Hints and tips on at home health

The Art of Natural Health is meant to be simple. Being well is supposed to be easy! The thing is, it often is a challenge to get and remain well. As humans we tend to make things complicated if at all possible.

Medicine has become shrouded in a veil of mystery, half secrets and jargon. The language of the medical sciences is Latin, which few people these days have knowledge of. The hallowed halls of medicine are nothing short of a secret society with the money, knowledge, power and technology that keeps people under bondage. Indeed the system as it stands today is revered if not actually worshipped by the populace at large. Just a glance at the number of hospital focussed TV programs will show you that.

But, in order to look after ourselves need we resort to putting our health in others hands? Who should be responsible for your health, for my health? There really is so much that you can do yourself, from your own home.

Home should be where health starts - not at your doctors office.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and making good lifestyle choices will ensure a healthy start, and keep you in better shape. Then if you do become ill you will recover more quickly and with less need of outside/medical help.
In years gone by, it was quite normal to treat yourself first at home. Pioneers relied on homoeopathic remedies and folk medicine.

Now, remember we are not advocating home treatment for absolutely all conditions - you need to refer anything complex to your health professional. Life threatening conditions must be taken seriously, and the value of correct medical attention, for example surgery, is undisputed and necessary in this day and age.

This site is about knowledge and exploring natural or wholistic medicine and those things that we have found to be useful and effective.
We want to encourage you to become resourceful and educate yourself. Think about the many ways you can keep yourself healthy. Empower yourself!

Applying some basic laws of health is a good place to start: fresh air, clean fresh water, fresh food, sunshine, attitude of grattitude, love (someone to love and someone to love you), kindness towards all, belief, and trust in God. These are just a few of the most important ones.

A healthy lifestyle may be summed up by the word CLEANSE which is an acronym for the eight pillars of personal wellness.

C is for Clean - clean mind, clean inner life or heart, clean body. Personal cleanliness and hygeine are critical to staying healthy. It was the advent of hygeinic practices in the population at large that led to the demise of most of the killer infectious diseases.
A detoxification program is where most people begin on the path of wellness. It is wise to detoxify on a regular basis (at least once a year). Please see our detox pages.

L is for Leisure - this is your quality rest and relaxation time. What do you enjoy doing? Reading, picnics, golf, swimming. These are activities you enjoy doing for fun and that give you the rejuvenation you need.

E is for Exercise - 20 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week. Stretching, toning work is important as is correct full breathing. Pilates, trampolining, swimming, aerobics, cycling, walking are all good exercises. Make it fun, whatever you do. Exercise with a friend. Vary your program, and above all, enjoy it.

A is for Attitude - what and how you think are important. In life your attitude is your altitude! Formulate your own realistic goals for all the things you want in life, and in wellbeing. Read books, listen to motivational tapes.
Read the Bible, pray. Get your life right with God, and your relationships with others.
There are plenty of good resources available for developing a health enhancing positive mental attitude. Use affirmations. Replace "I can't" with "I will".

N is for Nutrition - that includes the best, fresh, organic, whole foods you can buy as well as the highest quality supplements. Learn to be a label reader, and only purchase products with the lowest additives/preservatives. Home made is always best, and it will save you money in the long run. Always insist on the best when it comes to what you put into your body.
Many people are finding increased wellness through proper food combining or at least a diet that is much lower in carbohydrates (bread, white flour products) and diary products. Research shows that we all need a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement as there are so many minerals deficient in our soils and modern stress levels rob us of essential vitamins. Essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 oils are a daily requirement. See our coconut page.

S is for Sleep - adequte sleep varies from person to person, but studies have shown that we generally need 7-8 hours every night to maintain best health. If you have difficulty sleeping, please DO something about it. See our sleep tips.

S is also for Spiritual - studies show that one's belief in God (or a higher, greater intelligence) plays a critical role in quality of life and immune system strength. Having a vibrant, growing faith in Jesus Christ is the most important thing you can do in life. As well, Jesus is the greatest healer and is waiting for you to ASK for your healing. If you want to know more, please click here.

