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Debbie Baumgarten

Max Pulse for Arterial Health Testing

August 20, 2018 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

max pulse

It’s called the Max Pulse. You may or may not have heard of it. It’s a simple screening device that can help to catch the precursors to the #1 cause of death in the U.S. – Heart Disease. 

I mean, this test takes a few minutes. You just have to sit quietly with a clip on your index finger and it’s done. The test can tell you if you have plaque build up in your arteries (also called atherosclerosis).

Ah, HELLO, this is a no-brainer and absolutely EVERYONE should be getting this Max Pulse test once or twice a year. Come on!

The problem with Heart Disease, heart attacks and strokes is that 50% or more of those who have these maladies did not have symptoms until some form of cardiovascular event occurred! In other words, high blood pressure or high cholesterol is not always a symptom. More than half of the people who have heart attacks or strokes had NO symptoms before these hit. 

So here we have a simple screening that can be done that can tell you if you have plaque build up or hardening of the arteries, but very few doctors are doing it. It is considered experimental or questionable, despite the fact that there are significant bonafide medical research studies that have been done. In fact, 10 years ago the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) added the use of such testing as “an early index of large artery stiffening” into their Guideline for the Management of Arterial Hypertension. 

Here’s an excerpt from this Guideline about this: 

“Over the past 10 years, a large body of evidence has been collected on large artery stiffening and the wave reflection phenomenon, which have been identified as being the most important pathophysiological determinants of isolated systolic hypertension and pulse pressure increases. Measuring arterial stiffness via changes in vessel diameter in relation to blood pressure changes is complex and not suitable for standard clinical use. On the other hand, measurement of pulse wave velocity provides a comprehensive non-invasive assessment of arterial stiffness, which is simple and accurate enough to be considered as a diagnostic procedure. This is because this measure has been shown to have an independent predictive value for all cause mortality and cardiovascular morbidity, coronary events and strokes in patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension.”

The main devices used for this testing are:

  1. the Digital Pulsewave Analyzer (DPA) made by Meridian Corp. https://digitalpulseanalyzer.com/
  2. the Max Pulse device, made by Medicore Medical. https://longlifecardio.com/ 

These Max Pulse and DPA devices use pulse wave technology to analyze how elastic or hardened the arteries are. Of course, anyone who is found to have serious plaque build up in their arteries, should be sent for more in depth testing and should be worked with to make important lifestyle changes to halt the decline and hopefully reverse the condition. The earlier it is caught, the easier it is to address.

The next time you go to your doctor’s office you should ask them for this test. If they don’t have it available, you should tell them to get one of these devices (links are above) and start testing all of their patients as part of taking your vitals. [I’d say that a simple test to help prevent the #1 cause of death would be pretty vital!]

Let’s get some grassroots demand going on for technology that can help us save lives!

Filed Under: General

Where do you stand on your 2018 new year resolutions?

July 3, 2018 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

resolutionsAs we rolled into 2018, you may have decided on a few new year resolutions for yourself. Now that we are half way through the year, maybe some of those ambitious ideas of weight loss, exercise, putting a halt to unwanted habits and other hopeful ideas are lacking a bit in stick-to-it-iveness. 

It’s understandable and it happens all too often to the best of us. But don’t be discouraged! There’s a great quote that applies well here. “Although no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending“.

Here’s an approach you may want to consider. How about a handful of resolutions that will help you accomplish healthier living (and better productivity as a result) in 2018, but yet are quite EASY to do? Ones that just don’t require that much effort and CAN be accomplished.

Achievable resolutions will not only aid you in a better life, but they can help restore faith and determination in accomplishing or sticking to your decisions and goals in general.

Here are some suggestions for easily attainable resolutions for healthier living. Healthier living can also cause positive effects on your productivity, your mood, your longevity and can help those around you.

1) Utilize the research and information provided by the Environmental Working Group at www.EWG.org. On their website they provide information about toxic chemicals in cosmetics, sunscreens, skin and hair care products, cleaning products and in foods and produce. They also have 2 great apps (EWG’s Healthy Living and EWG’s Food Scores), which you can download onto your phone. Then, when you are shopping, you can use their barcode scan system to check for dangerous toxins in products before you buy. They will also suggest healthier versions of these products that you can easily find. Little by little you can be upgrading what you put into your body through your skin or your mouth to healthier versions. Taking in less pesticides and dangerous chemicals into your body can have profound effects over years. By avoiding known carcinogens [meaning things that can cause cancer], maybe you can avoid cancer later in life. By avoiding endocrine disruptors, maybe you won’t have failing hormone functions.  

