Summertime is a great season for us to enjoy time with family, friends and vacations! At the same time, many of us may be dealing with stressors that inhibit our abilities to some extent, whether they are concerns about our jobs, our business, our economy or our personal relationships. Therefore, it is vitally important for us to minimize stressors and maximize our purpose as much as possible so that we can be the best we can be!

Good health is vitally important as we live the abundant life God promises us. We are best equipped to serve and carry out His plan for our purpose when we take care of ourselves and are in good health! Bad stress is one of the most serious offenders of our health, and typically falls into two categories: Stress we can control and stress we cannot control. The following simple truths speak to a natural way to better health and coping with stress that we CAN control:

1. Drink plenty of pure water and make sure your PH is balanced! The ideal bottled water is high in magnesium and low in sodium. A good rule of thumb is to drink ½ your body weight in ounces. Use an alkaline water filter if you are using tap water. Some good websites to refer to for info on water are bottledwater.org, aquamaestro.com and mineralwaters.org. You can also pick up PH strips at your local health food store for testing, and improve your PH levels by taking your Greens!

2. Learn to relax and get plenty of rest! Some simple ways I have learned to relax include:

a. 4:6 it! "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known by God" Phil 4:6.
b. Practice mindfulness and enjoy the present moment. Take time outs throughout the day.
c. Breathe -- intentional deep breathing helps to calm the spirit. You have to intentionally work this into your day.
d. Be thankful for all the blessings you have every day! Make a point every day to be thankful for 10 things.
e. Laugh and be joyful! Laughing releases endorphins and is good for the body and soul.
f. Listen to music - make listening to relaxing and uplifting music a part of your everyday life!
g. Get to bed on time! The time between 10-12 p.m. is the best healing time for the body. A body needs 6-8 hours of good sleep to heal and function at optimal levels.

3. Eat properly -- make living foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. the staples of your diet. Also, enjoy "power snacks" and eat 5 -- 6 small portions throughout the day to speed up your metabolism and burn body fat more efficiently.

4. Exercise -- it is important to incorporate exercise into your life, even if it is 30 min 3-5 times a week. Pick an exercise you enjoy, or just walk. It is proven that exercise increases mental clarity and your overall lifespan.

5. Detox -- one of the most important KEYS to good health is detoxification! To give this topic the attention it is due is an entire book on its own! While detoxification is a natural function addressed by many of our body systems, our bodies sometime get on toxic overload from poor eating habits, pollutants, etc., and need cleansed and replenished. Detoxification also supports a healthy immune system (so you can see the multiple benefits). Some key points I will note here for detoxification include:

a. Use an herbal--fiber bowel restorer to encourage normal colon function.
b. Supplement with digestive enzymes and probiotics.
c. Lose excess fat as it is where toxins hide. For immediate site specific inch loss use the body wraps. They also have significant stress reducing capabilities!
d. Support liver and kidney function with Greens and a whole food based natural multivitamin that includes herbs and milk thistle.
e. Regularly utilize ionic footbaths, infrared sauna therapy and body wraps for ultimate toxic relief.

6. Supplement -- even when we eat well, our bodies do not get everything they need from food alone. It is important to supplement with a good whole food based natural multivitamin to ensure our body has proper nutrients to function.

7. Get plenty of fresh air and sunshine!

The valuable equation to take away is that detoxification+balancing the immune system = good health. Maintaining optimum health is the best way to prepare for and deal with stressors and disease, and to perform at your optimum level!