Most Recent Health Tips, Health News, and Easy Healthy Recipes

Just a brief post for those among our readers who have interest in making beautiful quilts. If you don't already know about Leah Day and her lovely quilting website, be sure to have a visit here:

It's no secret that mosquito bites can transfer a number of diseases to humans and animals, the most common of which are malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

Before you whip out a can of mosquito-repelling spray the next time a clan of biting insects are after your blood, you should know that many conventional brands contain DEET, a powerful pesticide that has been linked to a number of health problems such as skin rashes, dizziness, and even seizures.

One of healthiest herbs that you can include in your diet is fresh cilantro. Abundant in chlorophyll, iron, and a wide variety of phytonutrients, fresh cilantro provides protection against a wide spectrum of diseases, and may even protect you against a buildup of heavy metals.

The other day, we were fortunate to have a good friend have us over for some homemade squash soup. Margaret and I were almost rolling around on the ground as we savored what we both declared to be the best squash soup ever.

For most of the year 2000, I worked and lived at a fasting clinic in northern California where I spent time with many groups of eclectic guests from all over the world.

I often tell my wife that during that year, I felt like I was floating around in a bubble, almost immune to any downers that life brought my way. Sure, there were times when I felt a bit crummy, but most of the time, I felt like I was at peace, able to feel compassion for anyone.

An all-too-common mistake that I've encountered over the years is taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) to address muscular and ligamentous strains and sprains.

Updated on February 6, 2009

For years, the standard protocol for treating a sprained ankle has been the R.I.C.E. method - Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. While this protocol typically prevents further damage and allows for gradual healing of a sprained joint, sports medicine practitioners are finding that sprains tend to heal most effectively when the injured joint is exercised as soon as possible.

What follows are guidelines that I generally recommend when looking to fully recover as quickly as possible from a sprained ankle:

If you feel somewhat brittle and easily predisposed to suffering from strains and sprains, I encourage you to visit a health practitioner who provides myofascial release treatment.

Myofascial release, also called "skin rolling," is often provided along with other treatments like massage, stretching, and joint mobilisation and manipulation. The vast majority of registered massage therapists, chiropractors, naturopathic physicians, and osteopathic physicians have training with myofascial release.

Comfortable and supportive shoes or sandals can go a long way in protecting your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine from injury.

When you're without footwear and working indoors on hard flooring, I encourage you to consider using an anti-fatigue mat to provide all of your major weight-bearing joints with cushioned support. Here's one that we have by our kitchen sink:

Last summer, I mentioned that we purchased Keen Newport Sandals for our boys to give their growing bodies optimal support from the ground up.

I've since received dozens of notes from readers who have found Keen's H2 model to be helpful for a wide variety of physical problems surrounding the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and even the lower back region.