foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil (i.e. peanut butter, cookies and muffins), as all of these foods contain vegetable oils. The upshot? You now have permission to eat butter again.

Donuts
Why they're bad: Women who reported consuming the most sweets, including desserts, sweetened beverages and added sugars, had a 27 percent greater risk of breast cancer than women who consumed less, according to the journal Cancer Causes and Control. A diet high in refined carbohydrates like those found in sweets is associated with higher levels of blood glucose, forcing the body to release insulin. That insulin encourages cancer cells to grow and could result in higher levels of estrogen, which may promote the development of breast cancer. Keep that sweet tooth in check. Although you don’t have to go cold turkey, view sweets as an occasional treat, not a daily indulgence.

Processed meat
Why it’s bad: Researchers suspect that compounds used as preservatives in processed meat like deli meats, bacon, ham and hot dogs morph into cancer-causing compounds in the body. Cut all processed meat from your diet. If you must indulge, do so only during special occasion.

For more information on how to protect yourself from many diseases, check out the many proactive health books at www.basichealthpub.com 

Next up: So you or someone you love has cancer. Learn the 100 Perks of Having Cancer – that's right, perks. 

Breast cancer has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Once a relatively rare disease, it now affects 2 to 3 million American women. What can we do to protect ourselves? This blog kicks off a three-part proactive approach to fighting this disease and how your attitude and diet can help save your life. First up: Christine Horner, M.D., has the prescription: Eat healthy foods, add a good dose of certain supplements, get the rest and exercise we need, and avoid things that are bad for our bodies. 

We all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so what better time to introduce you to a pioneer who pushed through federal and state legislation ensuring that breast reconstruction after a mastectomy would be paid for by insurance companies. Dr. Christine Horner lost her own mother to breast cancer. She decided then that her mother's death would not be in vain.

Using the metaphor of the Warrior Goddess, Horner wrote a bestselling book that is now in its third edition. In Waking the Warrior Goddess, she explains what Ayurveda, an ancient system of healing, describes as our "inner healing intelligence." She also explores the various foods and supplements that enable women to prevent and successfully fight breast cancer, as they claim the healthy body that should be theirs.

In "The Spiritual Journey of Breast Cancer," Horner describes why cancer is a wake-up call, a time-out in which women can turn inward to evaluate their lives with the intent to restore good health and learn how to receive, allow, trust, and surrender as they cultivate their relationship with their intuition and a higher power.

The final part of Waking the Warrior Goddess presents Horner's 30-Step Program for reclaiming health and defeating breast cancer. In addition, this book includes an extensive, newly updated resources section for obtaining the particular nutrients and products that our bodies need to become and stay strong and healthy. We each have a Warrior Goddess in us, and it's time to set her free.

For more information about Waking the Warrior Goddess and to find out how you can be more proactive with your own health, go to www.basichealthpub.com or www.amazon.com

Next: We'll look at what foods you can add to your diet that will help lower your risk of breast cancer. 

Fight off cancer with safe, integrative treatments

You likely know that being overweight increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But did you know it also increases your risk for cancer?

If you didn't, you're not alone. While around 90% of Americans know that smoking is linked to higher rates of cancer, the inverse is true for obesity and cancer – less than 10% of us realize how fat is related to this chronic disease.

In fact, as many as 84,000 cancer diagnoses each year are linked to obesity, according to the National Cancer Institute. Excess fat also affects how cancer treatments work and may increase a cancer patient's risk of death, either from cancer or from other related causes.

The key word here is preventable. While we can't change the fact that we're all getting older (incidence rates for most cancers increase as patients age), we can change our weight through diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management.

In Surviving the Unsurvivable, Dr. Pavel Yutsis offers an original breakthrough theory he has developed about cancer. His theory maintains that cancer is a well-connected whole-body disease linked to lifestyle, diet, age, and how the different body systems function.

Yutsis has identified 10 specific factors, including genetics, sugar, obesity, stress, and toxins, that make it easier for cancer to get a foothold. He calls these elements cancer connections because they create an environment in the body that allows cancer to become more aggressive and tougher to combat. How each of these ten cancer connections is counterbalanced by the doctor’s highly effective brand of integrative medicine is discussed in detail.

Yutsis talks about the conventional trio of treatments—surgery, chemo, and radiation, accompanied by nutritional/supplement strategies that help reduce their side effects—and he concludes that these treatments are both useful and useless. He then addresses what he firmly believes are far better options for anyone struggling with cancer—the powerful, safe, integrative treatments combining conventional and alternative methods that he uses in his complementary practice, methods he first encountered when training in his native Russia where whatever helped was considered appropriate treatment.

This was not the case when he came to the United States because American medicine was then primarily focused on new drugs and high-tech diagnostic and surgical techniques. Although these methods can often be critically important, he found they did little to improve the overall survival rate from cancer, while his growing field of integrative/complementary medicine that combines conventional treatments with alternative approachehas delivered positive results in combating cancer. The doctor emphasizes that he and his colleagues in this field constitute a new breed of doctors you can turn to for affective help.

Yutsis wrote this book, he says, to make people with cancer more aware of how the benefits of this complementary route can help them survive the seemingly unsurvivable disease of cancer. Anyone searching for answers with questionable outcomes will be smart to investigate the methods reviewed in this important new book by a proven master in his field.

