The New Year is right around the corner, and what better way to start 2013 fresh than to clean house? But don’t be so quick to shell out what’s left in your bank account after holiday shopping on cleaning supplies because I’m not talking about sanitizing your apartment — it’s time to disinfect your body and purify your mind.
A cultural shift in consciousness is causing a motivation to wake up, regain health and get to the root of the problem. You pop two Advil when a headache hits, dehydrate your face with products claiming to be miracle moisturizers or choose NyQuil at happy hour to stifle the cold that’s rudely interrupting your siesta. Because they’re known for their symptom-curing abilities, many overlook the fact that these chemical-filled capsules are merely quick fixes that can cause uncomfortable side effects, or even worse, long-term consequences — oh, the irony!
The truth is nobody enjoys being obligated to take a rainbow of pills each morning, and people are sick of being sick. Homeopaths and naturopaths believe that disease is caused by a dis-ease in aspects of our lives, and awareness of the mind-body-spirit connection and its relation to wellness is contagious. Holistic health suggests natural products, deep breathing exercises, nutrition therapy, meditation, acupuncture, essential oils and yoga as remedies. More importantly, holistic health is not a prescription; it is a lifestyle.
Kick-off your natural New Year with tips from Live Better Naturally’s guide of top remedies.
Evening Primrose Oil
Sick of the fishy aftertaste your fish oil pills leave behind? You can still get those PMS fighting, blood pressure-controlling, inflammation reducing benefits from the omega-6 (gamma linoleic acid) found in evening primrose oil. Five hundred-1,000 mg daily is the common dosage.
St. John’s Wort
This herbal remedy is popular for its ability to relieve depression, stabilize mood and improve sleep. If you are already taking anti-depressants, ask your physician before using. The common dosage is 50 mg, but it can go up to 200 mg if needed.
Tea Tree Oil
Many prescription acne medications leave you feeling like a stone slowly cracking with every word you speak. Tea tree oil has not only been proven to be as effective a benzoyl peroxide, a common acne-fighting medicine, but it also is affordable, has fewer side effects and moisturizes your face as opposed to leaving it scaly as a snake.
Probiotics
Whether you are learning to be holistic or as western as they come, probiotics are a double whammy in gastrointestinal health and should be a staple supplement to your diet. Probiotics replenish your GI tract with “good” bacteria. Consider them little soldiers that fight off the “bad” bacteria that are causing issues in your gut. Even western medical practitioners believe health begins in the belly, so healthy digestion promoted by probiotics consequentially heals skin problems and flu symptoms. Now those are the kind of side effects you won’t mind!
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is the “most-frequently prescribed tonic herb in Ayurvedic medicine,” but when you find out it increases energy, endurance and the immune system its popularity makes sense. It also “helps the body overcome imbalance caused by mental or physical stress, poor diet, lack of sleep or environmental toxins,” unavoidable issues no matter how healthy we are. The common dosage is 100-200 mg. twice per day.
Milk Thistle
The liver is responsible for detoxifying our bodies from toxins we are exposed to every day, so it’s important that we show this hard-working organ some love. 300-400 mg. of milk thistle daily is an anti-oxidant that helps the liver repair itself from any damages caused by toxins from medications or alcohol allowing it to continue doing its job.