2) Wear a FitBit or Smart Watch with a fitness application. There are plenty available: Google Fit, Apple Watch Activity, Sony Lifelog, Endomondo, Fitstar and MapMyFitness are some of many that are available. Even if you don’t exercise at all, it will encourage you to stand when you have been sitting dormant too long. It will provide some encouragement to be more active, even if minor.

3) Find a form of exercise that you like which is readily available or can be made so. Lack of exercise over time can have many repercussions on your health. If you are too busy, too tired or just lack the ambition or drive to exercise, there are still options. Most important is that you choose something that you like and which is super convenient. Swimming, punching bag, dancing, yoga or anything that gets you more active physically – if you like it and it is easy to do, then that’s it.

At an irreducible minimum you could get one of those body vibration devices that you simply stand on. It tricks the body into thinking you’re falling. This, in turn, activates the reflexes that result in extremely rapid muscle contractions. It works your muscles and has been found to increase muscle tone and circulation, as well as bone density. You can do this while you are watching the news or your favorite TV show and it does not require exerting a lot of energy. It’s not the most ideal exercise, but it IS exercise, and if nothing else it is something almost anyone can do.

4) Replace some or all sodas with sparkling mineral water and add a hint of lemon, orange, grapefruit or lime (by adding a small amount of juice or a few drops of essential oil). Make sure it’s not the sparkling water drinks with added sugar. Sparkling mineral water is better (as opposed to just sparkling water) as you are getting some minerals in addition to the benefit of drinking more water and less soda. And don’t be fooled by fruit juices that are often touted as a healthy option to soda, as they usually have just as much sugar. 

5) Cut back on sugar intake by replacing some or all with real stevia. It’s a naturally sweet herb that doesn’t increase blood sugar. The average American consumes nearly 20 teaspoons of sugar per day or 66 pounds of sugar per year, leading to epidemics in obesity, diabetes and other serious physical conditions. I recommend SweetLeaf brand (it comes in packets), which is actual stevia as opposed to many other brands that are mostly sugar alcohol with a little stevia. If you take sugar in your coffee or drink sweet tea, you can use some stevia instead. Opt for cereals, deli meats, dressings, crackers and other foods with lower sugar wherever possible.

These are just some suggestions of healthier habits that are relatively easy to do, but which can improve long term quality of life.  A few such resolves can have a big impact. 

 

Filed Under: General

Spring, Mosquitos, Zika and Natural Mosquito Repellent

May 5, 2016 By Debbie Baumgarten 1 Comment

natural mosquito repellentSpring is here! And while spring represents great weather, new buds and blossoms, grilling, cookouts and many other cheery notes, it also usually means more mosquitos around and about.

With the recent news and a few horror stories about the Zika Virus, it might be a little scary to think about more mosquitos in your environment and any likelihood of this new virus spreading. So here are a few things you should know about Zika.

5 facts about the Zika Virus:

  • How it spreads: It is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. If a man is infected, they can possibly infect someone else through sexual transmission. If someone is infected and is then bitten by an uninfected mosquito during the incubation period, that mosquito can then infect others. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the species that carries Zika.
  • Symptoms: The common symptoms of the virus are fever, joint pain, rash, red eyes, muscle pain and headache. If you have these symptoms (and particularly if you have been bitten by a mosquito in the last couple of weeks), you should see a doctor. Those infected with the Zika Virus often don’t know they have it because they attribute their symptoms to something else.
  • What to do if you have it: Rest and drink lots of fluids. You should not take aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen if you have or think you might have the virus. You can take Tylenol.
  • Effects of the virus: While the Zika Virus is particularly dangerous for women who are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, we still do not know of any other long term effects that the virus may have.
  • How to reduce risk: The best thing you can do is to prevent getting bitten by mosquitos. Cover as much of your body with clothes as you can when you are outdoors. Use mosquito repellent on areas of your body that are exposed. (see below for more info on safe repellents).

