Tag / natural remedies

by tessbrennan

Do you take a Prescription? a supplement? or 10? Is that Weird?

Many people ask me why I take so many different supplements.  I wanted to answer that question as well as why I no longer take any prescriptions. My Rx for health is different these days.

Years ago, I took SIX prescriptions a day which accounted for 11 dosage pills a day AND an inhalation 2-3 times a day to control asthma.

Prescription_bottles

I thought nothing of the fact that I was taking this many meds until I stopped to think about the fact that ONE of those prescriptions was to counteract the side effects of the others. Overall, I was miserable with no energy and I kept gaining weight.

These “helper” drugs had horrible side effects, in fact, I had to have blood tests regularly to monitor my liver functions because one of them could kill my liver.  None of them were “curing” any of my issues, they just covered them up and caused me to need more meds.  I was on track to be like my grandparents with cabinets full of prescription meds.

TODAY, I take many supplements a day, to fill in for what I miss in my diet and have found can help me with my specific issues.  I know that my system has holes and issues that can cause symptoms to pop up and as long as I keep those holes filled my body will function properly.

I begin with a solid foundation, a “Rx for Life” type attitude.

 

Explanation of the Rx for Life program and how it works.

 

  • I begin my day with a protein smoothee that allows my energy levels to be maintained throughout the day by providing my body a jump start for the day. 
  • I take a Vitalizer strip that provides the basic nutrition needed daily, right to the place where it is needed so my body can absorb it and use it as it is needed through the day.
  • A Nutriferon to keep my immune system healthy and strong.
  • Vivix assists in my body’s work to keep me young at heart and at the cellular level.

I also take a few other supplements & made a couple other changes to target issues I know my body deals with on occasion.

SUPPLEMENTS

NOT A SUPPLEMENT – I switched to the Get Clean line of household cleaners. Eliminating all the toxins, especially phthalates, made a huge impact on my asthma.  I haven’t needed an inhalant in years.

Get_Clean_comparison

How_to_get_good_supplements_-_Dr._Chaney

I choose this particular brand of supplement, because they have NEVER had a negative market incident (recall) and I know the testing involved for quality control.  I AM PICKY, and I use specific criteria to choose what supplements and other products my family use.

Have a GREAT day!

 

by tessbrennan

Sneaky Knee Pain–how do I eliminate it?

In 2005 after finishing my second 60-mile walk I developed horrible knee pain.  After the birth of my child, in 2007, it hurt so badly I went to see the joint specialist. (The best surgeon in the Joint, so to speak.)

He checked me out, told me I didn’t need surgery and prescribed some physical therapy.  The surgeon told me the same thing the physical therapist told me.

Feel Good Fast Knee pain

KNEES DON’T GO BAD, ALL ALONE! (typically)

Just ponder that for a moment.

It turns out, I had put on 40+ pounds during the pregnancy.  (That’s an additional 160 pounds of pressure on each knee.) I walked for exercise, but I did NOT stretch.

Your knees go bad (if not involved in an accident) for two reasons. 1. Weak ankles or 2. Weak Hips. 

My issue was weak hips.  1 week of consistent stretching and my knee pain subsided.

I wanted to provide you with some of the stretches that my doc and the PT crew recommended.

Feel Good Fast Knee to chest - cropped

Bring 1 knee up to the chest and pull it to your chest with your hands until you feel the stretch.  Try to hold it for about 30 second, then repeat with your other knee.  (Try doing this 3 times for each knee)

Feel Good Fast Leg dangle hip stretch-cropped

This one is blurry, but I think it can get the point across.  I call it the leg dangle.  Lay on the edge of your bed and allow the leg on the edge to “dangle” off the edge.  Work to keep your knee straight and feel the stretch in the top of that thigh.  I keep my opposite hand out on the bed to stabilize myself.  Turning your head can intensify or lessen the stretch as well.  Try to allow this stretch for 30 seconds.  (3 times for each leg)

Feel Good Fast Cross over hip stretch-Cropped

The third stretch I use to relieve the tension in my hips is what I call the cross over.  Again, lay on the edge of the bed.  This time cross the opposite leg over the body and allow it to “hang” off the edge of the bed. You can intensify this stretch by how straight you keep your knee, which direction you look while stretching, and the angle your leg is to  your body.  Again, 30 seconds for each stretch and 3 times for each leg.

 

I am not a medical professional, I don’t pretend to be. I just wish to share what has worked for me in eliminating the pain in my knees. 

 

One last note.  Weight loss had tremendous impact on my knee pain as well.  When you consider that each pound overweight we are, increases the weight bearing load of our knees by 4 pounds.  Thus, when we are 25 pounds over weight – our knees feel 100 pounds of extra weight to carry and deal with.

For more information, feel free to contact me.  If I don’t have an answer, I have a colleague who does and I am happy to refer.

by tessbrennan

I Believe…

What ever we believe becomes our reality.  If we believe we are unworthy, we work to make ourselves unworthy.  HOWEVER, If we believe we can change, if we believe we are worth our own time and investment, then we become such and those around us begin to taken notice.

I believe

A friend of mine often says, “I am on a Journey” and I think I’ve actually opened the door to that vehicle and am beginning to get in. The journey has to do with being mindful, deliberate, and gentle in all that I do.  Continue reading →

by tessbrennan

Magnesium for Muscle Cramps

Thank you to Heather Lloyd LMT for your question regarding Magnesium for muscle cramps and specifically, how do I find a supplement that won’t work against me with my IBS.  Here is what I have found in my research. Continue reading →

by tessbrennan

Chicken Soup for the Sniffles/Cold…

Grandma, and the Romans were right.  Chicken soup is good for your cold, just ask the Nebraska Medical Center who conducted the studies that proved just such a thing.

Into a Crock pot place

1 whole chicken (the nutrients need to be cooked out of those bones into the broth)
Water to cover the chicken
4-5 Large Cloves of Garlic (a natural antibiotic)
1 Chopped onion (we chop it small so the young one doesn’t realize she’s eating it)
2-3 Carrots Chopped
2-3 Stalks of ORGANIC Celery (the leaves of celery like to hold onto the pesticides – no need for those here)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Let it all cook on Low for 7-8 hours.  Serve with long grain or brown rice, or high fiber/protein pasta noodles if you choose.

A major thing to stay away from when fighting a cold:  is refined sugars because they inhibit your body’s immune system.  According to Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, an internal medicine specialist and author, "The sugar in a can of soda suppresses immune function by 30 percent for three hours."   (THEREFORE: stay away from sodas, candy, and processed flours and foods, please)

Also try:

Spicy foods or perhaps a good, homemade guacamole with local grown, organic ingredients.  Avocados, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, & Garlic are good for the body and the spicy peppers can help to clear out that congestion!

Happy recoveries to you and yours, and may your husbands not spend more than a day at a time moaning on the couch because they are sick. Smile