NaturalNews) Traveling can be hard on your health. Increased stress, changing time zones and difficulty finding healthy food can all negatively impact your health. And if you travel by air, you have the added problems of exposure to airborne pathogens, fragrance chemicals, and other pollutants brought into your air space by unhealthy people. On top of that, there’s the additional difficulty of bringing all your health supplements, superfoods and appliances with you (a Vita-Mix is heavy!).

So how can you protect yourself from sickness and environmental stress when traveling while still providing yourself with your most important health supplements and superfoods? Being an experienced traveler myself, I’ll share with you my best tips for maximizing your health when traveling on planes, trains or automobiles.

Tip #1: Boost your immune system before you go

Don’t dare walk into an airport, train station or other public place without protecting your immune system first. How do you accomplish that? It’s simple: For at least three days before your trip, start drinking lots of vegetable juice and taking immune-boosting herbal supplements. It’s even better if you’re drinking fresh juices every day as a regular habit, but if you’re not, at least kick in the healthful juices before you travel.

On the supplements side, I like to take Kyolic garlic supplements (www.Kyolic.com), medicinal mushrooms (www.MushroomScience.com), Echinacea, goldenseal, ginger and other similar immune herbs (www.BaselineNutritionals.com). It’s also important to get plenty of zinc in your diet by eating pumpkin seeds or taking high-quality zinc supplements. Taking lots of vitamin C and vitamin D3 is also helpful, but be sure to get them from high-quality supplements (I don’t recommend cheap multivitamins like the Centrum brand). The best sources for high-end individual supplements are www.WellnessResources.com and www.LivingFuel.com (check out their Super Essentials fish oils with astaxanthin.

Tip #2: Bring superfood powders for instant meals

Having superfood powders with you at all times is a great travel strategy, even if you’re just traveling to a relative’s house for a few days (your relatives probably aren’t as health conscious as you are, right?). Don’t clobber your immune system by eating the junk in their refrigerator; bring your own superfoods and amaze (or annoy) your friends and relatives with your own astonishing commitment to a truly healthful diet!

Which superfood products should you bring? There are a lot of them I recommend, including Living Fuel (www.LivingFuel.com), Boku Superfood (www.BokuSuperfood.com), Healthforce Nutritionals (www.HealthForce.com), HempShake (www.Nutiva.com), Emerald Balance (www.SGNnutrition.com) and Delicious Greens (www.Greens8000.com). There’s even a new product I just saw at Whole Foods called Amazing Meal (www.AmazingGrass.com). I haven’t tried it yet, but I know their Amazing Grass product is high quality, and I intend on reviewing their Amazing Meal product soon.

The point is to bring a lot of nutritious foods with you in a highly concentrated form. There’s no form more concentrated than dried superfood powders. Just add water, shake it up, and you’ve got a meal!

Tip #3: Bring a Blender Bottle to make instant superfood drinks

Speaking of shaking up your superfoods, you’ll need a clever way to accomplish that unless you’ve managed to bring a Vita-Mix (which I’ve been known to do, even on airplane trips). Far lighter than a Vita-Mix, the Blender Bottle (www.BlenderBottle.com) uses a stainless steel coil inside a plastic shaker bottle to deliver superfood smoothies that are almost as good as those you’d make in a blender.

The blender bottle is incredibly light, durable and easy to pack. I have one with me right now, and I shake up 3-4 superfood drinks each day with it. While it won’t blend up fruits and vegetables, it easily blends superfood powders (including protein powder). Don’t leave home without this cool device! (And by the way, I don’t mind the fact that it’s made out of plastic. I only use it when traveling. A little exposure to plastic from time to time is harmless, especially if you’re loading up with superfoods.)

Tip #4: Carefully choose your supplements, and bring them in plastic bottles, not glass

Speaking of glass, while I prefer to store nutritional products in glass bottles at home, when I’m on the road, I carry them in either plastic bottles or plastic bags. Yes, I don’t like plastic, either, but for traveling there’s simply no replacement. They’re light and virtually unbreakable. You don’t want to find glass shards in your suitcase after you claim it at baggage check do you?

Tip #5: Bring a gravity-fed countertop water filter (Brita, Pur, etc.)

A gravity-fed countertop water filter will let you “make” clean water just about anywhere. Just fill it up with your hotel’s tap water and wait for filtered water to appear in the container. This is the water you’ll use to make your superfoods.

