If you’ve done any reading at all on statistics of cancer worldwide, nations with the greatest intake of processed food have the highest rates of this disease.
While browsing the book, Foods to Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D and Denis Gingras, Ph.D (DK Books, 2007 ISBN# 978-0-7566-2867-3) a map showing the global distribution of cancer incidences tells all. North America, Europe, Australia, Eastern Europe (Hungary & the Czech Republic) are colored in bright red showing highest rates. Most favorable are the dark green areas: parts of western Africa, and Southeast Asian nations of India, Thailand, and China are lowest.
Industrialized nations, which consume greater amounts of processed foods containing artificial ingredients with no nutritional value, more meat and dairy, high sodium, sugar and chemical additives, are far more at risk for cancer. In regions which eat a diet made up of unprocessed natural foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts and soy, are far less likely to develop it.
The traditional Japanese diet, high in vegetables, fish, soy, with little consumption of meat, is today being replaced by Western fare. Presently in Asia there has been a tremendous increase in “Western diseases” because of the switch to industrialized eating
Michael Pollen pointed out in his book, A Guide to Food - An Eater’s Manifesto that humans today are eating a diet of “food-like substances,” meaning processed foods; fast food, sodas, canned, boxed, microwaveable, which rely on chemicals for taste. He stresses that we should read labels very carefully. We should stay away from packaged items with more than 5 ingredients, and from those made up of chemical compounds. “Don’t eat food with ingredients you can’t pronounce.” he cautions. The ideal diet should be what our bodies were designed to eat: mostly vegetables and only “what our grandmothers would recognize as food.” I take that one step further and reword it to what our great grandmothers would recognize as food.
Typical Western diets focus on quickly providing the body with fuel. Asian diets, on the other hand, use food to maintain health. The axiom “food is medicine” certainly applies here. After all, doesn’t what we eat affect our health?
It is interesting to note that Westerners also approach medicine differently than their Asian counterparts. Americans seek medical care to ‘treat’ illness which is directly related diet. In efforts to preserve health, people from Eastern countries are more likely to eat naturally and use ancient remedies, thus preventing illness.
Research indicates that risk factors for cancer are:
Poor dietary habits 30%
Smoking 30%
Hereditary factors 15%
Obesity & lack of exercise 5%
Work-place related exposure 5%
Infection 5%
Alcohol 3%
Pollution 2%
UV-ray exposure 2%
Drugs 1%
Other 1%
The top 2 factors are within everyone’s control; hereditary we can do nothing about. We can, however, choose what we eat or whether to smoke or the amount of exercise we get. A good detox regimen: a series of detox baths, followed by a detox diet and organic foods will help rid the body of toxins, reducing the chance of cancer.
Out of everything, the diet may be the easiest act to clean up and there is no better time than your next meal or trip to the grocery store.
The origin of the word ’spa’ comes from ’sanitas per agua’ (health through water). Long before facials and massages became synonymous with the word ’spa,’ bathing was the route to wellness of whole-body detoxification. Citizens of ancient Rome bathed daily. From the late 1700s to the present day, German physicians prescribed patients a ‘kur’ (cure or treatment) of one bath a day for 10-20 days. Thalassotherapy, introduced by the French, uses ocean water and seaweed.
Common annoying skin problems like acne and eczema have been linked to stress. When the panic ‘fight or flight’ hormones, cortisol and adrenalin are released, it weakens the body’s defense system. This leads to breakouts. You can, however, get relief. All you have to do is go through your bathroom door.
Signaling the body that it’s time to wind down, a nightly bath is a relaxing before-bed ritual. Create one with some favorite calming music and a relaxing scent. Gently exfoliate by rubbing some aromatic bath salts over your body. Once or twice a week, soak for at least 20 minutes in a detox bath. It will give your system time to release physical symptoms and toxins.
Regular relaxed bathing strengthens the immune system by assisting it to fight off illness. A ‘fake fever’ by bathing in hot water, increases body temperature kills and off germs. This is an helpful aid, especially during cold and flu season. Release toxins and relax in a good hot bath!
We live in a world of toxins, which didn’t exist 50 or 100 years ago. Since the advent of plastics, that “miracle substance”, we can find few things that aren’t either entirely composed of them or partially so. Consequently, because of things like plastics, pollution, food additives, pesticides, synthetic ingredients in furnishings, personal care items, and cleaning products, we need to help our bodies get rid of toxins. This is where a good detox bath comes in.
Since ancient times, one of the most effective detox regimens has been the bath. Soaking in hot mineral springs or a bath containing aromatic bath salts, oils and herbs, was a favorite past time of the Romans, Chinese and other civilizations. Aromatic bath salts serve a two-fold purpose: their scent calms and relaxes the body and the salts, be it Dead Sea salts, Himalayan salts, Epsom salts or other natural bath salts, act as a detoxifying agent. This helps the body rid itself of toxins, stave off illness and muscle strain and fatigue. If you remove dead skin with an exfoliating natural scrub, the results are even better.
Most people don’t realize that when you take a hot detox bath, you can even either prevent or lessen the effects of an oncoming illness. A hot detox bath does the same thing as a fever does: kills germs inside the body by raising the overall temperature. That’s what a fever is for! It is the body’s defense system against illness.
One of my favorite combinations is mixing Epsom salts with bath salts. Epsom salts are wonderful! We think of them only when we’ve sprained or strained something. They have two other great benefits: they will help you sleep after their detoxing properties in your bath, and they are a natural skin softener.
So, the next time you get that scratchy feeling in your throat, or have been around too many people who’re sick - and don’t want to come down with something, get in a hot tub for an hour or two with some bath salts. Your body will probably thank you!
During the cold months of winter people commonly suffer from dry skin. Dry skin is a pesky problem. Many times drug-store moisturizers don’t offer relief from the itchiness and chapping that often accompany dry skin. But there is hope for the millions of people that are affected by dry skin every winter. Ridding the body of dead, scaly skin helps relieve the symptoms of dry skin.
Skin exfoliating can be achieved several different ways. However, using a salt scrub is one of the fastest methods of getting rid of dead dry skin. Sufferers may try using a salt scrub each time they take a shower. It is important to note that a thorough salt scrubbing should always be followed by the application of a moisturizing lotion.