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Your personal health care is the most important thing as it is the best long-term investment you can do for yourself. In the short term it fixes the discomfort and the mood. In the long term it sharpens the mind, improves sleep patterns and boosts the energy. Body is getting older everyday, so you're doing yourself a favour by getting it to the top shape now.
True health is harmony between the individual (body, mind, heart and soul) and his or her environment. - unknown
Also don't be a tough guy or girl and ignore the pain. Have ANY DISCOMFORT checked as soon as possible. Don't allow your ego to ignore the problem! Fix it NOW before it's too late! Healthy body feels good. Ideally, under normal circumstances, it should be free of any pain and discomfort.
Put up your best hopes and intentions and become your own doctor applying fixes on as many fronts as possible. Healthy diet, multi-vitamins, gently increasing exercise intensity, positive mindset, and some self-hypnosis can play a huge role in your health project. Either one of the fixes will work, or the accumulation of many small things will add up to a grand result (Kaizen).
Try to get to the root of each problem and fix it long term - not masking it with drugs. Start with a physical exam: check your chemistry, blood and urin. Then start researching and fixing whatever is broken.
If you're recovering from an accident do a lot of sleeping, physiotherapy, Shiatsu massage, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and multi-vitamin. Follow all that with chiropractic adjustments to help the body with the healing process. The spinal cord, which is enclosed in the spine, carries all the healing impulses from the brain to the entire body, so it is crucial that the spine allows the central nervous system to operate flawlessly.
Here are some useful tips on Top Performance Health:
Become your own doctor, do your own research, assume responsibility
Talk to doctors from the angle of super health and top performance
Check your spine for any problems and see a chiropractor to fix them if any
Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water and 1-3 cups of green tea throughout the day
Have a shot of Wheatgrass juice and Acai berries smoothie few times a week
Consume uncooked/raw vegetables and eat healthy as much as possible
Replace white rice/bread/sugar with brown and whole wheat equivalents
Significantly limit dairy, meat, salt, simple sugars, coffee, alcohol and bad fats
Exercise 3 to 5 times per week, walk and take stairs as much as possible
Breathe through your nose and into your lower abs as often as you can
Find your purpose - a worthwhile reason to get up joyful every morning
You will feel good, light, sharp, clear, and full of energy within days. You will effortlessly lose excess weight in a matter of weeks without dieting (ie. eating just the right size meals regularly throughout the day). You will look and feel healthy. Your body will start to heal immediately and you will see the top health progress after a few weeks. After a couple of months you will feel exploding with energy and jumping for joy!
Get pH Balance strips (little orange paper strips available at Health Stores) and measure your body's alkaline/acidity level (touch the orange paper to saliva on your tongue for a few seconds). With the top performance diet (lots of blueberries and green tea) you can easily achieve a healthy range (around 7.0). Acidic level (below 5.5) is a perfect environment for illness.
Pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you. At one point I started getting a sugar-ill feeling. It stayed with me for a few hours at a time. I kept being hungry all day and my teeth became super sensitive to sugar for no reason. Finally I figured that it was a nudge to watch my sugar intake when I relaxed my strict healthy diet regime after about a year. As soon as I limited my sugar and sweets, everything was fine within a day!
I wish you a super health and top performance of your body, mind, heart and spirit:)
Common Cold Remedies
I used to get common cold every few months on consistent basis. Since I started applying all the diet and exercise changes, and getting chiropractic adjustments,the common cold virus was catching me less and less often.
Currently I don't get sick at all, but it does happen that I feel a virus attacking me. The beginning is very subtle, but it's very important to act IMMEDIATELY. I know it's happening when I feel a little bit weaker, my throat is a bit itchy, and I have a very minor congestion.
The best way to fight cold is with heat (staying warm) and internal fire (hot spicy food). I can get rid of cold symptoms within 24-48 hours and be 99% healthy by day 3-4.