E is for Emotions - to be really succesful, you need to be able to place the right emotion with the right goals. This is called desire. Be passionate about life, and about wellness. Remember too, that your feelings are not always a reliable guide to the actual truth. Some days you may feel stink, and have a whole heap of negative thoughts. Don't give in or give up. Re-affirm your goals and who you are. Pray, and rebuke the negative. It works!

This may seem at first glance to be rather complicated, but as with any change in your life it is best to take one thing at a time and not expect to do it all in one go.

Set realistic goals. Take it easy and enjoy the journey!

Now for some of our simple, at home DIY health tips.

Coconut Oil As a food this is really good for you. See the page on coconut oil. As a daily supplement for good health, take 1-4 tablespoons, or 1 glass of coconut milk, or some dessicated coconut. Add coconut oil to your cooking. Replace cooking oils with coconut oil. It may be applied to the skin, and is useful in any skin complaint. Or use crushed raw garlic mixed into coconut oil as a multi-use infection fighting, moisturising, healing salve. Also use the oil internally and topically for thrush.

Olive Oil Has many healing qualities. A good massage oil. For constipation, try 1-3 teaspoons of cold pressed (virgin) olive oil just before breakfast. This is especially helpful if the motions are hard and difficult to pass. In all cases of constipation, increase fruit, fibre, and fluids.

Epsom Salts If you suffer from cramps, insomnia, anxiety, or fatigue you may have a magnesium deficiency. Take ¼ to ½ teaspoon epsom salts in a little warm water 2-3 times each day to boost your magnesium levels. Taking any more than this amount may act as a purgative. The magnesium relaxes the smooth muscle of the bowel wall at the same time as making the stool more watery, which is why epsom salts have been used for constipation for years. Another readily available form of magnesium is dolomite powder - take ½ tspn in some water 1-2 times a day. For sore, achey, tired muscles, take a hot bath to which is added a cupful of epsom salts. Sit back and relax!

Lemon This humble fruit has hundreds of household and health uses. High in vitamin C and containing anti-infective agents, it is also nutritive and cleansing. To keep the bowels regular, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in a glass of warm water first thing in the morning may help. Also helpful for arthritis and morning stiffness. Use a little lemon juice in boiling water as an alternative to other beverages. Apparently, lemon juice will purify water. Try it on minor cuts and abrasions as a disinfectant. Lemon juice will help correct any condition where there is excess acid in the body.

Oats For itchy, inflamed eczema, try oat milk. In a bowel, pour a cup of boiling water over a cup of oats. Leave for 20 minutes, and decant the white liquid. Either soak a cloth in this liquid and apply to affected area, or pour the liquid into a bath, and soak in it.

Tea Also useful for eczema, dab a used teabag on the affected area, or make a strong brew and soak a cloth in it to be dabbed on. Also good for mild sunburn.

Cider Vinegar Rubbed into a bruise, in can help reduce it quicker. Another way is to first soak a cloth flannel in cider vinegar, apply to the bruising/inflammation then wrap the area in plastic cling film. Wrap a towel in this and rest.
Cider vinegar is also useful for eczema. Apply it diluted. Try it on a bee sting to relieve pain and inflammation.

Baking Soda also known as bicarbonate of soda. For arthritis, add ½ cup of baking soda and ¾ cup of washing soda to a bath and soak for at least 20 minutes.

Fenugreek Seed This seed when made into a tea may reduce mucus and coughing in colds and the 'flu. Use a teaspoon of the seeds in a cup of boiling water. Sweeten to taste with a little honey. Either drain off the tea, or leave the seeds in the bottom of the cup. Sip as hot as you can.

Thyme Herb If someone in your house has a sore throat, or suffers from a cold, try thyme tea 2-3 times a day. Use a teaspoon of thyme to a cup of boiling water. Fresh, or packet dried thyme are both effective at giving some relief.