To learn more about Surviving the Unsurvivable, check out the book at http://basichealthpub.com/products/surviving-the-unsurvivable-natural-therapies-for-cancer-a-revolutionary-integrative-approach or at http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Unsurvivable-Therapies-Revolutionary-Integrative/dp/1591203023/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412722778&sr=8-1&keywords=surviving+the+unsurvivable

Can choosing to cheat actually be healthy?

Diet six days a week and then on the seventh eat absolutely anything. What's not to love about that? Apparently, a lot. The idea of a "cheat day" or choosing to take a day off from strict dieting, stirs up some serious debate in the health world. So that begs the question – can choosing to cheat actually be healthy?

One of the pro-cheating claims is that cheat days boost metabolism by upping leptin production, helping the body burn more calories after overeating. Some studies do support this claim, but others suggest overfeeding or "cheating" only ups metabolism between three and 10 percent for no more than 24 hours, making the little boost not worth the hundreds or thousands of extra calories

But the diet-rejuvenating effect of a cheat day may amount to more than just burning a few extra calories. Restricting calories, as most people do when dieting, can cause leptin, a hormone responsible for maintaining our energy balance and causing weight loss, to dwindle. But temporarily upping calorie intake can re-up leptin production by nearly 30 percent for up to 24 hours. It's that quick leptin buzz that's responsible for boosting metabolism after overeating. And in addition to regulating hunger and metabolism, this hormone may contribute to increased motivation, libido, and dopamine— so after a cheat day, dieters might actually be happier and more motivated.

It's the combined benefits of leptin that lead some experts to advocate "cheat days" filled with foods scientifically shown to increase the hormone, as opposed to anything and everything they want. For example, one study found overeating on a high protein diet increased resting metabolism, while overeating on a low protein diet did not. In another study, resting metabolism was only increased by carb bingeing— not from eating lots of fatty foods, such a pizza and ice cream.

And while cheat days often involve binge drinking in addition to binge eating, alcohol actually has the opposite effect on leptin. Fortunately, one study did find red wine was an exception to the rule — but only in women.

So for anyone keeping score at home, that's a high-protein, high-carb, low-fat, and alcohol-free (unless you're a woman— then you can have red wine only) cheat day. Sounding less and less like a carefree free-for-all, isn't it?

It's also especially important for anyone with a health condition, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. to plan carefully, as even small indulgences can have more larger effects on health. Consider the overall balance of macronutrients in a dietary splurge— sweets may be fine, but look for those also high in essential nutrients like protein and fiber.

No matter which direction you choose to take, it all comes down to one's metabolism and finding what works best for you. But for most people, these single solutions don't work. The truth is, most chronic health problems, including stubborn weight gain, unbeatable fatigue, intestinal distress, high blood pressure, creeping cholesterol, and high blood sugar, are not found in simply one organ, but in several parts of the body (often times in twos and threes).

This is the result of years of slow, subtle challenges to your metabolism, which is as unique as you are. Your lifestyle habits, stress level, prescription drug use, and relationships, as well as the genes you inherit and the environment in which you live-in effect, the sum total of your life expierence up to this day-determine your personal metabolism and, in turn, your current state of health.

Using a step-by-step, easy-to-implement system of diet, lifestyle strategies, and state-of-the-art nutrients and supplements, Dr. James LaValle can help you create an indiviudalized program for reclaiming your metabolism and health in his book, Cracking the Metabolic Code. 

To learn more about how to crack your personal code, check out the book at http://basichealthpub.com/products/cracking-the-metabolic-code or http://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Metabolic-Code-James-LaValle/dp/1591200113/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412359956&sr=8-1&keywords=cracking+the+metabolic+code

Ways to lessen your exposure to GM foods

While politicians debate regulations for labeling and researchers explore the safety issues, there are a few things you can do now if you want to reduce your exposure to GMOs (A genetically modified organism.)

First and foremost, buy organic. Certified organic producers are not allowed to use GM seeds. Unfortuantely, though, there is a slight possibility that organic crops may have been contaminated by nearby GM crops through cross-fertilization.

You can still take on a much more proactive approach. Look for the "Non-GMO Project Verified" seal. This stamp means that the producer uses best practices to avoid GMO ingredients. Nearly 6,000 products already carry the seal, and Whole Foods has committed to certifying all its store-brand products (called 365 Everyday Value) with the Non-GMO Project.

Check supplement and vitamin labels. Coatings and fillers are often sourced from GM corn and soy (you'll find them hiding under names like maltodextrin and citric acid), and some pills are produced using GM bacteria and fungi. Go to nongmoproject.org to search for verified brands.

When possible, steer clear of nonorganic products made with ingredients that are most likely GM: corn, soy, canola oil, cottonseed oil, and sugar (unless the label says "pure cane sugar").


Most at risk are pregnant women and children, who are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems related to GM foods, so please avoid as much as possible.

If you are short on time or money, you can be informed of the dangers of genetically altered foods. Genetically Altered Foods and Your Health – a short and pocket-sized book, contains 120 pages that lay out the complete landscape of genetically altered foods. These include the promises and the risks of altering the genes in foods; how our food supply has been affected by genetically altered foods; the potential for damage to our health and our ecosystem; damage already done; the politics of genetically altering foods; and how different countries have reacted. The facts are backed up by references.