"Operation fix" as I call it, consists of the following 1-3 times per day for a few days:
Arthur's Very Berry smoothie and orange juice with Greens+
Large MaxVeggie juice and 2oz. shot of E3Live or Wheatgrass (at Jugo Juice)
Super spicy Chicken Soup like Vietnamese Pho Ga or spicy Thai cuisine
Tabasco, horseradish, pepper, Japanse wasabi, Indian curry, Mexican sauces
Lots of garlic, onion, spinach, carrot, beet, parsley, and green salad or pita
Herbs: hot water inhalation with chamomile, mint, linden/lime, or eucalyptus
Fruit: ruby red grapefruit, apple, raspberries, lemon, orange, kiwi
Hot Green Tea with Mint Oil, Propolis, lemon juice and a few raspberries
Vitamin C (2000mg maximum per day) and/or multi-vitamin
1-5 minutes of sun exposure at a tanning salon (Vitamin D and the Sun light)
Steam Room at the gym (with addition of Eucalyptus oil) - deep breathing
When breathing, visualize good air going in (nose) and virus going out (mouth)
Heat yoga at the gym, and possibly light cardio (elliptical or bike)
Go to sleep early and get plenty of rest (nap throughout the day as needed)
Dress warm (day and night to sweat it out - sleep with fleece, scarf, hat, sweat pants and socks on)
Chiropractic adjustment (C4-5 & T3) and Paraliminal Perfect Health self-hypnosis
Relaxing meditation at home with focus on deep breathing (into lower abs)
Mentally feel healthy (intention) - affirm to self that body just needs a little break
If the Cold feels strong, I'll take Advil Cold & Sinus or ColdFX
If nose is congested, I'll spray 2 shots of Nasonex into each nostril
If you don't get better within a week, consider a light & quick antibiotic
When feeling "almost" well (no sore throat, no runny nose) - restart cardio exercise
You can get most of the products at quality supermarkets, health stores and pharmacies. Continue the operation minimum for 2 days or as long as required. Usually you'll feel a lot better in the morning.
The super spicy Vietnamese Chicken Soup clears my mucus, sinus, stomach heavyness, breathing, sleepiness, and overall sluggishness. Basically it restores my male power Chi (energy) in the chest and nicely heats up the insides! The best thing once in a while!
Super short (1-5 minutes) tanning sessions are like a blessing for me, especially during cold winters. I somewhat meditate while under the light and feel an amazing tingling energy all over my body, like the Vitamin D and the strong light were working miracles.
Note: consider wearing sunscreen when tanning.
You can get most of the products at quality supermarkets, health stores and pharmacies. Continue the operation minimum for 2 days or as long as required. Usually you'll feel a lot better in the morning.
The super spicy Vietnamese Chicken Soup clears my mucus, sinus, stomach heavyness, breathing, sleepiness, and overall sluggishness. Basically it restores my power Chi (energy) in the chest and nicely heats up the insides! The best thing once in a while!
Super short (1-5 minutes) tanning sessions are like a blessing for me, especially during cold winters. I somewhat meditate while under the light and feel an amazing tingling energy all over my body, like the Vitamin D and the strong light were working miracles.
Note: consider wearing sunscreen when tanning.
Mucus and Milk (cow, goat, soy)
I discussed mucus in my throat problem with Laryngologist (Ear Nose Throat doctor). He checked my vocal chords which were fine, and booked me for a cat scan of sinuses (please see this important x-ray warning). He confirmed my findings about the negative effects of Cow Milk and enzymes it contains.
Laryngologist told me he sees three long-term solutions:
1. Do nothing (my final answer after trying Nexium)
2. Try a medication (Nexium or Avamys)
3. Have an operation to adjust nasal passage (I don't think so!)
Currently I am consuming a maximum of 1 litre of goat milk per week, and if it's not available I opt for just a bit of soy milk (ie. with coffee) or lactose-free milk. Soy milk isn't the best beverage when it comes to men's libido and not so great for anybody in general, but I let you read up on that.
After about a month after I switched to goat milk the major changes were better and clearer voice and a lot less mucus.
I found that a Super Spicy and healthy Vietnamese Chicken Soup (Pho Ga) nicely clears mucus in my throat, sinus congestion, stomach bloating, breathing, sleepiness, and overall sluggishness. It basically restores my power Chi in the chest.
In a herbal medicine book I read that a spicy chicken soup or spicy meals once a day for a few weeks can get help break up the mucus (rarefaction) and allow the the body to better release and dissolve it from the throat.
Once there is relief, body can take over and heal itself by destroying throat bacteria and restoring lining in the throat that transports the mucus out. This natural remedy really worked for me. It is also for good for dealing with Asthma.
