What if I told you there was a natural energy drink available? It’s called Crave. It comes in a packet like you see many flavored drinks. But unlike other energy drinks, it has no Aspartame (artificial sweetener).

Just add to 32 oz of bottled water and you’ll have a refreshing energy drink that won’t weigh you down.

Watch future blog posts for an opportunity to receive a free sample!

I have made a list of people who have agreed to be on my “Call List” these are people who understand me and my illness enough to not be judgmental if I call because I need to connect with someone and not fall into the abyss. You see, suicide is a potential result of untreated and unmonitored depression.

Even when the depression is under control via medication and / or therapy, intense stress can be a trigger to withdraw. Alone, not being able to think on any one thing long enough to come to any solution because your mind is spinning among a multitude of worries, imagined or real, suicide can become a appealing option: just to end the pain. Reaching out to people is one way to get away from the edge.

I found a terrific story of a woman who struggled with this for years, until she found Vitamark products and started using them: Limu Plus twice a day and also topically, Vigest, Cookies and VitaOne.

You can read her story here: Vitamark Product Testimony

I recommend Limu Plus

Trace Minerals
Research has shown that many illnesses are exasperated by trace mineral deficiencies. It has been proven that the liberal use of Celtic Sea Salt and the avoidance of all other salts has helped in the cure of many illnesses. Celtic Sea Salt has 92 minerals and trace elements which is highly beneficial for health and well being. The best of other salts contain a maximum of 60 minerals. Table salt sadly only has two ingredients which are Sodium and Chloride. Table salt is a by product of industrial manufacture and is stripped of its many nutrients. Additives and bleaching agents are added to table salt for taste and mass retail purposes and it has been proven to be toxic to the body.

I recommend Celtic Sea Salt. You can get it from your local Natural Health store.

Now this may not be you. But you need to adapt too. Stress makes any illness worse, or lowers your body’s tolerance and immune system. Pretend you hear Superman music because here come Adaptogens! These are natural substances that your body needs to bring itself into balance. Whether you have a habit if stressing like I do, or if you are recovering from an illness. I get my adaptogens from Limu Plus. It contains a blend of Russian Adaptogens. When I take it, I feel a measurable difference in my depression and anxiety symptoms.

I recommend Limu Plus

Try Limu Plus today.

Well now I’m singing a different tune. Wait, no the same tune, just replace “Anticipation” with “Detoxification” and “Wait” with “Weight”

My wife and I went to an expo called, “What Women Want,” a few months ago and that led to a call recently from April at Planet Beach. Planet Beach is a Contempo Spa, which means that you can get massages, tanning, and other treatments in a new way, not by having a person do it, but by specially designed machines.

I have been doing the hydration therapy and the hydro massage. If you are a regular reader, you know I suffer from Depression and Anxiety. The massage did wonders.

The first time we went, I was very skeptical. I had a free week pass to three therapies. The very first time I had the hydro massage, I was a different person for the next three hours. Everyone in my family noticed a difference, and then I felt the crash. I knew that it was the increased circulation from the massage.

So I went to see a doctor. Not just any doctor,  a Doctor of Osteopathy, natural health. Am I a nut or what?

He recommended way more than I could do right now, but he said the biggest change I could make would be in my weight, and detoxification.

So his staff recommended a diet. It turns out that it is very similar to the diet recommended by the nutritionist at Planet Beach for my wife.

I’ve only been on the diet for a week or so. Eat every two hours, certain foods. My wife suggested I walk down to the corner and back each time I eat one of these meals, so every two hours.

Part of my regimen is taking Limu Plus, and Vita-che with Cell-rich. This is a detoxification regimen. The Limu gives me needed trace minerals, the Dr. called it a “Super Food.” I had taken these products with me to get his opinion.

To help my circulation, I am taking Co-Enzyme Q10.  Now,  how does it all fit together?  Planet Beach.

At Planet Beach I can get the hydro massage to increase circulation (this is in addition to my exercise), and hydrotherapy with Co-Q 10 in the mist. The hydrotherapy is like a capsule out of Star Trek. I pretend I’m going to be shot into space to catch up with the Enterprise on a secret mission. While I’m in there, it gets hot, and the vitamins are in the steam, so they are absorbed by my skin. When I am done 30 minutes later, I am wet, relaxed.

It’s not been very long since I’ve been following this regimen of related natural health practices. Like two weeks at most. My weight on the scale is only a pound or two lower depending on when I weigh myself. But my pants fall off! I didn’t measure my waist when I started, but the pants that used to be painfully tight now need a strong belt to stay on.

The hydrotherapy allows toxins to leave via my skin and replenishes with the vitamin mixture.

I invite you to find a Planet Beach near you. I’m 9 hours from the ocean, but I can easily spend every day at the beach, Planet Beach.

In the case of GABA, I found it mentioned in one of my favorite books on natural health: The Edge Effect. Dr. Eric Braverman has you take a test by answering questions in his book. Based on the results, you can find recommendations.

In my case the test said I had a predominately GABA nature. I followed the instructions and one of the recommendations was to take GABA as a supplement.

Full of confidence I go to my favorite health store. (Yes, it’s called “The Health Nut” and yes, I go there because I like the name. It doesn’t hurt that the owners are knowledgeable and very nice.)

I was very surprised at the price: about $26.00 for a bottle that wouldn’t even last a month. Nevertheless I bought it and I took the dose recommended in the book. I was very excited because I expected my anxiety would be gone and I’d be able to blog and write and make websites the rest of the day.

In about 30 minutes I was out. I slept for 6 hours. The next day was Sunday and I had the same experience.

I thought it wasn’t working.