To learn more about GM foods, check out the book at http://basichealthpub.com/products/genetically-altered-foods-and-your-health or http://www.amazon.com/Genetically-Altered-Foods-Your-Health/dp/1591200598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411678236&sr=8-1&keywords=genetically+altered+food+and+your+risk

Learn the facts about GM foods and their effects

Most people don't know what's in the food they eat every day. Although the recognized brands of packaged and processed foods, salad dressings, canned goods, soft drinks, and snack foods may look the same as always, in many cases their contents have radically changed. They now contain something unfamiliar – genetically engineered ingredients.

You don't have to look hard to find genetically modified food at your supermarket, as more than 85 percent of the corn and soy grown in the United States comes from seeds whose DNA has been rejiggered (to increase yields), and those two crops play starring roles in countless processed foods, from soda to salad dressing to bread.

Advocates say genetically modified (GM) foods allow farmers to produce more with fewer chemicals, which means a cleaner environment and cheaper groceries for us all. But the question remains: What impact do GM foods have on our health? One thing is for sure, it's hard to know which side of the fence you should be on until you understand and trust what you're dealing with here.

If you are short on time or money, you can finally be informed of the dangers of genetically altered foods. Genetically Altered Foods and Your Health – a short and pocket-sized book, contains 120 pages that lay out the complete landscape of genetically altered foods. These include the promises and the risks of altering the genes in foods; how our food supply has been affected by genetically altered foods; the potential for damage to our health and our ecosystem; damage already done; the politics of genetically altering foods; and how different countries have reacted. The facts are backed up by references.

This book also empowers the reader with the knowledge of a viable alternative – organic food. In chapter after chapter, author Ken Roseboro paints a thorough picture of how organic food –without genetically altered organisms, artificially pesticides and herbicides – is a healthy, sustainable choice for the consumer. Yet, the genetic purity of organic seeds, and all natural seeds, is threatened by genetic pollution from genetically engineered plants.

In only a few pages, you can learn alot about genetically altered foods. This short book covers the history of using genetically engineered seeds for farming. Dry scientific facts on field crop productivity and other issues are told through anecdotes from organic farmers affected by GM seed use in nearby fields. The farming companies that have decided to use the new genetically engineered seeds are having difficulty containing the cross pollenation from their crops to other GM free farms.

The long-term effects on crop production and potential harm to allergic humans and other consumers in the food chain is discussed. This book is a "how to" guide for consumers trying to make informed decisions about the use of genetically altered foods.

To learn more about GM foods, check out the book at http://basichealthpub.com/products/genetically-altered-foods-and-your-health or http://www.amazon.com/Genetically-Altered-Foods-Your-Health/dp/1591200598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411678236&sr=8-1&keywords=genetically+altered+food+and+your+risk

Next: We'll examine how you can lessen the effects of GM foods in your diet. 

Answers to all those breastfeeding questions...

Whether a woman is expecting, planning for, or has given birth to a baby, the questions of whether or not to breastfeed, and how to do so, will come up. With so many changes taking place in a new mother’s life, frustrations with breastfeeding can become another speed bump on the road to bonding with her baby.

Nurse Barb’s Personal Guide to Breastfeeding is a highly-detailed guide to making certain both the breastfeeding mother and her baby are healthy and happy. With step-by-step instructions, Nurse Barb instructs the reader in every facet of breastfeeding, from getting ready to breastfeed to weaning her baby, and offers advice in difficult circumstances, including baby blues and postpartum depression.

This is an indispensable resource for mothers, whether they are experiencing their first pregnancy or are already a veteran mom. In a down-to-earth, friendly tone, Nurse Barb takes the guesswork out of breastfeeding and prepares mothers for the challenges and joys ahead.

For instance, new mothers struggle with the decision to breastfeed or bottle feed their new baby. Here's some guidance to help you choose what's right for you...

Breastfeeding Baby
Breast milk is the perfect food for baby, with numerous advantages over baby formula, especially in the first four months or so. Here's why:

-It's always available.
-It's free.
-It contains active infection-fighting white blood cells and natural chemicals that give increased protection against infections in the first months, when these can be the most serious.
-It can help prevent SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
-It contains the perfect proportion of nutrients that your baby needs, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, and calcium.

-It is easily digestible.
-It may protect against allergies and asthma in the future.
-It may decrease a baby's risk of obesity in the future.
It may contain some fatty acids that promote brain development.
-Breastfeeding can help new mothers lose weight more easily.
=Additionally, there probably are other beneficial components of breast milk that we are not aware of and so are not added to formula.

Bottle Feeding Baby
With all these advantages of breast milk, should you feel guilty if you choose not to breastfeed? Absolutely not!

Infant formulas have gotten better and better at matching the ingredients and their proportions to that of human milk.

While breastfed babies may have relatively fewer infections, the vast majority of infants won't get a serious infection in the first months whether breast or bottle fed.

A happy, unstressed mother is the best mother. If you feel that bottle feeding best fits your needs, then it's the best for meeting your baby's needs as well.

To get more advice on both pregnancy and breastfeeding, check out Nurse Barb's personal guides at http://basichealthpub.com/collections/frontpage/products/nurse-barb-s-personal-guide-to-breastfeeding

Finally– no-nonsense answers to ‘those’ pregnancy questions

So you found out that you're pregnant and almost immediately it can feel like a little alien has taken over your body. Then you have a million questions, such as what can I do for this nausea, can I have sex, and when should I call my doctor? Even if you're a seasoned mom, questions and concerns still come up, which means you need to find straight-forward answers fast.