4 Powders For arthritis, rhuematism, stiffness, inflammation. Mix equal quantities of the following powders: epsom salts, baking soda, ground ginger powder, yellow flowers of sulfur. Mix well and store in a tightly lidded and labeled sterile glass jar.
Daily, before breakfast, take ¼ teaspoon of the powder mixed into a half cup of warm water.
Epsom salts is a compound of magnesium important for the nuero-muscular system, and sulfur which is needed for the connective tissue.
Baking soda acts as an alkalyser.
Ginger is anti-inflammatory, stimulant and warming.

3 Spices Celery seed, ginger, turmeric and olive oil. Mix equal amounts of dry powders, add olive oil to make into a runny paste. Stir before use. Caution - extremely hot! Take food/water afterwards to get it down. Stains everything yellow, so take care with clothing, hands, teeth etc.
Dose 1 to 1½ teaspoons per day. Double or triple the dose when needed, but spread it out during the day. Caution - Please do not take this if pregnant.
Celery seed reduces uric acid, and has been used for gout, arthritis, rhuematism and other inflammatory conditions.
Ginger increases circulation and detoxification.
Turmeric fights infections and parasites, and reduces inflammation.
Olive oil contains helpful fatty acids.
This was invented by our friend Ted who had years of a chronic, debilitating inflammatory condition. He carried excess fluid and his legs were constantly swollen and blackened with extensive bruising, severely impaired circulation. He was always in pain. This formula has provided a complete turn around in his condition. He has taken it daily for 2 years. In his own words he says, "This mixture sounds crazy, it looks crap, it stinks and it stains but I don't care because it's cheap and it works!!"

Sleep Sometimes sleep can be a problem for some of us.
Instead of reaching for a sedative drug, first try some natural sleep enhancers.
Don't go to bed with anxiety and worry. Try to do something positive about the situation. Pray - cast all your care on Him because He cares for you.
A calcium and/or magnesium shortage can cause insomnia. Use dolomite powder for a month and see if it makes a difference. Take ½ tspn 1-2 times per day. (Be careful of the dose if you have kidney disease.)
Take chamomile tea before retiring. A light massage is also helpful. Try a teaspoon of honey or a glass of soy milk as a sedative. Sometimes a plain biscuit helps.

Intestinal Tone Powder/Constipation (or Diarrhoea) This powder can be made up of several powders ground together and available from most health food stores. Use as part of a detox/bowel cleanse program (see our Detox pages) or anytime you feel the bowels are sluggish and need some gentle encouragement. This powder will stimulate normal bowel activity if constipated but you must drink adequate amounts of water during the day. Alternatively, it can help SLOW down bowel transit time in cases of diarrhoea.
The powder is made with a base of equal parts Psyllium Hulls and Slippery Elm powder. For example, 1 cup of each. Slippery elm powder is a nutritive fibre that is very high in mucilage. It is like a soothing, lubricating ointment for the intestinal tract. Psyllium hulls are a coarser fibre that gently “scrubs” the bowel wall.
Other useful herbs can be added as desired, such as:
a) ground linseed, half the amount that you used to measure the psyllium and slippery elm powders. For example, ½ cup. Freshly ground in your coffee grinder is best.
b) ground dill or fennel seed, ¼ to ½ cup measure, grind with the linseed.
c) ground oatmeal, again half the measure of the psyllium and slippery elm powders.
Mix it all together well and store in an airtight jar.
Take one heaped teaspoonful once or twice daily away from food in a full 200ml (8oz) glass of water. Stir thoroughly and consume immediately. Add cinammon to taste if desired (it makes a difference!)

Lemon Juice and Olive Oil This is a great combo for improving bowel health and keeping regular if you tend to be irregular. Remember at least one bowel motion daily is desirable, preferably two.
First thing in the morning, take juice of ½ lemon in a glass of warm water. Immediately after, take 1-3 tspns of a high quality virgin olive oil. These two herbs in combination stimulate bile flow from the liver which in turn promote intestinal peristalsis.

Disclaimer: Bettalife or any associated persons disclaim liability for any loss or risk, personal or otherwise resulting directly or indirectly from the use, application or interpretation of any of the contents of these web pages. The information given is for educational purposes and not to be considered a substitute for the judgement of a health professional.