Health 101
In my experience, the following are simple and useful ways to improve your wellbeing:
Start your day with a glass of luke warm water with either the juice of a lemon, or a tsp of apple cider vinegar in it. This helps cleanse your liver, makes your system more alkaline and gets your digestive juices ready for food.
Keep your system as alkaline as possible - eat foods that promote alkalinity in your body - see http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm
Look after your digestive system. Much of our immune system is located in our gut and we depend on the 'good' bacteria to clear out pathogens, predigest our foods and keep out intestinal linings healthy. Foods or other substances that interfere with the balance of bacteria in our gut or damage our gut lining lead to inflammation and a 'leaky' gut -which can let in allergens and cause disease.
Follow the nourishing traditions diet as much as possible. If you eat meat, then introduce bone soups - try to eat these each day. See - http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful
Consider introducing pre-biotic foods (these are foods that enable us to keep the intestinal bacteria in balance). (You can also take pro-biotics in the short term to do this while you are starting to do this through your diet.) Lacto-fermented foods such as yoghurt and sauerkraut are examples. An article about getting started on this is - http://www.nourishingdays.com/2009/07/the-benefits-of-fermented-food-introduction/
Soak your grains before use to neutralise phytates. See more at - http://www.westonaprice.org/digestive-disorders/how-to-restore-digestive-health
Consider the research out now about how precious and essential our digestion systems are, and check out Sally Fallon's advice when weaning your baby onto solid foods - http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/nourishing-a-growing-baby
Try to reduce your sugar intake as much as possible - replace with coconut sugar (which has lower amounts of fructose) or stevia (which is made from a plant) or agave or maple syrup.
If possible, drink filtered water, especially alkaline mineral water such as - http://www.healthproducts.co.nz/?q=catalog/58
Invest in a good quality omega 3 or add more oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel etc) to your diet. With omega oils you tend to get what you pay for. Look for omegas that have been processed at source and had any heavy metals removed.
Reduce your stress levels in whatever way works for you - exercise/yoga/meditation. Meditate 'little and often' throughout your day - a couple of minutes at a time to begin with. If you've never meditated, try a guided meditation CD (such as 'Meditations on a New Earth' by Kim Eng and Eckhart Tolle) or find a group. Meditating with a group is beautiful.
Below is a cool link to a free meditation podcast - a series of eight short talks each followed by a guided meditation. The guy who is doing them, Dada Nabhaniilananda, is a monk who has been teaching meditation for several decades, and I really like the way he approaches it.
Have a listen!
http://www.zingwisdomnetwork.com/Member/blog/dada-nabhaniilananda-meditation-quickstart-course/
Please note: The contents of this website are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Please do not make the mistake of self diagnosing based on information you find on this or any other website.If you think you have a health problem, please make an appointment to see me or another health provider. I am happy to work alongside any medical treatment you may have in place.