Isn't it time for something brand new and different when it comes to pregnancy guides? For starters, who has time to read a huge, complicated book filled with jargon and scary warnings, when all expectant parents really want to know is practical information with explanations on everything. All those answers and more are now available in purse-size guides that were previously only accessible through doctors. And you know what's really cool? A mom can hold and breastfeed a baby with one hand while reading the new guides in the other!

Nurse Barb

Nurse Barb’s Personal Guides, which have more than 27 years of knowledge and experience condensed into an easy-to read and understand format, have helped more than 4 million women to date. They are an extension of what Barb Dehn, NP offers to her own patients – relatable information, easy-to-understand explanations, and guidelines for navigating the often-turbulent waters of women’s health. She’s also a mother herself, which offers readers that reliable mix of professional and savvy advice with warmth, understanding and a wealth of tips.

In these two guides on pregnancy and breast feeding, Nurse Barb provides readers with a comprehensive guide to the changes, challenges, and joys that are in store for them, as well as a guide to preparing for baby’s arrival.

According to Nurse Barb, “Every mom wants to feel reassured, prepared and that what she’s experiencing is normal, so I included anticipatory guidance for when to call providers, helpful ‘To Do Lists’ and answers to questions you may be too embarrassed to ask your doctor or anyone else.” In Nurse Barb’s Personal Guide to Pregnancy, each chapter covers a different facet of pregnancy—from coming to grips with the prospect of motherhood to what to expect in each trimester. Straightforward advice on how to handle nausea and morning sickness, to exercise, sex, and travel are all given. Nurse Barb has also incorporated a hospital packing list and kick-count sheet to help new mothers prepare for delivery and track their baby’s progress. 

With step-by-step instructions in Nurse Barb’s Personal Guide to Breastfeeding, she instructs the reader in every facet of breastfeeding, from getting ready to breastfeed to weaning her baby, and offers advice in difficult circumstances, including baby blues and postpartum depression.

These guides are indispensable resources for mothers, whether they are experiencing their first pregnancy or are already a veteran mom. And perhaps best of all for a busy mother-to-be – they fit in a purse or diaper bag! Plus, many women report that it's the only pregnancy book that their husbands would read.

Find all the go-to advice that you need today in these practical and affordable guides. Check out Nurse Barb's Personal Guides to Pregnancy and Breastfeeding at http://basichealthpub.com/search?q=pregnancy+guides

Why does nutritional, vitamin therapy take a backseat to drugs?

What if a vitamin that most of us probably have right now in our cupboard – vitamin C – could be used to help heal a lot more illnesses than the common cold? In the 1940’s, Dr. Fredrick R. Klenner used vitamin C to cure 60 out of 60 cases of polio. In fact, he consistently eliminated chicken pox, measles, mumps, tetanus, and polio with huge doses of IV vitamin C. Klenner did this when no vaccines existed.

Many people have never heard of these findings because good nutrition and vitamin therapy has pushed aside in favor of pharmaceutical drugs and big money. As author and heath pioneer Andrew Saul said, “Good health makes a lot of sense, but it doesn’t make a lot of dollars.”

The medical breakthroughs and facts continued for Dr. Klenner, who cured pneumonia, encephalitis, herpes zoster (shingles), herpes simplex, mononucleosis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, rocky mountain spotted fever, bladder infections, alcoholism, arthritis, some cancers, leukemia, atherosclerosis, ruptured intervertebral disc, high cholesterol, corneal ulcers, diabetes, glaucoma, radiation burns – the list goes on and on.

“Some physicians would stand by and see their patient die rather than use ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) because in their finite minds it exists only as a vitamin, ” Dr. Fredrick Klenner once said.

Saul, who has been a consulting specialist in natural healing for more than 30 years and has a Ph.D. in Human Ethology, agrees, and has wrote about the power of mega vitamins in his bestselling book, Doctor Yourself and edited the new mega-book, The OrthomolecularTreatment of Chronic Diseases: 65 Experts on Therapeutic & Preventive Nutrition. 

“Vitamin C is the world’s best natural antibiotic, antiviral, antitoxin, and antihistamine. Let the greats be given their due. The importance of vitamin C cannot be overemphasized," Saul said.

Saul, who raised his own healthy children by never once giving them antibiotics, believes that nutrition and mega-vitamin therapy are the answers to getting and staying healthy.

High doses of vitamins have been known to cure serious illnesses for nearly 80 years. Klaus Jungeblut, M.D., prevented and treated polio in the mid-1930s with a vitamin too. William Kaufman, M.D., cured arthritis, also in the 1940s. In the 1950s, Drs. Wilfrid and Evan Shute were curing various forms of cardiovascular disease with a vitamin. At the same time, psychiatrist Abram Hoffer was using niacin to cure schizophrenia, psychosis, and depression.

In the 1970s, Hugh D. Riordan, M.D., was obtaining cures for cancer with intravenous vitamin C. Dr. Harold Foster and colleagues arrested and reversed full-blown AIDS with nutrient therapy, and in just the last few years, Atsuo Yanagasawa, M.D., Ph.D., has shown that vitamin therapy can prevent and reverse sickness caused by exposure to nuclear radiation. Since 1968, much of this research has been published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. All of these findings are chronicled in The Orthomolecular Treatment of Chronic Diseases: 65 Experts on Therapeutic & Preventive Nutrition. 

If readers who want to know which illnesses best respond to nutrition therapy, and how and why that therapy works, will find this book a must-read. Part One presents the principles of Orthomolecular medicine and the science behind them. Part Two is devoted to Orthomolecular pioneers, presenting an introduction to maverick doctors and nutrition scientists in a way that brings the subject to life. Part Three brings together extraordinary clinical and experimental evidence from expert researchers and clinicians.