In addition to Zika concerns, there is also the West Nile Virus. Like Zika, it is spread through mosquito bites and has no known cure. West Nile infections occur primarily in the summer and have been reported in almost every state.

So, either way, precautions against mosquitos and other insect bites are still a very good idea.

Insect Repellents and Dangerous Chemicals

Nearly all of the commercial insect repellents on the market are loaded with dangerous chemicals that make their way into your bloodstream through your skin. To read more about this, see my article: https://www.healthkick.info/living-nontoxic-life/non-toxic-insect-repellent/

All Natural Mosquito Repellent

To make your own truly heavy duty insect repellent, you can follow this recipe here: https://www.healthkick.info/living-nontoxic-life/non-toxic-insect-repellent/

This article was published in the New York Daily News: https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/don-stung-zika-virus-article-1.2584567

Filed Under: General

Probiotics and Your Immune System

April 16, 2016 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

best probioticsHaving a very good balance of good bacteria throughout your digestive system is one of the best ways to strengthen your immune system. Let me tell you about the best form of probiotics you can get.

Many years ago I used to be overly enthusiastic about the use of antibiotics. The slightest hint of something and I was convincing my doctor to give me a new prescription. I thought I could never miss a day of work or go down for any reason and antibiotics was my go-to treatment. As a result, I effectively killed a lot of the good bacteria that would have strengthened my immune system and helped to keep me healthy.

After researching this extensively, I worked hard to locate and buy some of the highest quality probiotics, which I took with some success. However I have discovered an even better means of creating a healthy gut and stronger immune system. 

Probiotics in capsule or any kind of oral form usually provide anywhere from one to maybe as high as ten different strains of good bacteria. Some of the best brands offer as much as 50 billion active cultures. But if you make your own kefir, you can get active cultures in the trillions with over 30 different strains. It’s incredible. And it is super easy to make. 

And of all of the various supplements and things I have tried to bolster my immune system, this one thing has had the most beneficial effect and has done more for my health than anything else I have done.

You’ll need raw milk (goat’s or cow’s milk) and kefir grains to start. If you don’t have access to raw milk, you can use regular milk, but try to get milk that is minimally pasteurized if you can. The grains are re-used, so you only need to get these once. I take this every day and it has made a HUGE difference. I highly, highly recommend it to anyone. 

Here are a couple of videos that I watched to learn how to do it. It is really easy. 

Filed Under: General, Immune System, Supplements

Pesticides: Coffee, Tea and Wine

January 12, 2016 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

coffee, tea and wine

I have worked to gradually improve the foods I eat, avoiding BPA, MSG, food additives, and overall eating more organic and healthy foods. But I found that my coffee, tea and wine were riddled with pesticides. I never even thought about this until I read some articles by the “Food Babe” (see her Facebook Page with more than a million followers).

Most wines not only use a healthy amount of pesticides in growing the grapes, but there are also other additives such as sulfates that I found were adversely affecting my sleep and even causing headaches. 

Wow! I had no idea. Much to my surprise however, there are many options for organic coffees, wine and teas. Most grocery stores offer organic coffee options, including in K-cups. I have found many nice selections of wine at Whole Foods and some at Costco for very reasonable prices, some were not any more expensive than the non-organic wins I was buying. Amazon also offers many options of organic coffee, teas and wine and they are delivered right to your doorstep. Amazon even has its own wine store and you can select organic to see all organic options. I much prefer the taste of these organic options of coffee, tea and wine.

I purchased a french press so I could purchase organic loose leaf tea. It’s so easy to use and clean up afterwards that I found it just as easy as tea bags, but this opened my options to many more exotic teas available. 

Between coffee, tea and wine, I was consuming a considerable amount of pesticides and other chemicals that were very unhealthy. Particularly if you consider daily consumption over a long period of years – this adds up. It’s easy to make the switch to much healthier alternatives. I’ve included some links and resources to help you too. You can do it. Better taste experience, no added expense and much healthier living!

Filed Under: Food, General

Easy ways to squeeze in more raw veggies and fruits

November 22, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

raw veggies

Pretty much any diet will tell you that you can and should eat veggies including raw veggies. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a good diet that didn’t include various forms of veggies.  Paleo, Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Mediterranean, diets for diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and many other diets have vegetables as part of what you should eat to get healthier or lose weight. 

