The traditional medical establishment has long been entrusted with our health. Yet many of the medications and treatments that are prescribed have undesirable, and sometimes downright dangerous, side effects. Even the most promising advances in medical technology can be found to have hidden dangers years later.People have been practising a more natural approach to good health for centuries. Many of the techniques and cures that are used today in alternative medicine were known long before medicine became the big business that it is now. And with natural remedies and prevention methods gaining widespread recognition, more people are realizing the benefits of avoiding chemicals and taking a more low-tech approach.
Would you like to improve your health by natural means? Here are some tips to get you started.
* Eat organic. Organic food is not tainted with dangerous chemicals. And organic livestock is raised on organic feed and is not given antibiotics and hormones that can cause health problems in the people who consume it.
* Include lots of raw foods in your diet. You don't necessarily have to become a raw vegan to enjoy the benefits of raw foods. Just eat raw fruits and vegetables at every meal and for snacks, and you will greatly increase the amount of beneficial vitamins and minerals in your diet.
* Get plenty of exercise. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and get your heart pumping, both of which have innumerable health benefits.
* Try to get out in the sunshine every day. While it's not good for your skin to bake in the sun, getting about 15 or 20 minutes of sun exposure each day will cause your body to produce the vitamin D it needs.
* Work to eliminate stress as much as possible. Stress takes a serious toll on our bodies, contributing to some serious health problems. If you find yourself worrying too much, try meditation or yoga to calm and focus your mind.
* Make probiotics a part of your routine. These can be found in yogurt and some other foods, or you can take probiotic supplements. These beneficial bacteria aid in digestion and help our immune systems resist infection from bad bacteria. If you have been on antibiotics, taking probiotics is especially important.
* For minor ailments, use herbal remedies instead of over-the-counter or prescription drugs as much as possible. There are effective herbal treatments for many ailments that produce few adverse reactions.
Maintaining good health isn't about taking medication for every ailment. It's about striving to avoid the need for such drastic measures. By taking care of our bodies and carefully monitoring what goes into them, we can reduce our risk for disease and live a happier, healthier life.