To find out more about this incredible health bible, check out the book at www.basichealthpub.com or www.amazon.com. 

Marigolds: full of antioxidants and healing

Most of know Marigolds, also known as Calendula, as bright and yellow annual plants that thrive throughout the United States, Europe, Western Asia. But did you know that the flower has many natural healing powers too?

As an anti-fungal agent, marigold preparations can treat athlete's foot, ringworm, and candida. As a tincture, it also helps heal cold sores. Calendula oil is used as an anti-inflammatory, an anti-tumor agent, and a remedy for healing wounds.

One of the health benefits of marigolds is that it is used in the treatment of minor burns when used in the form of ointments or a tincture. On account of the anti-inflammatory properties of marigold it is also used in the treatment of allergic reactions, eczema and bruising. In oil form it can be used in the treatment for plantar lesions that tend to occur on the feet.

Another one of the benefits of the flower is that it is very beneficial in getting rid of an oily complexion naturally. In this treatment, fresh flowers need to be soaked in warm water and then applied to the skin at least once a day and allowed to remain for 10 minutes before washing it off.

Marigolds are also known to have plenty of health benefits on account of their high content of antioxidants. These antioxidants are known to be effective in combating the damage that may b caused by free radicals which are typically the by-products of environmental factors such as pollution or cigarette smoke or even normal body functions. The lycopene present in marigold is also known to lower the risk of heart disease and prostrate cancer. The antioxidants present in marigolds are also known to protect the eyes from  degeneration and cataracts.

Some studies show that the leaves of the marigold can be beneficial in minimizing the number of tumors in the case of breast cancer, as well as in the prevention of the development of new cancer cells. Besides breast cancer, Marigolds are also known to be effective against colon, leukemia and melanoma cancer cells.

One of the medicinal uses of marigolds is that it promotes the growth of both new blood vessels as well as new skin tissue and hence it is used in the healing of wounds such as burns, scrapes as well as irritated skin.

When consumed internally , marigolds are also known to help against digestive inflammation in the form of duodenal or gastric ulcers on account of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Marigold tea is also known to be effective against painful mouth and stomach ulcers as well as colitis. Marigolds are effective in this aspect because they tend to stimulate the lymphatic system and thereby minimize the swelling as well as cleanse the body of toxins which may be contributing to the ulcers.

Marigold is also used in the form of an ointment for women who are suffering from breast cancer to minimize the dermatitis  that is usually caused by chemotherapy.

Precautions/ Side Effects/ Warnings:
Some of the side effects of marigold may include allergic reactions, medication interactions, and even adverse hormonal effects. Make sure to always check with your doctor first before using it or any new therapy.

To learn more about natural healing, check out www.basichealthpub.com.

Eat more vitamin D-rich food

Unlike other nutrients, vitamin D isn't really a vitamin at all – it's a hormone, made by your body as you are exposed to sunlight. The result plays an important role in maintaining bone strength. If you eat a varied diet and get some sun (about 20 minutes a day, unfiltered by sunscreen) then you are probably getting all the vitamin D you need. But if a busy schedule keeps you inside too much, try eating more of these vitamin D-rich foods instead:

Salmon
Salmon has by far the most vitamin D of any food (and wild salmon has much more than farmed salmon, which is cheaper and easier to find). Half a fillet of sockeye salmon has more than 1,400 iu of Vitamin D — more than twice as much as most people need in a day.

Tuna
A serving of tuna has a healthy dose of vitamin D — more than one-third of a daily dose. Light tuna in oil has the most. Light tuna in water has about one-fourth of a daily dose, while white tuna has about one-tenth. Light tuna also has less mercury than white tuna, making it a safer choice. The other fish-in-a-can, sardines, also have a lot of vitamin D — about one-fourth of a daily dose (along with a healthy dose of calcium), and pickled herring have about one-sixth of a daily dose.

Sole or Flounder
Flatfish like sole and flounder have about one-fourth a day's worth of vitamin D. (The other white fish, cod, has less than one-tenth.) Look for Pacific flounder, sole, or cod at the fish market, because Atlantic stocks are depleted.

Milk
Fortified milk has about one-fifth a day's worth of vitamin D — and whole milk has more than skim.

Eggs

Two large eggs have about one-tenth of a daily dose of vitamin D. Eggs from truly free-range chickens, like those many people are raising in backyards these days, are often more delicious and nutritious than the factory farmed kind; unfortunately, the free-range label on eggs isn't a regulated term, so it could be meaningless.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms can have a significant amount of vitamin D, but the amount varies widely by type. Shiitake mushrooms (pictured) have 45 iu — about one-thirteenth of a daily recommended serving. White mushrooms, on the other hand, have just 5 iu.

Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese stands out among cheeses for its relatively high vitamin D content. With 25 iu of Vitamin D, it would still take about 24 servings to get your daily dose solely from ricotta cheese (and considering the amount of fat you'd consume, that's not recommended). That said, ricotta has about five times as much vitamin D as most other cheeses.

Readers of the book, Sunshine and Vitamin D, will be ahead of the curve on one of the most exciting health stories of the 21st century. Author Frank Murray spotlights the latest research into how and why this much-maligned and misunderstood vitamin is finally coming into its own, and how to gain the greatest benefits from it.