Yes, I know: It’s not the best water in the world. If you want the best water, build a log cabin near an artesian well somewhere and drink your artesian water out of glass jars. But for those who need to travel, a countertop Brita filter will remove chlorine and other pollutants, giving you safe water to drink without forcing you to buy the hotel’s water (which is at least triple the cost of gasoline, by the way).

Brita water filters are incredibly light, too. You can even pack other gear inside them, such as your toothbrush, Dr. Bronner’s soap, and other personal care products.

Ideas

Despite the nagging of diet experts, fitness instructors, public health officials, doctors, nurses and moms, the tide of obesity that has practically engulfed Western civilization over the past two decades shows no sign of reaching its ebb.

In the United States, the percentage of adults who are obese — defined by the National Institutes of Health as a body-mass index exceeding 30 — has doubled since 1990, climbing from 12 percent to a whopping 24 percent in 2005, closely tracking Oregon figures, according to the Oregon Health Division.

For the most part, the blame for the obesity epidemic has fallen on diet and exercise, with particular emphasis on familiar evils such as the proliferation of junk food, the advent of the remote control, trans fat, ever-longer commutes and even the disappearance of physical education in schools.

But now some researchers have identified a new suspect: pollution.

Attributing obesity to diet and exercise is “practically scientific dogma at this point,” says Bruce Blumberg, associate professor of developmental and cell biology at UC Irvine. But, he continues, “diet and exercise are simply not adequate to explain the explosion of obesity in Western countries.”

Instead, Blumberg believes the obesity epidemic actually is due, in part, to industrial pollution — specifically to low levels of toxic compounds he calls “obesogens.”

Just as exposure to carcinogens can trigger cancer, Blumberg and other researchers say exposure to obesogens can trigger a dramatic increase in the amount of fat produced in a person’s body, leading to excess weight and obesity.

The precise mechanism by which these obesogens operate remains dimly understood. They belong to a class of compounds known as “endocrine disrupters” because they block or pervert the operation of the hormones that govern crucial biological processes such as growth, reproduction, sexual development and behavior.

Five years ago, Blumberg was studying the biological effects of various marine pollutants — in particular, tributyl tin, or TBT, a pesticide notorious for its toxic properties, such as bizarre mutations in the shells of mollusks and the sex organs of sea snails.

Blumberg and his co-workers exposed female frogs to extremely low levels of TBT; as expected, TBT did indeed cause sexual mutation among frogs. But what was really striking, he says, was that the hapless amphibians got fat — really fat.

“To be honest, I will have to say we stumbled on this,” he says.

Ideas, news

OK — you’ve taken the steps to stop the uninvited clutter coming into your home and the soon-to-be clutter that you buy yourself. Great job. But your greatest challenge is before you and it’s not for the faint of heart: It’s time to reduce the clutter you already have.

The reason reducing your existing clutter is the last instead of the first step is because once you break the habit of creating clutter, you’ll ensure that all the time and energy you expend on this step will pay off for the long term. And for some of us we’ll need quite a lot of time and energy to go through all this STUFF that’s been accumulating around us.

Pick a room, any room
To start, pick the room that will have the most impact on your life if it were free of clutter. This way you’ll be motivated to keep going to the next and the next rooms. Would a clutter-free bedroom improve your sleep? A clutter-free office make your work life happier? A clutter-free living room mean you could actually invite friends over? Whichever room it is, give yourself an afternoon of uninterrupted declutter time and dig in.

Ditch the “what ifs”
Create space for piles of things you want to get rid of and those you’ll keep. We know this can be difficult. How do you decide? I mean what if you do get invited to an 80s party? Or what if you want to reread some article in Surfer’s Journal? Shouldn’t you hang on to them all just in case?

No. Ditch the “what ifs” and just keep asking yourself if the object really helps you achieve the life you want to live. I know it sounds new-agey or maybe Oprah-esque, but it works. If you imagine your life with clean space and fresh air all around you, a stack of old magazines, clothes from when your 12-year-old was a baby and the three computers you had before this one just don’t serve.

If it’s your closet you’re cleaning, try this technique:

1. Turn all your clothes around so the open part of the hanger hook is facing you
2. Every time you wear an item, put it back so the open hook is facing the back wall
3. After three months, any clothes on hangers that are still backwards are fair game for the give-away pile
The green part
When you’ve figured out what to ditch, don’t just send it to the landfill unless an object is in obvious disrepair. Set aside everything that’s in good condition for donating or selling. Then consult LIME’s “How to Recycle Everything” tool for resources on what can be recycled and where.