Raw vegetables are better than cooked as valuable nutrients haven’t been cooked out of them and they are high in good fiber. 

I didn’t use to be a big raw veggies person and found it hard to even get myself to eat a salad. I have read many times that you should shoot for eating raw veggies or raw fruit at least 5 times a day. I thought 5 times a day was a steep hill to climb as I rarely use to even eat raw veggies once a day. But over time I came up with ideas on how to work these in comfortably. 

*** Pre-make easy snacks like baby carrots, celery with a little peanut butter or cream cheese in the center, apple slices, cucumber sticks, etc. Put them in baggies and take them with you to work.

*** Make a big batch of coleslaw that will last a week and keep it in the fridge. It’s super easy to make if you have a food processor using cabbage and carrots. The dressing is just mayo, lemon juice, a little vinegar, a few spices and a sweetener (I use stevia). If you use very fresh, crisp cabbage, it lasts a week and is great with lunches or even as a snack.

*** Make it a routine to always start dinner with a salad, even if it’s a small one. It’s a great weight loss tip as it is proven to result in a lower calorie intake at dinner if you start with a salad as the fiber in the veggies helps you to feel full earlier. The only thing to watch is what dressing you use and how much. Loading a lot of high sugar and/or high fat dressing on will crank up the calorie count and (in the case of a sugary dressing) can increase your appetite. Find a healthy dressing you like and use it somewhat sparingly.

*** Mix berries (some of the lowest sugar/high fiber fruits) into lowfat or nonfat plain yogurt. I usually by a tub of organic lowfat yogurt, mix in a little stevia and vanilla extract and some organic berries and it’s almost like dessert it is so good.

*** Mix berries into oatmeal or granola.

Let me know if you have any other good ones to add!

 

Filed Under: Food, General Tagged With: raw vegetables, raw veggies

Established Fibromyalgia Treatments Focus On Masking Symptoms Rather Than Healing

August 11, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

 

taking medsIf you or someone you know is diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, their doctor will likely prescribe one or more of the established drugs for the treatment of Fibromyalgia. Lyrica®, Cymbalta® and Savella are some of the most common ones.

Lyrica® and Cymbalta® have been proven to decrease pain and some of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. This type of treatment, to ease the pain, may certainly be needed. However, before you consider one or more of these medications as your sole treatment plan, there is more you really should know about it.

FIRST: The Side Effects

While these medications do relieve some of the symptoms, it does come at a cost in other side effects. These side effects vary from person to person, but pretty much everyone has some.

There is a much longer list of all side effects, including those that are “rare”, “very rare” or “occasional”. But just those listed as the “more common” side-effects include: “accidental injury, bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet, blurred vision, burning, tingling, numbness or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs, change in walking and balance, clumsiness, confusion, delusions, dementia, difficulty having a bowel movement, difficulty with speaking, double vision, dry mouth, fever, headache, hoarseness, increased appetite, lack of coordination, loss of memory, lower back or side pain, painful or difficult urination, problems with memory, rapid weight gain, seeing double, sensation of pins and needles, shakiness and unsteady walk, sleepiness or unusual drowsiness, stabbing pain, swelling, tingling of the hands or feet, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination, unusual weight gain”.

On top of that fairly hefty list of side effects, a study was recently published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, which stated that the majority of drug trials, specifically for the treatment of Fibromyalgia, were funded by those who stood to benefit financially from their sales. This means that these drugs aren’t being tested by an independent, unbiased, 3rd party that would provide honest test results. Instead, they are being tested by those with conflicts of interest who stand to profit financially. So the safety of these drugs may very well be compromised.

SECOND: Length Of Time You’ll Take These Medications

Short answer: For the rest of your life, with likely increasing dosages as efficacy wanes over time, common for many drugs.

Several years ago a study conducted by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research found that there was a definite need to limit the use of prescription medications for treating Fibromyalgia and that these medications, as a sole form of “treatment”, were not making people well.