To learn more about vitamin D and how to take your health into your own hands, visit www.basichealthpub.com

Why Vitamin D is so critical to our health

While you’re catching some rays this summer, you can feel good about all that vitamin D does for your body. Sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin” because it’s produced in your skin in response to sunlight, this fat-soluble vitamin can affect as many as 2,000 genes in the body.

Vitamin D has several important functions. Perhaps the most vital ones are regulating the absorption of calcium,  phosphorous, and facilitating normal immune system function. Getting a sufficient amount of the vitamin is important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases. If your body doesn’t get enough vitamin D, you’re at risk of developing bone abnormalities such as osteomalacia (soft bones) or osteoporosis (fragile bones).

The sunshine vitamin can fight off a variety of diseases. In addition to its primary benefits, research suggests that vitamin D may also play a role in:

• Reducing your risk of multiple sclerosis, according to a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association
• Decreasing your chance of developing heart disease, according to 2008 findings published in Circulation
• Helping to reduce your likelihood of developing the flu, according to 2010 research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Your body produces vitamin D naturally through direct exposure to sunlight. A little can go a long way: just 10 minutes a day of mid-day sun exposure is plenty, especially if you’re fair-skinned.

Besides getting vitamin D through sunlight, you can also get it through certain foods and supplements. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that you obtain vitamin D from all three of these sources in order to ensure adequate levels of the vitamin in your blood.

Many lifestyle and environmental factors can affect your ability to get sufficient amounts of this vitamin through the sun alone. These factors include:

• Pollution
• Use of sunscreen
• Spending more time indoors
• Working longer hours in offices
• Living in big cities where buildings block sunlight

These factors contribute to vitamin D deficiency in an increasing number of people. That’s why it’s important to get some of your vitamin D from sources besides sunlight.

Vitamin D from the sun, from our diet, and from dietary supplements keeps a range of chronic and life-threatening diseases at bay, from osteoporosis and osteoarthritis to breast cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and many others.

Readers of the book, Sunshine and Vitamin D, will be ahead of the curve on one of the most exciting health stories of the 21st century. Author Frank Murray spotlights the latest research into how and why this much-maligned and misunderstood vitamin is finally coming into its own, and how to gain the greatest benefits from it.

Readers will learn:

• How and why vitamin D is crucial to helping the body absorb calcium and phosphorous, and to strengthening bones.
• How the news media often exaggerate the dangers of sunshine and downplay the benefits of vitamin D from the sun and other sources.
• How much sun exposure and/or vitamin D supplementation is needed by people of all skin types.
• Why older adults are especially prone to vitamin D deficiency and how they can best address this for optimal health.

To learn more about vitamin D and how to take your health into your own hands, visit www.basichealthpub.com

Next up: Learn about the best food sources of Vitamin D

We are hardwired to be fit

Learn how to switch on your four main “fitness circuits” to achieve the level of fitness you’ve always wanted

We know that most of us need to move more and lose weight to be at optimum health. The problem is, most diet and exercise programs just don't stick. In fact, weight loss alone is not the key to long-lasting fitness and—what’s perhaps more surprising—neither is exercise.

It’s estimated that the number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has almost quadrupled to around one billion since 1980. Research shows that people who diet regularly are more likely to gain the weight back. And while many people start an exercise program with the best of intentions, a good number of them drop out of the habit after a short time. We just aren’t hardwired for rigid exercise routines and restrictive diets. That’s why most diets and exercise programs are not successful in the long term. Yet, our ancestors didn’t have to work at being fit. They were naturally fit, out of necessity.

Fortunately, there is a simple way to achieve lasting overall fitness. In Hardwired for Fitness, authors Robert Portman and John Ivy explain that because the body has an inherent tendency toward fitness, there is no good reason for anyone to be overweight or out of shape.

As readers of this book will discover, the human body’s fitness circuitry is a remarkable, integrated piece of engineering. When the circuits are functioning in harmony, they can activate the body’s metabolic machinery far more effectively and safely than any commercial product. For example, the human body has the natural ability to:

• Burn fat more quickly than most hyped thermogenic supplements

• Decrease food intake more effectively than the most costly appetite suppressant

• Synthesize protein faster than the leading protein powder

Based on more than 50 years of research and recent breakthroughs, Hardwired for Fitness shows how you can switch on your four main “fitness circuits” and, with minimal lifestyle changes, achieve the level of fitness you’ve always wanted.

To learn how to to re-sync our body to match its natural rhythms and therefore be naturally programmed to keep us fit and optimally functioning, check out Hardwired for Fitness at www.basichealthpub.com

Fidget your way to better health

This is the second installment about how sitting too much is making us sick and can be life threatening...

Even if you think you are energetic, sitting all day at work is common for most of us. And it's killing us—literally—by way of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. We know that exercise is the key, but what else can we realistically do every day to turn our sedentary lifestyle around?

The answer lies in speeding up your daily non-exercise activity thermogenesis—or NEAT. That's the energy (i.e., calories) you burn doing everything but exercise, and if you fidget than you're already way ahead of the game. In a groundbreaking study on NEAT, the Mayo Clinic tracked every single step and fidget of 20 people who weren't regular exercisers (half of them were obese; half were not). After 10 days, they found that the lean participants moved an average of 150 minutes more per day than the overweight people did—enough to burn 350 calories, or about one cheeseburger.

