The AB of Natural Health

With so many different herbs and supplements available, the question naturally arise, "Where do I begin?" Like the song in the film The sound of Music suggest, it is always good to "start at the very beginning." Reading begins with the ABCs and singing begins with Do Re Me.

Likewise natural healing has its ABCs. It also has a D. This simple ABC+D system helps a person get a "jump-start" in understanding how to improve health using herbs and nutrition. (This system is adapted from a concept that originated with one of our early teachers, Edward Millet.)

A STANDS FOR ACTIVATION

The body has a natural capacity to heal itself. Often if we simply believe we are going to get well, we will, regardless of whatever else we do. There are many ways to help activate the healing process, but the most basic way lies in helping people develope positive attitudees and emotions. Positive thinking electrically stimulates the nerous system and activates the healing energy of the tissues.
Deep breathing as practiced in meditation, is a good way of centering and calming one's emotions. Not only does deep breathing supply oxygen to the bloodstream, it also centers one's thoughts and emotions and allows a person to have inner peace and calm. To breathe is to feel and to feel is to be alive. All blocked emotions and unresolved conflicts involve a blockage or stifling of breathing, hindering one's ability to feel and to be alive. When you supply your body with deep breathing you stimulate the recuperative abilities of your body. As you think and direct positive thoughts towars those parts that are sick, you activate the healing principle within your system.

Certain supplementd can help activate the healing process. These includ homeopathic
remedies and aromatherapy oils, both of which influence the subtle energies and emotions of the body. However, the most important supplements for activating the body are enzymes. Enzymes act as the "spark plugs" of the life process. Every biological function is controlled or aided by the action of enzymes. Raw foods contain enzymes as do many cultured foods (raw yogurt, sauerkraut, ect.). However, the most important supplements for activating the body are enzymes.
Enzymes act as the "spark plugs" of the life process. Every biological function is controlled or aided by the action of enzymes. Raw foods contain contain enzymes as do many cultured foods (raw yogurt, sauerkraut, etc.). However, heat destroys enzymes, so a diet consisting primarily of cooked and processed foods lacks natural enzymes.
During digestion, food travels into the upper half of the stomach, where it remains for a period of about 20-30 minutes. Here the stomach begins to pour out secretions of hydrochloric acid and pepsin to break down the proteins in the food. At this time the enzymes that are naturally present in raw or enzyme-rich foods have a chance to predigest the food. As much as one-third of the digestion process can take place with the enzymes that naturally occur in food.
When you eat a diet of predominately cook and processed foods, the body cannot take
advantage of this predigestion, and the entire work of digesting food falls upon the digestive organs, particularly the stomach and pancreas. This not only places excess stress on these organs, it also reduces enzyme activity elsewhere in the body. One basic thing a person can do to help improve nutrition is to eat raw and cultured foods that are rich in enzymes. If this is not possible, taking a plant enzyme supplement can help reduce the stress on digestive organs and preserve the body's natural enzyme systems.
The major plant enzymes are found in NSP Proactazyme*. They are:
. Protease, an enzyme used to digest proteins.
. Lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats.
. Amylase and glucoamylase, enzymes that supplement the secretions of the saliva
and aid the digestion of starches.
. Cellulase and pectinase, enzymes that help process plant fibers like cellulose.
Proactazymes aids in the digestion of all food groups except dairy foods, which require the enzyme lactase. Lactase helps break down the sugars in milk.
Adding these enzymes to the diet is a universal need for most Americans. We
recommend that you start your heart- building programs with Proactazyme.
B STANDS FOR BUILDING
The body needs nutrients to stay healthy. Many of the nutrients we need have been
removed or depleted during the refining and processing of foods we eat. Ideally, everyone should strive to eat better, but since this isn't going to happen, most people are better off supplementing their diets with extra nutrients on a regular basis.
Nature's Sunshine offers two general supplements that can benefit the whole body-Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals and Colloidal Minerals. Super Supplemental is a comprehensive vitamin and mineral product, supplying the major nutrients that may be missing in American diets. Colloidal Minerals supplies the trace minerals that are lacking in even the best of diets. Even if we aren't eating "junk food," we may still lack necessary trace minerals because our modern agriculural methods are depleting the soil of these elements and destroying plants' ability to utilize them. Soil is the primary factor in maintaining our nutritional health because all our food comes from the earth. Since our bodies are literally composed of minerals (i.e., we are made of the "dust of the earth"), healthy bodies are connected to healthy soil. Any element missing from the soil will be missing from the foods we eat; as a result, we will not be properly nourished.
While many in the medical community preach that supplements aren't necessary if we eat a "balanced diet," agricultural experts recognize that farmers must supplement animal feed. In fact, all animal feed contains nutritional supplements. Agricultural experts know that grain and other foodstuffs do not contain enough nutrients to maintain healthy livestock without added supplements. If animals can't stay healthy eating our modern crops, how can human beings? Prior to the 1800s, farmers all over the world fertilized their crops with organic material. Then, a well-meaning chemist burned plant material and analyzed the ashes that remained, discovering that the ashes were primarily composed of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. When farmers started appying these three elements to their soil, they got bigger yields at first. However, with repeated use, problems began to arise. The soil was gradually being depleted of its trace minerals. This lack of trace minerals. This lack of trace minerals yielded plants that were not as healthy. Insect damage and disease increased. But instead of adding organic matter to the soil to correct the mineral imbalances, man used chemistry- herbicides, fungicides and pesticides-to "correct" these problems. Unfortunately, these chemicals compounded the problem. Healthy soil is teeming with microorganisms. These organisms break down organic material from dead animals and plants and recycle it for use by other plants. They also extract the minerals from the dirt and make them available to the plant roots. The chemicals we apply sterilize the soil by killing the microorganisms. The result is much like the problem of antibiotics, which kill the friendly floracin the intestinal tract as well as the harmful bacteria.
Add to this our food-processing procedures and it is easy to see why everyone needs some type of vitamin, mineral and trace-mineral supplementation. The second part of any good health program includes a comprehensive supplementation program. Super Supplemental taken along with Colloidal Minerals fills this need.