Boosting Immunity with Holistic, Natural Health

PhoenixWay Health & Longevity Principles!  In these dark times where Immunity has become such as huge issue, here are tips you can start doing TODAY to improve yours...holistically, naturally, with no risk of harm or negative side effects.  Natural and holistic ways of strengthening the bodymind and protecting it from disease are the best, most loving ways to take care yourself.

Health & longevity principle #1...eat less, drink more. Try to keep your calorie intake under 2000 per day, and drink at least 1/2 gallon of pure spring water.  Consider juicing for detox & green smoothies for meal replacements.  Start each day w/a healing/cleansing lemonade of 1 squeezed lemon/lime, 1 tsp stevia, and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Health & longevity principle #2...eat organic, locally-grown, whole foods, and avoid processed food. Processed food includes food that has additives, preservatives, is canned, frozen, fried, boxed, plastic-wrapped, or bottled. Any additives your grandmother can't pronounce or identify should never enter your body. Ditto for any substance not made by God. ;)  This principle is ESPECIALLY relevant to animal-based food.

Health & Longevity Principle #3...eat foods mostly from the plant kingdom, primarily fruits and vegetables. Try to keep animal-based food less than 10% of your diet (less than 5% is optimal). Try to make 80% of the plant food you eat consist of fruits and vegetables.

Health & Longevity Principle #4...eat more raw/live than cooked food. Try to make at least 50% of your plant food raw/live/uncooked. Live food can still be warmed to hot (but not boiled) and dehydrated in a low-temp oven. Dehydrating food at no more than 118 degrees keeps all of its phytonutrients (like antioxidants) and enzymes intact, helping your body digest the food optimally and maximizing its nutritional value.

Health & Longevity Principle #5...spread out your meals and don't overeat. Don't skip meals. Eat 5 small meals throughout the day rather than 2 or 3 large ones. Don't skip breakfast. Chew slowly. Stop eating before your stomach is full. Avoid eating more food than twice the size of your fist.  Make your larger meal lunch, when your metabolism is highest.  Make breakfast and dinner smaller meals.  Don't eat after 8pm.  Lengthen the time between dinner and breakfast to 12 hours or more, to improve detox and sleep and keep weight off.  Corollary 5a...chew your drinks, drink your food.

Health & Longevity Principle #6...the mind and body are One...never separate and never acting without the other's influence. You can't be sick in mind and healthy in body just as you can't heal the body without also healing the mind. If you are not taking good care of your body, there is a reason that is fundamentally related to how and what you are thinking and feeling about life and your place in it.  Take care of your thoughts, your "mental diet," and be just as careful about what you put in your eyes and ears as you do your mouth...that includes the people you choose to be around.

Health & Longevity Principle #7...practice stress management every day. Since stress occurs daily, it will build up if we don't relieve it daily. Learn and practice some form of relaxation for body and mind, such as meditation, guided relaxation, chanting, yoga, tai chi, or quietly watering your garden. Be aware of stress relief imposters which tax the mind/body in order to relax.  Stress relief imposters include intense physical activity, attending or watching sporting events or concerts, taking drugs, overeating, gossiping, the internet, movies/TV, etc. You can think of more. :)  Watching the news, talking about the news, politics, religion, arguing about God or any of the prevous, partying, clubbing, complaining, blaming, avoiding responsibilities, cheating, lying, the list goes on and on...and these are all in some way our attempt to avoid stress...but they're imposters because in the end they all just lead to more stress. You know what I'm talking about. ;)

Health & Longevity Principle #8...open your heart to others, every day. Make friends, keep friends, forgive, listen, understand, don't judge, speak 1 word for every 100 you think, talk with your eyes. Share the things you love...and more love will come to you. Live by the principle, "There is always enough to share," and you will be rich...in what matters.

Health & Longevity Principle #9...exercise/move your body every day. Exercise is just as important as eating and sleeping for our health. Try to exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be high-stress; in fact, new research shows that regular strenuous exercise actually depletes the body of nutrients and wears down the body's systems over time...causing early burnout syndrome.  Most holistic health experts agree that the best form of exercise is simply walking, swinging the hands back and forth for added brain stimulation. I also suggest swimming and any aerobic exercise that doesn't put too much stress on the joints.  On the flip side, make sure you get at least 7 hours/night of quality rest, preferably getting to sleep no later than midnight, to optimize your Circadian Rhythm and optimize your body's ability to digest, rest, exercise, have energy, etc.

Health & Longevity Principle #10...spend time in nature every day. Sunlight on the skin is critical for maintaining health; so is breathing fresh oxygen from plants and trees. So is connecting our bare feet to the earth, grounding the static charge we carry around on us which causes imbalance and disease. And, there is the added psychological benefit that the relaxation of being in nature brings.  The cancer industry is merciless about making us afraid of the sun, as if we can't ever face it without chemical protection slathered on our body. Given, some of us may need to avoid being out in the summer between 10am and 4pm, but there's plenty of time before and after to get the 20 minutes a day which will give us all the Vitamin D we need. Outside of summer, any time of the day for sun is great.