Fidgeting, standing, and puttering may even keep you off medications and out of the doctor's office. Think of your body as a computer: As long as you're moving the mouse and tapping the keys, all systems are go. But let it idle for a few minutes, and the machine goes into power-conservation mode. Your body is meant to be active, so when you sit and do nothing for too long, it shuts down and burns less energy. Getting consistent activity throughout the day keeps your metabolism humming along in high gear.

When you get out of your chair and start moving around, you turn on fat burners. Simply standing up fries three times as many calories as sitting on your butt, according to the study.

Research has shown that swapping sedentary habits, such as watching television, for pretty much anything that doesn't involve sitting down can make a world of difference. The experts explain how to take every opportunity to flex your muscles, boost your heart rate, and eat foods that yield maximum fullness for minimal calories.

Here are 10 simple lifestyle changes that you can do everyday to turn your health around...

1. Take vitamin D 
Women who were deficient in it lost weight more slowly in a study in the British Journal of Nutrition.

2. Drink coffee 
Studies have found that caffeine increases the rate at which you burn calories.

3. Do things by hand 
Wash your dishes, vacuum, or cook dinner.

4. Eat lightly and often 
For most people, the body uses up more energy digesting smaller meals every few hours than by eating the same number of calories in two or three sittings.

5. Move briskly 
Make a point wherever you are headed – at work, home, or out on errands to consciously move faster.

6. Laugh 
It burns up to 50 calories if you laugh for 10 to 15 minutes per day.

7. Eat breakfast 
You send your body a signal that you're not starving, so it starts burning fat — even when you're just doing normal activities.

8. Time yourself 
Spend the last five minutes of each hour (set your computer timer) up and moving around.

9. Watch less television 
Adults who halved their television viewing time (by using an electronic lock-out system) not only burned an extra 119 calories per day, but did so without altering what they ate.

10) Fidget 
You can burn up to 350 more calories a day than someone who remains stationary, according to a study at the Mayo Clinic. The impulse to fidget may be hardwired, but non-fidgeters can imitate it: Tap your feet, pace, or move restlessly in your seat.

The bottom line is any kind of motion or activity can help offset the effects of being too sedentary. All of these little changes will add up in a big way. In the course of a day, trivial exercise such as walking rather than driving, and washing dishes by hand added up to more than 108 calories. Over a year, that adds up to nearly 40,000 calories.

Next: Learn how there is a simple way to achieve lasting overall fitness. In Hardwired for Fitness, Robert Portman and John Ivy explain that because the body has an inherent tendency toward fitness, there is no good reason for anyone to be overweight or out of shape. As readers of this book will discover, the human body’s fitness circuitry is a remarkable, integrated piece of engineering. When the circuits are functioning in harmony, they can activate the body’s metabolic machinery far more effectively and safely than any commercial product. Find out more at www.basichealthpub.com

Want to save your life? Get up and move more

One story seems to be popping up over and over again in the news lately– as human beings in this modern age, we are sitting way too much.

According to a poll of nearly 6,300 people by the Institute for Medicine and Public Health, it's likely that you spend a stunning 56 hours a week planted like a flower—staring at your computer screen, driving, or collapsed in front of your high-def TV. And it turns out women may be more sedentary than men, since they tend to play fewer sports and hold less active jobs.

Even if you think you are energetic, sitting all day at work is common for most of us. And it's killing us—literally—by way of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. All this downtime is so unhealthy that it's given birth to a new area of medical study called inactivity physiology, which explores the effects of our increasingly butt-bound, tech-driven lives, as well as a deadly new epidemic researchers have dubbed "sitting disease."

Our bodies have evolved over millions of years to do one thing – move. As human beings, we evolved to stand upright. For thousands of generations, our environment demanded nearly constant physical activity.

But thanks to technological advances, the Internet, and an increasingly longer work week, that environment has disappeared. "Electronic living has all but sapped every flicker of activity from our daily lives," Levine says. You can shop, pay bills, make a living, and with Twitter and Facebook, even catch up with friends without so much as standing up. And the consequences of all that easy living are profound.

What happens when we sit too long?

Health experts say that when you sit for an extended period of time, your body starts to shut down at the metabolic level. When muscles, especially the big ones meant for movement, like those in your legs—are immobile, your circulation slows and you burn fewer calories. Key flab-burning enzymes responsible for breaking down triglycerides simply start switching off. Sit for a full day and those fat burners plummet by 50 percent.

That's not all. The less you move, the less blood sugar your body uses; research shows that for every two hours spent on your backside per day, your chance of contracting diabetes goes up by 7 percent. Your risk for heart disease goes up, too, because enzymes that keep blood fats in check are inactive. You're also more prone to depression: With less blood flow, fewer feel-good hormones are circulating to your brain.

Sitting too much also wreaks havoc your posture and spine health. It's no wonder that the incidence of chronic lower-back pain among women has increased threefold since the early 1990s.

And even if you exercise, you're not immune. Consider this: We've become so sedentary that 30 minutes a day at the gym may not do enough to counteract the detrimental effects of eight, nine, or 10 hours of sitting, says Genevieve Healy, Ph.D., a research fellow at the Cancer Prevention Research Centre of the University of Queensland in Australia. That's one big reason so many women still struggle with weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol woes despite keeping consistent workout routines.

In a recent study, Healy and her colleagues found that regardless of how much moderate to vigorous exercise participants did, those who took more breaks from sitting throughout the day had slimmer waists, lower BMIs (body mass indexes), and healthier blood fat and blood sugar levels than those who sat the most. In an extensive study of 17,000 people, Canadian researchers drew an even more succinct conclusion: The longer you spend sitting each day, the more likely you are to die an early death—no matter how fit you are.

