A friend of ours swears her golden
retriever gets hay fever. Every Spring, he gets itchy ears and skin,
and starts sneezing incessantly. Luckily, this poor pooch seems
an exception. At present, there are few reported cases of hay fever
and allergies in animals.
The latest research suggests that hay fever and other allergies
are a result of overly sterile living environments—that is,
our love for sparkly clean spaces (and the bleaches, strong cleansers
and disinfectants that make that happen) is putting our immune systems
on a hair trigger. Yes, pets also live in these environments with
us, but they also tend to get more access to dirt, bacteria, and
parasites than we do, and according to this theory, this helps keep
their protective responses more in balance.
We’re not saying to abandon cleanliness. But the allergy season
now upon us is a good time to get more aware of the chemicals we
sometimes use thoughtlessly around the house, on our bodies and
in our food, and look for alternatives that will keep our immune
systems in balance.
|
 |
For those hit each year with sneezing and
itchy eyes, our tips are:
-reduce the amount of grains and eat more salads and veges. The
main grains to avoid are wheat and rye, so try basmati rice or quinoa
dishes instead of the sandwich you're used to eating.
-Get plenty of vitamin C by eating fresh fruits and raw veggies.
-Try using body care and cleaning products with fewer synthetic
ingredients and artificial fragrances. These ingredients sometimes
cause low-grade inflammation of the nose, throat, and lungs and
make hay fever worse.
-Instead of your normal moisturizer, which may have a long list
of chemical ingredients, try keeping your skin beautiful with a
daily rub of plain sesame or coconut oil.
-For a basic household cleaner, mix 2-3 drops of tea tree or eucalyptus
essential oil (available at a health shop) with 2 cups of baking
soda and use this with some water and a sturdy scrub brush, instead
of commercial scouring powders.
-Try drinking nettle leaf tea daily during hay fever season. Research
shows it’s effective at reducing itching and inflammation.
Ask the herbalist at your local health shop for details. |
|
| Should you trust your gut instincts? |
Do you think you are a good judge of character? |
| Getting Involved |
How to become an active and engaged member in your community.. |
| What is Community Building? |
Good communities are not only good for your own health and happiness,
they can sometimes be critical for survival.... |
| Chistmas Frenzy & Tips for Gatherings &
Parties |
Christmas gift tips and taking a look party planning! |
| Tips to Make Your Bedroom Relationship-friendly |
There are the obvious things, like keeping stuff tidy and clean, but there
are also subtle things to think about. |
| In the bedroom |
Is Your Bedroom Ruining Your Love Life? |
| Micro-expressions |
Tell the most authentic story about what’s going on in a person’s
head or heart.... |
| Cold Tips |
Tips for things you can do to help... |
| Colds |
The Common Cold: Did you know…? |
| Autumn |
As autumn sets in, it’s time to look at making your diet a little
more substantial |
| Getting Closer - Part 2 |
Part 2 of Intimacy Building |
| Getting Closer - Part
1 |
Part 1 of Intimacy Building for the 4th or 5th Date |
| Cooling foods for
summer |
If you’ve ever been in a really hot country during the dog-days
of summer, you might have noticed the locals have a curious habit of drinking
hot tea and spicy foods all day long, swearing it makes them cooler... |
| Good quality fats! |
Taking in good quality fats and oils is a good way to combat the dryness
of a long summer. |
| Think fresh and light! |
It’s natural for a person’s appetite to go down a few notches
as the weather heats up. |
| Use that springtime energy! |
It’s great to revel in the times when what is good for our bodies
and minds is also what we feel like doing. |
| Transition from
winter to spring! |
Make those few necessary adjustments during seasonal changes |
| Keeping Warm |
Find out whether your home could be a healthy and energy-efficient winter
haven |
| Sleep |
How much sleep is right for you? |
| Satisfy the extra hunger
|
A great way to satisfy the extra hunger that comes along as the days get
colder is to eat freshly-cooked beans. |
| Getting good fats in! |
It’s time to look at making the diet a little more substantial.
One way to do that is to make sure you’re getting enough healthy fat
in your diet. |
| It's all about hydration |
Find out about getting a steady, long-term boost, leaving you with more
energy for work and play. |
| Kicking off the new year |
Back at the ol’ grindstone after a too-short holiday? |
| Managing Xmas Stress |
If you think you’re stressed out this holiday season, just consider
poor Santa Claus. |
| Tips for hay fever |
For those hit each year with sneezing and itchy eyes, get some tips which
migh just help! |
| A time for colour |
Looking for ideas on how to make the most of the change of seasons? |
| Spring
Cleaning |
Whether its some old junk you've been storing in your garage, overgrown
weeds in your garden, toxins in your body, or "emotional baggage"
from past relationships... |
| Power Food for Athletes |
Both competitive and recreational athletes are often in search of a nutrition
program to provide that winning edge. |
| Your genes are not your fate
|
Dr. Dean Ornish wants you to live longer, and have more fun while you’re
at it. |
| Train outside the box |
Most physical activity, even for an active person, only exercises the
body in a very finite number of movement patterns. |
| To stretch or not to stretch? |
There has been much controversy in recent years about the relevance of
stretching for injury prevention. |
| Consistency in performance |
Dietary tips to increase performance |
| Increase awareness |
Tips to increase your awareness |
| Summer Tips |
Simple Tips for Staying Cool this Summer |
| Worried or not sleeping |
If you're worried or not sleeping well, here are a few suggestions. |