Then I went back to The Health Nut (Not me, the store) and asked for advice. They said that GABA is best taken at night. Then I did what I also recommend to you: I sought another, independent source. I have a friend who is very knowledgeable about natural health and a person who’s opinion I trust. He said that I probably really needed the GABA and my body wanted to sleep while it put it to use. He suggested I take it at bedtime.

So two independent sources that I trust recommended when to take it.

But what about the price?

Since this supplement of GABA really helped my anxiety (Which according the the book above it should help.), I decided to finish the bottle.

When I ran out, I really did NOT want to spend another $25.00 on more supplements. Money is tight right?

Well as it turned out, another person who’s advice I have found trustworthy had been telling me for years about so I decided to check them out.

I compared Puritan Pride’s price to the one from my local health food store. Even with shipping it was cheaper. So I will be buying from them from now on. I heartily recommend them to you.

I’m convinced the diet supplement I was taking was making a healthy difference because this is the second time I have “gone off it” and I feel the difference. Why should eating healthy be more expensive?

You know what, it may not be.

I can exercise right here at home. I mean, I have a treadmill sitting in the other room collecting dust. I can take a walk. I can still eat right. I can do what I can. When I can do more, I will.

The road to health isn’t just what philosophy you follow. Doctors of Medicine (MD) and Doctors of Naturopothy (ND) might even agree: taking personal responsibility for our own health and taking a proactive approach to improving and maintaining health is the place to start. Without these two things, it really doesn’t matter what philosophy of health you follow, Western Medicine, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Ayurveda. It won’t make a difference. If you don’t. And I’m speaking to me too. If you and I don’t take a proactive responsible approach, then I’ll end up with just that, whatever my lot is, whatever happens to happen.

I just re-read that paragraph and cringed. The medicine I mentioned above is for anxiety. I also have Depression (in addition to high blood pressure I mentioned in another post). I take medicine for that, too. It’s the anxiety medication I reduced by 25% by taking the supplement I mentioned. the idea is that it gives my body the nutrients it needs to create the chemicals needed for emotional health. My plan is to combine supplements, diet, and exercise in a way that I can continue to reduce my reliance on these synthetic medications. Still, I am happy for them. But I’ve learned that one of the signs of a good dependence is that the dependency is temporary. Medicine should be used to quickly but temporarily stabalize someone’s health so that they can take a proactive approach to what is missing, what is needed to obtain health. In some cases, the medicine is the answer. I choose to explore these other options.

Back to why I cringed. Try to tell someone with Depression to just get up, get over it, and you might as well tell someone with Cancer to simply decide they are well. As I have become more healthy (due to the medications), these things, these approaches to the normal ups and downs of life made sense. For more on what Depression really is, click the link you just read over.

So what am I saying? Am I contradicting myself? Well, I’m a nut. Yep. I’m saying that while I believe medicine should be used temporarily and in times of emergencies, I also recognize that it has helped me to function enough to embark on this road to achieving health naturally. My dependence on the medicine will likely be temporary, but for now I appreciate it. And I hope no one will feel any the less for taking meds. It’s your choice. If you want to come with my on my journey, I welcome you.

I hereby pick myself up out of my pity party and plan a prosperity party. (Ok, well I really wanted to alliterate – what word means “healthy” and starts with a ‘p’?). I’ve made new plans and goals. No drooping and wallowing, and the economy? Bring it on.

So what’s different? First, the food we buy at the grocery store is processed, full of hormones, and the nutrients are not what my body needs. In addition to making sure I eat a balanced diet, I have begun taking some nutritional supplements. I have more energy, clearer concentration. Based on my improved symptoms, my psychiatrist recommended I reduce one of my medications by 25%.

Last week I started excersizing at the gym. Yes, a Western Doctor would recommend this, too. I’m after a holistic approach. I’ll take all the advice that makes sense, I’ll study it, and make my own decision.

Still, when I shared with my psychiatrist my plans to eventually leave my medications behind, he was against it. It seems he was open to my improvement until he learned the reason for it.

Nevertheless, for now I am concentrating on eating a more healthy diet, and suplementing it with specific natural remedies. I’ll share what happens here.

I’m following the recommendations of Dr. Eric Braverman, author of The Edge Effect, and DicQie Fuller, author of The Healing Power of Enzymes. We’ll see what happens over the next several months.

Natural health and alternative medicine are often bundled together as the same thing. Natural health is based on the philosophy that what we do to maintain or reestablish health should be natural, not synthetic. Modern Western medicine teaches that medication and surgery are the primary tools of the doctor. The problem, as I see it, is not that modern medicine uses synthetic medicines, but thaty they miss the mark of nutrition and prevention.

For example, I currently take medication to maintain my blood pressure. Rather than identifying and correcting the cause, this medicine works some other way, to reduce my blood pressure. When I spoke to an expert of natural health, she explained that my body is not digesting fat correctly. This is why my triglycerides were high but my cholesterol was low.

But how do I know? Whom do I listen to? And what do I do instead?

I propose that the answer is in being a critical thinker, deciding for myself. Of all the approaches I have heard, what makes sense to me is to use medicines and surgery as a later result than what is currently used. For example, when one of my children is sick, rather than running to the doctor and hoping he prescribes an antibiotic, we give the child food. Yes, food. Specific food. The body was built to use food as fuel and resources to achieve and maintain health. Synthetic substances are valuable as temporary measures when needed, in emergencies, and when other methods are not available. However, there are many remedies, supplements, herbs, and nutrients that when utilized will greately reduce the reliance on medicine and surgery.

What is wrong with modern medicine? This is bold, yes, but I say it is greed and ego. The money to be made in prescribing medicine is so great, that the philosophy of treatment has morphed over the years so that more profitable treatments are promoted over more healthy ones.

I invite you, no I dare you to follow my adventures. I don’t know where it will lead, but I do know I will learn by the experience.

Come with me, see what I find, help me find it.