Ironically, the answer doesn't have to be just exercise more. Learn in our second blog of this series how people who fidget live longer. Check back here this Saturday, Aug. 16th, for more information. Then stay tune to learn how we are hardwired to be fit, and the simple life changes that can indeed save your life.

For more information on living a healthier life, check out a vast amount of proactive books and knowledge at www.basichealthpub.com

Megavitamin therapy proven fighter against many chronic conditions

Many "health cures" come and go over the years, but one has remained for almost a century, making it the leading crusader for therapeutic and preventive health. It's called orthomolecular medicine, which translates to the use of megavitamin therapy to fight off chronic diseases.

High doses of vitamins have been known to cure serious illnesses for nearly 80 years. Looking for proven cures? The list is powerful and definitive. Klaus Jungeblut, M.D., prevented and treated polio in the mid-1930s with a vitamin. Chest specialist Frederick Klenner, M.D., was curing multiple sclerosis and polio back in the 1940s, also using vitamins. William Kaufman, M.D., cured arthritis, also in the 1940s. In the 1950s, Drs. Wilfrid and Evan Shute were curing various forms of cardiovascular disease with a vitamin. At the same time, psychiatrist Abram Hoffer was using niacin to cure schizophrenia, psychosis, and depression.

In the 1960s, Robert Cathcart, M.D., cured influenza, pneumonia, and hepatitis. In the 1970s, Hugh D. Riordan, M.D., was obtaining cures for cancer with intravenous vitamin C. Dr. Harold Foster and colleagues arrested and reversed full-blown AIDS with nutrient therapy, and in just the last few years, Atsuo Yanagasawa, M.D., Ph.D., has shown that vitamin therapy can prevent and reverse sickness caused by exposure to nuclear radiation.

Since 1968, much of this research has been published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. This book brings forward important material selected from more than 45 years of JOM directly to the reader.

If readers want to know which illnesses best respond to nutrition therapy, and how and why that therapy works, they will find it in the must-read new book, The ORTHOMOLECULAR TREATMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE: 65 Experts on Therapeutic & Preventive Nutrition. Part One presents the principles of orthomolecular medicine and the science behind them. Part Two is devoted to orthomolecular pioneers, presenting an introduction to maverick doctors and nutrition scientists in a way that brings the subject to life. Part Three brings together extraordinary clinical and experimental evidence from expert researchers and clinicians.

If the word "cure" is intriguing, this book will be even more so. It shows exactly how innovative physicians have gotten outstanding results with high-dose nutrition therapy. The author, Andrew W. Saul, M.S., Ph.D., is editor-in-chief of the Orthomolecular Medicine NewsService and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed articles and has written or co-authored 12 books. He is also featured in the documentary movie Food Matters and, in 2013, was inducted into the Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame.

To read more about this definitive book on therapeutic and preventative medicine, check out www.basichealthpub.com or www.amazon.com

Natural remedies for motion sickness

Summer is the best time for a road trip, but riding in the car can often bring on motion sickness for people. Before you reach for an over the counter medicine to fight off the effects, try a natural remedy from your own kitchen instead.

No one can completely avoid motion sickness. Fortunately, what you eat or drink can ease, and even prevent, a bout of motion sickness. Here are a few such remedies...

Crackers: Take these easily digestible snacks along and nibble on them every couple of hours to help prevent nausea and vomiting. An empty stomach makes it more likely that you will get sick.

Ginger: Ginger has long been known as an herbal remedy for queasiness, but modern science has proved this spice has merit, especially for motion sickness. One study discovered that ginger was actually better than over-the-counter motion sickness drugs. Make a ginger tea to take along with you when you're traveling by cutting 10 to 12 slices of fresh ginger and placing them in a pot with 1 quart water. Boil for ten minutes. Strain out the ginger, and add 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup for sweetening if you like.

Low-fat foods: If you eat a low-fat meal before you head out on your trip, you may avoid getting sick. Eating something before you leave makes your stomach more capable of handling the ups and downs of the road. Experts say not eating destabilizes the stomach's electrical signals, making you susceptible to nausea and vomiting.

Peppermint candies or lozenges: If you start feeling sick, get out the peppermints. Not only will you end up with fresh minty breath when you arrive at your destination, you'll also calm your queasiness. And if you're traveling with little ones, try placing 1 drop peppermint oil on their tongues before the trip. It may quash that queasy feeling.

Tea: Sip on some warm tea if you start feeling sick. Warm beverages tend to be easier on a nauseated tummy than a tall glass of cold water. Go for the decaf brew; caffeinated drinks aren't a good idea for unstable stomachs.

Ice: Sucking on some ice chips may help calm your stomach and help divert your attention from your unsettled tummy.


Apple juice: Drink a glass of apple juice with your pre-travel low-fat meal. Giving your body a bit of sugar with fluids before you start your journey should help you down the road. And if you start feeling ill, sipping (not gulping) some juice may help you feel better. Almost any non-citrus juice will do. Citrus juice irritates an already unstable stomach.


Whether it's on a car trip, train, or an airplane, motion sickness can be crippling to those affected by it. Use the home remedies outlined here to help get rid of that queasy feeling before it begins.

For more information on a variety of home remedies for what ails you, check out NATURAL REMEDIES: An A–Z Reference Guide to Tried-and-True Cures for Common Complaints at www.basichealthpub.com or www.amazon.com