The trick here is to take this task to the end – don’t let the piles sit there for weeks but actually make the donations, recycle whatever is possible, throw what you must, and put away what you don’t use regularly.

Reducing clutter doesn’t have to be overwhelming — even when there’s a lot of it. If you’d like support and guidance for this, check out Fly Lady. She’ll have you clean and decluttered in just 10 minutes a day. Otherwise, just keep at it and you’ll be clutter-free before you know it.

Ideas

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) –a zero maintenance, zero fuel cost electric generator

Solar panels have no moving parts. You just mount them out in the sun, hook up the wires, and collect power, without adding fuel or replacing worn-out parts. It’s amazing that nobody knows for sure how long a solar panel will last. That’s because many of the very first photovoltaic panels are still producing power today.

Solar Electricity Basics

We often receive questions here along the lines of ‘how many solar panels do I need to power my 3,000 square foot house?’ We don’t sell or install solar power systems, so we can’t provide free consulting services and still keep our business running. However, we’ve written numerous articles on the topic and compiled a list of resources to help answer your questions and start you on the right track for doing your ‘homework’ on the topic:

• The design, size and cost of a solar photovoltaic power system for your home depends on only a few simple factors:
  1. How much energy in kilowatt-hours (kwh) do you use per month, and how much does it cost you?
  2. What can you do to reduce your energy usage, and how much will that cost you? (Every dollar spent on conservation will save you $3-$5 on the cost of an RE power system).
  3. What solar resource do you have available at your location?
• Renewable Energy Basics — This article guides you through answering ALL those questions above, in great detail. Includes information on grid-tied, off-grid and grid tie with battery bank systems.
• Designing a tiny solar power system for a camping trailer — This article goes through the basics of designing a properly-sized solar power system, including calculating your inputs, loads and battery bank size.
• If you are serious about moving to a solar power system for your home or cabin, most local solar dealers / installers will provide you with a free or low-cost estimate and energy estimate. Going local is an excellent choice!
• Most internet solar power retailers have lots of free information online, including system sizing spreadsheets. Two retailers that we patronize frequently because of their great customer service are The Alternative Energy Store and Backwoods Solar — but there are many more excellent retailers online.
• Shopping by Dollars per Watt is the best way to choose solar panels. Photovoltaic panel prices have steadily been dropping at 3-5 percent per year for the last decade or so. However, prices may not seem all that low to you, because in general the technology is getting better, so each panel is making more watts than those of a few years ago. You have two options for buying photovoltaics, new and used:
  • New photovoltaic panels — This page gives some details about new panels, including how the technology is advancing, and information about tracking mounts.
  • Used photovoltaic panels — This page discusses how to inspect used panels for damage and test their output before purchasing.
  • We are no longer maintaining our used solar panel mailing list. Because of strong demand for large photovoltaic installations around the world, there has been a general shortage of new panels. This has increased demand for used panels too, and we have not seen any large lots of used panels available for 4 years now. The best places to look for used PV panels are your local newspaper classifieds, Craigslist, and Ebay.

Ideas, going green

The second most-popular pet diet is a natural homemade diet. Homemade diets have three basic components: grains, protein and vegetables.”The best diets for both dogs and cats are natural ones,” says Dr. Anna Maria Gardner, who writes on PetSynergy.com and is a holistic veterinarian in Spokane, Wash.Proponents say the fresh ingredients in the diet provide more energy, reduce allergies, maintain a healthy weight and help pets live a longer life.But homemade diets demand a lot of time that most pet owners simply don’t have.”Homemade diets can certainly provide pets with an adequate diet, but they do require a substantial amount of work and guidance by your veterinary team to ensure that the final product includes a complete nutritional balance,” explains Hansen.Owners may also make the mistake of feeding their pets according to human nutritional guidelines that are often not suitable for pets and can sometimes be deadly.

In The Raw

The third most-common pet diet is a raw diet. Popularly known as the BARF diet, an acronym for “bones and raw food” — it was developed by Australian veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst.The BARF diet is based on a belief that the best way to feed your pet is to give it a diet similar to what it would eat in the wild — raw, meaty bones, muscle, organ meat, vegetables and supplements.”BARF is about feeding dogs properly. Artificial, grain-based dog foods cause innumerable health problems. They are not what your dog was programmed to eat during its long process of evolution,” Billinghurst says.But critics say that health problems can occur if the diet is not balanced. They also warn that your pet can choke on raw bones. The ASPCA also advises against feeding pets raw foods since it may lead to E. coli or salmonella poisoning.