In this study, thirty-nine patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) were interviewed about their symptoms at the very beginning of the study. Twenty-nine of those same patients were interviewed again 10 years later. Of these 29 (median age of 55 at second interview), all had persistence of the same FMS symptoms. The percentages of patients with pain or stiffness, sleep difficulty and/or moderate to severe fatigue were pretty much the same as on the initial testing 10 years prior. And 79% of these patients were still taking medications to control their symptoms 10 years later. You can read more about this study here: https://thefibrodoctor.com/traditional-medicine-offers-little-for-fibromyalgia/

However we can conclude that these drugs don’t fix anything, they only mask. And masking the symptoms may be needed for a while, but masking as the only treatment simply means that you are sentenced to a lifetime of pain and trauma with the added side effects of long-term use of these drugs.

THIRD: How Many People Does This Affect?

Current estimates of those suffering from Fibromyalgia range from over 5 million to upwards of 15 million people in the U.S. alone.

Fibromyalgia is big business with revenue from Fibromyalgia drugs now ranking in the billions.

According to a new market research report released by Global Data, “Driven by sales of Lyrica, Cymbalta/Xeristar and Savella, the Fibromyalgia drug market will experience 4.2 percent annual growth through 2018.” Currently a 1.4 billion dollar per year market, it is estimated to increase to 1.8 billion dollars by 2018.

That’s a LOT of people who are suffering that are following a “treatment” that is riddled with serious side effects and which will have to be taken for their entire lifetime in ever increasing quantities.

FOURTH: Is It True That Fibromyalgia Comes From Overactive Nerves?

The ads for Lyrica® now say, “Fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of overactive nerves.”

First of all, just look at how this is carefully worded – “thought to be the result of”. Well, “thought to be” means exactly what it says – thought, not fact, not scientifically proven. It actually means that someone or several someones think that this is so.

It also begs the question what causes these “overactive nerves”? No one knows that either.

The truth is that Fibromyalgia is still referred to as a syndrome because there is no known cause and this is still the case. (An illness is referred to as a syndrome [rather than a disease] if there is no known cause).

FIFTH: What About Further Research To Find A Cure?

Within a few years cheaper generic versions of Lyrica and Cymbalta will become available. So the current focus of research is to introduce more “new and improved” drugs. As stated in this same market report, “These new products will help to drive market growth and offset some of the patent expiries of the leading brands during the forecast period.”

But what about investing some of those profits into real research to discover what is actually causing these illnesses and syndromes? And how about a cure rather than drugs that solely mask the symptoms?

If even a fraction of the marketing budgets for these drugs was diverted to research into the cause and cure for this debilitating syndrome, we might make some progress in actually making people well again.

But then again, if people got well, the market for the drugs might decrease rather than rank in the billions. So instead, the research work that is done is directed at formulating more cocktails of pain meds with antidepressants and other “goodies” so that those suffering from Fibromyalgia have to keep buying their temporary fix in ever increasing quantities.

TO SUM THINGS UP:

  • There are millions of people in the U.S. alone suffering from Fibromyalgia (est. between 5 and 15 million).
  • These sufferers are currently paying 1.4 billion dollars a year for drugs to “treat” their condition.
  • These drugs do not treat the underlying causes of FMS but rather simply mask some of the symptoms.
  • These drugs list a wide array of side effects, some quite serious.
  • Those who are on such a drug regimen as their only form of treatment will have to be taking these medications for the rest of their lives in increasing dosages.

Because of the pain and other debilitating symptoms of Fibromyalgia, one may need medications to ease the symptoms to be able to function at all. The only warning here is to not be fooled into thinking you are doing something that will cure or even improve your condition. It is a temporary fix and will only last as long as you keep taking these meds.

If while you are taking these medications you also followed other protocols that addressed underlying causes of Fibromyalgia symptoms, you could gradually phase-out the use of the drugs as you healed your body. There are valid Fibromyalgia treatments that will improve your condition.

BEWARE OF OTHER PROMOTED TREATMENTS THAT ARE JUST VERSIONS OF SNAKE OILS

There are also many other promoted “treatments”, alternative or otherwise, that are out there that are not going to cure you either. Many people suffering from Fibromyalgia have tried numerous alternative treatment options – all with great hope – and more often than not these did little or nothing to improve their Fibromyalgia symptoms.

Such treatments include everything from special chiropractic techniques to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and many in between, not to mention all manner of vitamins, herbs, other supplements and combinations of such.

The truth is that people who are suffering are highly likely to dole out money for these supposed “solutions” that are going to “fix the problem”, usually because they are desperate, which makes them more vulnerable to marketing gimmicks and scams.

SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

One of the smartest things you can do is to have an advocate who has battled Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue or other applicable chronic illnesses and has been through it all already. This will likely be someone who has suffered their own pain and fatigue and who has done extensive research and their own trials.

They would have traveled thousands of miles to seek out top-of-the-line clinics to see highly reviewed top doctors and specialists that have worked with these chronic illnesses for years. They would have followed numerous treatment protocols, read pretty much every book on the subject and tried every imaginable supplement as well as many different drugs that were purported to help.

Well, there is a such an advocate who has done exactly that. ME. However, that the vast majority of all of my work accomplished little or no improvement and only served to suck available time and funds dry. But on the positive side, I can now help you to navigate through all of the false promotions, misconceptions, deceptions and lies to find those things that are going to truly aid in your own recovery.

Among the vast amounts of over-hyped treatments and protocols, I have been able to find little gems and pearls of wisdom that actually were incredibly helpful. As a result, I have been able to regain my health and get my life back.

Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia over 15 years ago at the Mayo Clinic, I have been been carefully documenting everything I’ve found to be most helpful in actually recovering my health throughout vast tomes of research and multitudes of trials.

It just shouldn’t have taken such a monumental effort to find a truly workable treatment for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. Hopefully, if I can make this information known, it won’t be as hard for others. To that end I have put all of this information into a simple and straightforward book that has just now been made available on Amazon as a Kindle e-book.  

My New Book!

My New Book!

The book is entitled: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Illness; Navigating through the confusion and deception, isolating the truly effective, science-based treatments to get the real solutions to recover your health and take back your life!, by Debbie Baumgarten. Here’s a link to it: https://www.amazon.com/Fibromyalgia-Navigating-confusion-science-based-treatments-ebook/dp/B012Z79IIU/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

There is also information available on the Fibro-Free website along with a blog to continue to warn, alert and advise on new information as it becomes available. The website is: www.FibromyalgiaFree.org

For those suffering from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue or other chronic illnesses, when you’re sick and you feel horrible, your time and money become even more precious to you. You can’t afford to be wasting your valuable resources on those who are simply trying to profit from your pain.

If someone is experiencing unexplained pain and/or fatigue, by all means they should see their doctor. But before spending thousands of dollars on specialists, more and more tests, costly treatment plans and lots of drugs, at least now there is a comprehensive guide available that can be consulted by those who are suffering, to help direct them toward the most beneficial treatments and protocols.

Although well disguised, we have seen far too many circumstances of others capitalizing and profiting on the fact that millions of people with Fibromyalgia, ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other Chronic Illnesses are in pain or experiencing other debilitating symptoms. Often, out of sheer desperation, they will do almost anything to feel well again! They have jobs, families to support and responsibilities and have to do something to keep going.

There are solutions out there. While there might not be one magic pill or a one-shot cure yet, there are a lot of simple and inexpensive things that can help and treatments that can make things better. With enough “things making it better”, these can add up to feeling a LOT better.

This new book, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Illness; Navigating through the confusion and deception, isolating the truly effective, science-based treatments to get the real solutions to recover your health and take back your life, may hold the keys to a treatment plan that doesn’t just mask, but actually heals.

Filed Under: Fibromyalgia, General

Natural, Non Toxic Cleaning

May 4, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

non toxic cleaning

A vast majority of cleaners have varying levels of toxicity. Not only can these cleaners seep in through your skin, you can also breath them in. Even many that are advertised as “green” can be quite toxic. Non toxic cleaning with essential oils and other natural substances can be just as effective if not more, pose no danger and smell divine. 

Here are some simple formulas for the basic cleaning supplies you may need:

All Purpose Cleaner: Put 1 tablespoon of mild dishwashing liquid (or a good squirt) and 5 drops of lemon essential oil into an empty spray bottle and fill with water. Shake and use.

Floor Cleaner: 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar, a quart of water and about 7 drops of lemon essential oil.

Window/Glass/Mirrors Cleaner: Put one cup of distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle and fill the rest with water (leaving some room at the top). Add 10 drops of lemon essential oil. Shake and use.

Toilet, sink, tub and shower cleaner: 3 cups of water plus 3 teaspoons of tea tree oil in a spray bottle. Shake. Spray on the surface and let it sit for 20-30 minutes and then scrub. It will clean easily and disinfect. 