A resource for your further consideration:
Mucus Cleansing Foods
Chiropractor and Total Health
I spoke to 3 different chiropractors about my skiing mishap, my uneven body weight distribution (right side was heavier by a few pounds as revealed at a Total Health expo), and about top performance health and long life.
I experienced three different levels of chiropractic adjustments, from very strong and physical, through gentle, to purely emotional and spiritual. With the last one, I've seen people crying and laughing at the same time as deeply set emotions were released free.
For me (big guy), with a few crashes and accidents in my history, I felt that the strongest physical adjustment was the best. My first adjustment released a series of cracks in my neck like firing a machine gun. Right away I felt a huge relief and within a few hours an amazing joy came over me. Something was really blocking those nerves in my neck.
The spinal cord, which is enclosed in the spine, carries all impulses from the brain to the entire body, so it is crucial that the spine allows the central nervous system to operate flawlessly. Every organ in the body is affected by blockages (sublaxations) in the spine.
If you live in Toronto, below are the three clinics I visited a few times each (ie. shopping around).
Dr. Brian Wolfs - personally I've had the best results with this chiropractor.
Receive 80% off the initial consultation, examination and x-rays with the referral;
100 Guestville Avenue, Toronto, 416.763.0034
Dr. Elizabeth Viglasky - very gentle adjustments - my mother prefers this chiropractor.
Receive free initial consulatation, examination, x-rays and adjustment with referral;
Healing Source, 2425 Bloor Street West #410, Toronto, 416.604.4184
Dr. Anthony Posa - I've experienced amazing energetic healing with this chiropractor.
Receive free initial consultation and examination with the referral information;
2801 Keele Street #202, Toronto, 416.638.2225
A few notes straight out of my Journal:
Went to see Dr. Brian Wolfs chiropractor first thing in the morning and got xray of my spine done. So according to Dr. Wolfs my spine is fine. My off-balance problem is not static (nothing is visibly wrong). It is dynamic. Gotta research that. The problem that he saw was no natural curve in my neck. He made a neck adjustment. It clicked on the left side like a machine gun. On the right there was a single click or two [note it's the spine movement that really counts, not the cracking]. It felt pretty good after! Good energy flow. [Few hour later] Driving back from cooking class I really feel and see the difference now.
Some major blockage was opened. Vision super crystal clear, voice low & deep (with resonance), words clearly articulated, feeling light, good, and full of Chi energy. Wow! Later did research on my case. Lateral twist of the spine is common and usually causes uneven hips and shoulders. Cause of it is head not being in the right place (uneven head level, not sitting right). Main treatment is in the C1-C2 area, and the rest will fix itself overtime. C1-C2 sublaxations may cause fatigue and low energy - hmm interesting. To heal, need to fix 3x/week for a few weeks to train the muscles to stay that way and not come back to the old (broken) state. Good sleep and good dreams. Self-woke at 7:50am and didn't need coffee in the morning!!!!
Went to see Dr. Elizabeth at Bloor and Jane. She did some tests on me and found a few things: tight right hip, problems in fore-elbows/forearms, shoulders, some heart area spine problems, and poor neck flexibility. She did the scale test and the difference was around 12lbs. She says it went down [from the expo time] because I already had an adjustment. She told me I can grab xrays from the other doctor. She did discuss the whole spine with me and showed me some other minor-ish problems. She also did a whole spine adjustment. Felt good after, but not the same as after Dr. Worlfs. [My mother felt healthier and more energetic within few weeks].
[Couple of months later] So I noticed that my lower back pain is gone! Few things: vibrating and hot chair cushion for a few hours, shiatsu, chiropractic adjustments, posture and proper sitting, and last but not least, back exercises at the gym! Interesting.
I asked Dr. Wolfs to have a look at my mid-back which hurts when riding my bike. Shiatsu therapist noticed something there, but she couldn't help. Dr. Wolfs noticed it too and said it's a rib. He cleared the sublaxation (it clicked like mad), and I felt such a relief after.
At Dr. Wolfs I mentioned this weekend's episode with shoulder, neck, and side of a head. He felt my shoulder and felt the knot - technically a shiatsu material. He made an adjustment, which clicked like crazy. I felt a huge relief, and about an hour later, I felt a healthy tingling, like the healing energy or nutrients were rushing there to fix everything. It felt like a leg that was "asleep" and now the blood is rushing in there, kinda nice tingly feeling. Really cool.