Choosing For You

Good nutrition is the basis of a healthy pet. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to alter your pet’s diet. Veterinarians say that simply replacing pet food with people food isn’t the answer. Never alter your pet’s diet without first consulting your veterinarian.Dr. Louise Murray, director of medicine at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City, offers this advice: “Ask your veterinarian to refer you to a specialist with an advanced degree in animal nutrition, certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition,” she says.

Start Simple

If you’re too busy to cook but want to add some natural food to your pet’s diet, start with a natural, high-quality pet food — one with no artificial preservatives, colorings or flavorings. Mix it with vegetables, grains and meats, and add a vitamin and mineral supplement, says Gardner. Chemicals to avoid include BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.Dr. Ihor Basko, a Hawaii-based holistic veterinarian, recommends introducing a new diet gradually, since sudden changes can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Other things to consider include your pet’s age, health, metabolic rate, activity level and breed.Finally, beware of scams that prey on your fears. Remember that marketing can be skewed to make you believe just about anything. As with nutrition for humans, pet nutrition hype is as close as a Google search away.Separating the hype from reality is the first step to making informed decisions about what to feed your pet to keep it healthy and happy for its entire life.Pet Week Features:

Monday — Other Ways To Give Good Nutrition

Tuesday — Should You Get A Pet?

Wednesday — Your Pet Can Lead You To Love

Thursday — Some Pet Owners Spare No Expense

Friday — Best Movies For Pet Lovers

Ideas

Posted by Belinda Miller

I have always had a weak spot for Target, but since I’ve become a bit more aware, and since Georgia has become more difficult in stores designed to lure her into a consumer-kid-frenzy, we just don’t go there anymore. I always found it very hard to resist some fabulous-looking thingamajigg when all I really needed was toilet paper. And since I am trying to teach Georgia about need vs. want, and how stores, ads and marketing are targeting us, I find it much easier to avoid a store that manages to snare me every time!

So when I found out that Target is now selling Seventh Generation products, my first thought was, “Cool! I can go to Target again!” Followed immediately by “Wait a minute! They almost got me again!” True, I suspect Seventh Generation products will be cheaper at Target than at my beloved, expensive, green-leaning local grocery store, but I surely will end up spending more on things I absolutely do not need, rendering the savings moot.

I had an argument with a pal who insists that Seventh Generation should not have their products at Target at all — it’s a sell-out, and they should suffer the wrath of the true environmentalists who got them where they are. Which left me wondering if ecologically-minded products should be harder to come by. A greener lifestyle is not the easiest life to choose, so what happens when products that make our greener lives easier become available to the masses?

While I do think it’s important to shop locally, and continue to support the companies who brought green products to us in the first place (our own Gaiam for one), it’s not a bad thing to have green products in a place that caters mainly to people who aren’t accustomed to thinking sustainably. I don’t think green companies should have to toil away in relative obscurity to remain pure. And I know there is a lot of greenwashing to be wary of, and that huge conglomerates are not turning the green tide because they have had a change of heart. They have million-dollar marketing teams demographing every subculture; they know that lots of people are looking for greener choices, or organic or fair trade or toxin-free choices. And they want that green money.

And frankly, I don’t think your average shopper driving her SUV to Target cares that much. But having the choices in front of her face is a first step. I remember, long before Georgia was born, shopping at the tiny health food store in Manhattan and seeing Seventh Generation toilet paper for the first time. I had never really thought about toilet paper before, but I grabbed an individually paper-wrapped roll and read the copy on the side. I didn’t know about the hazards of dioxin bleaching back then, and I learned a lot from that TP roll! I also first experienced the feeling of making a difference by just buying toilet paper. It mattered, in a tiny, humble way. And it helped me start paying attention. So now I obsess about ingredients and where things come from, and how my purchase affects the world. It’s exhausting, and it might be nice to be oblivious, but if having green products in big stores sparks more people to pay attention, and to care, then it will, ultimately, make my life easier. If more people start putting their money into greener products and organic foods won’t the bar be raised for the good of everyone?

I am ever the optimist, so I think the answer is yes. What do you think?

Ideas, Videos

Thursday, December 13, 2007 by: Mike Adams NewsTarget) Superfood innovator Transition Nutrition has announced the launching of seven superfood gift baskets. Made with ingredients like premium quality cashews, cacao brittles, goji berries, macadamia nuts, Golden Himalayan Raisins, and macadamia nut butter, these gift baskets allow consumers to give healthful, nutrient-rich gifts this holiday season. The gift baskets range in price from…..more

Ideas