Also:

To make your laundered clothes smell incredible, put about 10 drops of lemon or peppermint or lavender essential oil onto a clean washcloth and put it in the dryer with your load of cleaned clothes to be dried. 

You can add 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to your laundry detergent when washing bedding and this will help to kill and dust mites. Another option is using tea tree oil which has disinfecting properties. 

You can deodorize your vacuum cleaner by putting some lemon or peppermint essential oil onto a small portion of tissue and vacuum it up. Do it just after changing the bag or emptying it and it will last until you dump it out again.

Here is an article with even more information: https://greatist.com/health/27-chemical-free-products-diy-spring-cleaning 

Realize that non toxic cleaning is far more important than you may realize. More to tips come.

 

Filed Under: General, Non toxic cleaning Tagged With: essential oils, non-toxic cleaning

Be Kind to Your Spine

April 1, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

spine

Tens of millions of people suffer from chronic back pain and they spend over 50 billion dollars on pain meds per year. That should give you some idea of how important it is for good spine health.

The number of people experiencing back pain, back injuries and back surgeries has grown to astronomical levels. Helping people with back problems is big business these days, between Chiropractors, Spine Surgeons, Spine Centers and Specialists, Acupuncture and Massage.

When you are younger, you don’t even think about it. Body-wise you often feel somewhat invincible. But it is not uncommon that injuries (both minor and major injuries) which occur when you are younger cause wear and tear on the connective tissue, discs and brain and are often paid for sorely later in life.

There has been quite a bit of news about the long-term effects from sports injuries. Concussions that can cause long-term brain damage as well as other spinal and neurological disorders can cause disabilities that one may have to live with for the rest of their lives. 

Be smart about it – take good care of your spine and prevent what could otherwise end up as very painful situations later. Here are some basic tips: 

* When lifting heavy things, keep your back straight and use your legs and arm muscles to lift.

* Avoid brutal sports that are more prone to serious damage to your spine, connective tissue, brain and nervous system.

* Practice good posture – don’t hump over a computer for long hours – keep your back and neck straight as much as possible.

* Exercise and strengthen your back and core muscles with safe exercises done at least 3 times per week. I will post some of the best back exercises that you can do – coming soon.

Whether you are young, old or somewhere in between – this is important for everyone. Your spine is fairly delicate and the entire nervous system for the body runs through the spine. Take good care of it so it can perform well and last you a full lifetime.

Filed Under: General

Cleaning with Essential Oils

March 25, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

cleaning with essential oils Cleaning with essential oils in wonderful. In my opinion they work better than any cleaners you could buy, they are non-toxic, have disinfectant properties and shine things up beautifully. I recommend using a glass container or a glass spray bottle and labeling them clearly so you don’t mix them up.

Here are a few simple formulas you can use:

All Purpose Cleaner: 30 drops of lemon, lime or orange essential oil, 2 cups of water and 2 cups of white vinegar. Pour ingredients into a spray bottle and shake. Spray surface for cleaning, wipe with wet rag and then a dry towel. 

Mop Solution: Start with a gallon of hot water, add 1 cup of white vinegar and 20 drops of lemon, lime or orange essential oil. Mop away.

Window Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, 10 drops of lemon or lime essential oil and 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Combine in a spray bottle and shake. Spray onto windows or mirrors and wipe with paper towel or lint free rag.

Dusting Solution: Combine 1 1/2 cups olive oil, 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 50 drops of lemon or orange essential oil. Spray on furniture and buff with a dry, lint free cloth. 

Carpet Deodorizer: One 8 ounce box of baking soda, mix in 5 – 10 drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil. Sprinkle lightly over carpet and let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes and then vacuum up.

Fabric Softener: Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 3-5 drops of lavender essential oil. Put into the rinse cycle. 

Sink/tile/grout scrub: Mix baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and 10 drops of tea tree oil to form a paste. Use a scrub sponge or brush and scrub and rinse. 

For more information, you can visit a lovely website called We Got Real – https://wegotreal.com/cleaning-essential-oils/

And there is a book that you can buy and download that has a ton of wonderful formulas for cleaning with essential oils: https://www.mommypotamus.com/lp/diy-non-toxic-cleaning-supplies/

 

Filed Under: General, Non toxic cleaning

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