Healing with Hillary Blog & News
1/6: How Can TV be Good for You?
Posted on: Thursday, January 6, 2011
Keywords: Probiotics, Coconut, Pediatrician, Eucalyptus, Mucous, Nose, Chest, Sinuses, Lactobacillus, Rhamnosus
...when it actually gives you useful health tips.
Ok, so I was actually watching TV the other day. There was this show on called "The Doctors." It is a panel of 4 doctors that give health tips 
throughout the show. I sat there watching and saying to myself, "Gee, I could do this show and it could be fun!" Interestingly enough the show was about 52 things you can do to improve your health this year.
It amazed me that of the 52 things they were sharing, I was already sharing at least 42 of them with my patients. I don't have room for all of them today, but here's a few that I have been sharing lately.
Recently I wrote about the benefits of coconut oil both for your brain and your skin. (See Holiday Memories) WOW! The plastic surgeon's tip for highly moisturizing your skin was, of all things, coconut oil! He recommended rubbing it in 10 minutes before your shower.
Gee, what did the pediatrician recommend for breaking up mucous? Eucalyptus. That’s right, the one thing I drill into my patients every winter - eucalyptus for clearing your nose, chest, sinuses, etc. It works for people of all ages and you can feel it start to work as soon as you open the bottle. Rub it in, it feels even better!
Another tip they talked about was taking probiotics. I have always been a big fan of these. Why? Because 80% of your immune system comes from your gut. If you want to be healthy, you must have healthy gut flora. That means the good bacteria must outnumber the bad bacteria in your intestines.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that your 1 cup of name brand yogurt in the morning is going to take care of this for you, cuz it won't. It doesn't even come close, especially when you add in all the grams of sugar in those cups... and don't even get me started on nasty artificial sweeteners.
In order for the good guys to overpower the bad guys, you need to take at least a 5 billion CFU dosage per day, preferably in the morning before or during breakfast. Your probiotic supplement should have at least 8 different types of bacteria in it, and I always recommend it includes Lactobacillus Rhamnosus.
How do you know if you need a probiotic? A dead giveaway is GAS. Whether you are belching or fluffing, your bad guys are winning the battle of the gut. Just about any intestinal discomfort can benefit from probiotics. The doc on the show was recommending it for allergy sufferers. Why? Because 80% of your immune system comes from your gut. Allergies are dysfunctional immune responses.
It is very important to remember that both the good and bad bacteria in your gut are killled off when you take any antibiotic. (Biotic means life, so think anti-life.) Unfortunately the bad guys recover quicker and take over. So, if you have ever taken an antibiotic, then you should consider probiotics too.
On a lighter note...
For those of you on a weight loss quest, the classic suggestion of drinking a glass of water before eating still proves to help you eat less, however a new one to me was peeling (take the time to do this) and eating an orange before your meal. Hey, why not try it. If nothing else, the vitamin C is good for you.
My last thought for today is about staying hydrated. As they mentioned on the show, winter is a time when our bodies need more water to stay hydrated, yet we tend to drink less because we are not hot. So, to help you stay hydrated, think about this: You should consume 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day just to break even.
For example: If your weight = 100 lbs. your water intake should = 50 ounces, 25oz before noon and 25oz between noon and 6pm.
This means straight up water. Soda, pop, seltzer, juice, coffee, etc. doesn't count in your ounces per day.
Ya, ya, I know. Stop whining and start breaking those old habits. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel!
Here’s your recap of today’s tips:
- Coconut oil for your skin,
- Eucalyptus for your mucous,
- Probiotics for a healthy gut and immune system,
- Drink water and peel and eat an orange before meals to
decrease excess food consumption, and - Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day for proper hydration.
Have a great week!
Dr B
See Dr. Botta's Practitioner Page
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