Told Dr. Wolfs that I feel so good these days it's crazy! He says that's what happens when you unblock the nervous system. Your family's and personal health care is top priority to Dr. Wolfs. I think that's fantastic.
Back pain tips from the pre-chiropractor days:
Apply heat gel pads to your back when it hurts - it really works.
Get vibrating and electric heat lumbar support for your home/office chair.
Exercise back at the gym (eg. back hyper extension; start slow and safely!).
Exercise for the forward-head syndrome: Back to the wall, thin pillow (2in) mid back, move head horizontally backwards to touch the wall. Human brain weighs 3 pounds;)
Cholesterol (HDL and LDL)
My physical exam blood test results were just barely within norms. I had to drop LDL (bad cholesterol) big time and increase HDL (good cholesterol) slightly. See your physician to book a blood test and get your exact numbers.
To easily transition into the Top Health eating habits, I did a colon cleanse and candida cleanse, which forced my go out of my way to hunt down healthy food and habits. After that ordeal, it was a lot easier to maintain the healhy diet. In fact, the unhealthy food made me feel ill (ie. like putting cheap gas into a high-end car).
Soluble fibre is the key for bad cholesterol loss. I found that President's Choice Blue Menu Fibre First cereal is the perfect addition to the wholesome breakfast in the morning. Occasional fibre supplement sprinkled on top of a dish or salad also helps. The fibre cereal is also a life saver when I get hungry late at night as it has no sugar and fibre digests for a long time. I have it with water and then I fall asleep pretty quick.
Few interesting points about Cholesterol management:
Eat healthy, quit smoking, lose weight, exercise and have a chat with your doctor
Exercise 3-5 times per week for minimum 20 minutes and preferably in the morning
Duration (not intensity or frequency) is the best, eg. long walks or sports games
Have 1 glass of red wine (low GI index) few times per week. *Drink Responsibly!*
Colon Cleansing and Diet
I did the colon cleanse first to get things moving (pun intended). In terms of difficulty, the diet was on a medium level. The benefits included overall better mood and energy, feeling cleaner and healthier on the inside, and of course a regular bowl movement.
I used the Renew Life CleanseSMART natural herbal bowel cleanse and body detox (available at GNC stores), plus fibre supplement and digestive enzymes. It all worked quite nicely for me. I had 2-3 big and easy bowl movements per day and I quickly discovered that more than half a cup of light coffee per day was killing me, which was great!
Fibre sources:
Black beans
Oatmeal
Lentils
Apples
Candida Cleanse and Diet
Although my negative lab test results (talk to your doctor to book the test) showed I didn't need candida cleansing, the candida cleanse diet was just what I needed to force myself to eat healthy. Plus I am sure it actually did clean up whatever was lurking down there as the candida symptoms disappeared after a couple of months.
According to my research and personal experience the warning signs of candida albican in the body are:
Low energy and feeling exhausted
Feeling hazy and not thinking clearly ("foggy thinking")
Craving sugar, bloated abdomen, stomachache
Some white patches or coating on tongue
I used the Renew Life CandiGONE anti-fungal and anti-bacterial herbal cleanse with CandiZYME and FloraSMART (all available at GNC stores). I did the candida cleansing twice (ie. 2 cycles in a row) as I loved the results and wanted to REALLY clean things up.
The candida diet was rough with many restrictions, but I felt overall better and I was down another belt loop on my waist! The diet consisted of fibre (beans), protein (powder, chicken), whole wheat (rice), greens (salads), and absolutely no sugar. I was also eating a lot of garlic dishes, drinking veggie juice, taking multi-vitamin, eating a lot of fibre (especially for breakfast), and having Spirulina and Wheatgrass shots. The fibre filled me up, it lasted longer, and thus I was eating less. Perfect! Thou my hair looked less than healthy, but it was better when I got back to fruit.
EAT LOTS: Salmon, beans, vegetables, chicken
AVOID: Aged cheeses, additives & preservatives, alcohol, caffeine and other stimulants, chocolate, fruits, glutenous foods, mushrooms, nuts, sugars, honeys and syrups, spices, curries & hot foods, vinegar
Feet and Arch Support
Book an appointment with your local chiropodist or podiatrist (surgical) to check your feet and ankles. Do it asap, as things can get worse very quickly.
If you need Orthotics (custom insoles worn in shoes) for your arch support, my research revealed that the best method for making them is non-weight bearing cast method. Insist that this method is used or try the next podiatrist on the list.
A few tips from my chiropodist - do the exercises daily for arch pain and flat feet:
Rest feet on ice (frozen pop, water bottle, or small bag of peas)
Exercise feet (do the ABC... in the air with a foot)
Stretch feet (heal suspension from stairs, foot against a wall)
Manual manipulation (stretching feet with hands)
New shoes (ask for a pronation shoe - a shoe for flat feet, eg. New Balance)
Epsom Salt Bath (soak and stretch feet in the tub)
Get custom foot orthotics (from chiropodists, podiatrists or chiropractors)
Knees and Joint Health
I used to get a strange deep dull pain in my knees when sitting in a drafty or cool area. The condition worsened over the years happening more and more frequently and sometimes I would not be able to sleep or concentrate on work because of it. Few years ago I found that heat in the form of the Hot-Cold-Gel-Packs worn often (I used Rexall brand with a long and wide Velcro strap) delivered a great deal of relief.
This is especially important during Winter season. I purchased quality Long Johns at The Bay, plus a fashionable cashmere scarf and cool Esprit hat. Did they work fantastic! I did not experience being cold this Winter at all! Although not recommended, I slept with the braces on a few times and the knees felt amazing in the morning. My doctor said to wear them only during the day, and at night let the circulation do the work. Warming the knees up with the hot gel packs in the evening and then sleeping in sweat pants did the trick.
I also did acupuncture on my knees with Dr. Yu. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but the results were noticeable. The chronic "cold" pain disappeared. Dr. Yu said that I had a "deep cold" in my knees. From that point on, I keep them nice and warm. When biking in the Fall or Spring I wear soft elastic knee braces to protect my knees from wind and to add a bit of stability.
To add to the great offensive of joint pain relief, I have changed my diet as much as possible, and used Nutrilite glucosamine supplement with shellfish exoskeleton and shark cartilage. I could feel my knees healing with a pleasant feeling. When I went for walks, my knees felt so light and "flowy".
My final knee test, just to make sure absolutely everything was alright, was an MRI. I went to my doc, requested referral, and then to a hospital, radiology department. I was very polite and asked if I could have it done soon. The line was few months long, but I said that I can come any time, even at night, and so I got an appointment within a week at 3am. Week later I got the MRI results. Everything in there was fine. The knees were just a little stressed. I was to take care and go easy on them.
So I took it easy on the knees for a couple of more months, and then started heavy duty workout. I let my trainer know to keep in mind my weak knees, but after a few leg workouts, the muscles just above the knee cap got stronger and the clicking greatly subsided. Today I do Muay Thai kicks and squats with 220 pounds on my shoulders and the knees are strong like a bull.
My Shiatsu massage therapist recommended that I can heal myself (eyes, knees, metabolism, anything) with self-massage and intention. I have to do it everyday, and after some time, the results will show. I did it daily for about 3 weeks and the knees did feel better. I still self-massage the knees now for maintenance. To top it all off, I tried a Salt Spa (location currently closed). Besides easier breathing, I felt nice tingling in my arms and legs - especially in my knees.
After further research on numerous solutions and fixes on jaw and knees, I found that a true belief (placebo) IS THE KEY! The body can heal the problem itself as long as there isn't an urgent physical damage and the symptoms are minimized through gentleness and care. Good night sleep is very important, too. It was even easier after the MRI results. I kept saying to myself just like the lady in The Secret: "Thank You for my healing."
Fitness Tip: Don't run! Especially if you're overweight. It's bad for your knees and back. Do fast pace walks, bike riding, swimming or use elliptical machines for 20+ minutes at a time.
I wish you a super health and top performance of your body, mind, heart and spirit:)
Kamil Kowalski spent two years thoroughly researching collective wisdom of various experts and is now sharing practical and proven techniques that changed his life.
His mission is to provide practical advice to those who seek it and to exchange ideas on achieving true peace and happiness doing what one loves.
http://www.practical-wellness-guide.com/
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